Sarah Kaye is a Network Administrator in Seattle, Washington, supporting the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Polar Ice Breaker Fleet. This fleet’s support 9 of the USCG missions, including but not limited to conducting and supporting scientific research in the Arctic and Antarctic; defending U.S. sovereignty in the Arctic and other U.S. interests in polar regions; and, monitoring sea traffic in the Arctic.

Over the past decade, Sarah played a key role in supporting ice breaking missions through the management, engineering, logistics, installation, information assurance, and maintenance support of Base Seattle’s shore side test bed facility and shipboard Polar Science Network.

Sarah joined Chugach in 2019 after serving in this role as a subcontractor to our initial award in 2014. Her dedication to the program earned her praise from her team and the client, who awarded Sarah’s work with an Honorary Cutterman Insignia. For USCG personnel, this insignia is awarded on a temporary basis after six months of sea time, qualification in required watch stations, successful completion of an oral or written board, and receiving a recommendation from their unit’s Commanding Officer. Temporary insignias may be worn while attached to a cutter but must be removed upon permanently transferring to a non-afloat unit. The award becomes permanent after 5 years of cumulative sea time in the Coast Guard.

In 1974, USCG instituted the Cutterman Insignia to provide recognition for Coast Guard personnel who, in the tradition of professional mariners, have performed duties afloat in keeping with their grade and rate, and who have endured the rigors and dangers of sea duty for a substantial period. It signifies that they have exhibited the requisite professionalism and dedication to duty expected of seagoing Coast Guard personnel. The insignia is a visible means of recognizing their qualities and identifies the wearer as a professional mariner.

The design can be divided into three basic areas. Each is representative of a Cutterman’s special qualities. The wheel and the waves represent the heritage of the sea. The five-point star represents five years of sea duty and the center, the shield, represents the Coast Guard and its seagoing tradition.

Sarah’s service to this critical program truly embodies our Core Behaviors.