USCGA GAME SHORTS Available!

"OLD BEARS" - here's a chance for you to get ahold of a pair of the new Coast Guard Academy Lacrosse game shorts. They are available in NAVY or WHITE and include your desired custom number and the "Fear the Bear in the Sailor Hat" logo. These are sublimated mesh shorts meaning the colors and logos are dyed directly into the fabric...similar in look to a cycling shirt.... We are offering the shorts at $30 per pair plus shipping...Doug and I "took it in the shorts" on the POLO mailing...we like you guys, but not that much! If you'd like to purchase a pair (or two) please send an email to Sean Cross (sean.m.cross@uscg.mil).

Please include desired:
Name

Color (NAVY or WHITE)

Desired Uniform Number

Size

The artist rendering is not the best depiction of the actual shorts (NOTE: the WHITE short "Bear logo" will have a NAVY ring around it). Check out this website to see an actual pair of our shorts...UCF is wearing the same basic uniform we are getting:
http://rundlephotography.smugmug.com/gallery/4437341_EN8aK#260743401_QYZhK
As always, contact me with questions or concers. Orders are due by COB, Monday, 10NOV08! It will take 8-10 weeks to get the shorts in from when the order is placed...standby for the payment plan and shipping cost details - we're looking into a PAYPAL account - that way we can also sell CGA LACROSSE stuff via the website.

GO BEARS!!!

"Old Bear" Lost in Action

We are sure most of you are aware of the tragic loss of the crew of 6505. What we have just recently learned was that among those lost was an "Old Bear." More below...

The “OLD BEARS” regret to report that we recently lost one of our own. U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue crews suspended the search for CDR Thomas Nelson, 42, of Staten Island, NY. CDR Nelson went missing on 4 September 2008, after his HH-65C helicopter crashed with three other crewmembers aboard during a training flight off the south shore of Oahu. The three crewmembers were recovered Thursday evening and pronounced dead at The Queen’s Medical Center. CDR Nelson remains missing.

CDR Nelson reported to Air Station Barbers Point in July 2007 as the Executive Officer. He was a member of the Coast Guard Academy Class of 1988 and played close defense for the Coast Guard Academy Lacrosse Team. Teammate and classmate CDR Nick Bartolotta remarked “he loved to poke at people with the long stick, and damn, could he clear the crease.”

CDR Tom Nelson most recently served as the Deputy Office Chief, Office of Security and Defense Operations, at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington DC, from July 2004 to June 2007. There he helped lead a 29 member staff and 15 liaison officers coordinating national homeland security policy, budget, and programming. During this assignment CDR Nelson was directly involved with improving the Nation’s abilities to prevent and respond to the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction by terrorists.

Prior to his assignment to headquarters, CDR Nelson attended the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he earned a Master of Arts and Science in Military History in 2004. His previous assignments include Air Stations Brooklyn, New York; Port Angeles, Washington; and New Orleans, Louisiana; where he served in various department head and division officer positions while fulfilling his primary role as a duty standing, deploying aviator in the HH-65 helicopter. CDR Nelson also served as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC BASSWOOD (WLB-388) home ported in Guam.

CDR Nelson’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and various other team and unit awards.

Uniform Fundraising Update

Happy Homecoming Weekend!

We are long overdue for an update. To all who have donated to the uniform fund, from Old Bears to parents to the Class of '83 - thank you! If you have yet to donate, please seriously consider donating. We are getting close and need to maintain our momentum.

Discussions regarding uniform design continue. Since the last update, there have been some refinements - the latest iteration of the uniform is posted here. Please note that this is still a notional design that is subject to more refinement. Our timeline is to finalize the design and negotiate the entire package with the uniform distributor prior to Thanksgiving. And for those Old Bears who may be interested in getting a pair of shorts (or even jersey) for themselves, we will be working to include that in the order. Details will follow.

Don't forget to keep an eye out for potential recruits!

GO BEARS!!!