South Orange resident to return from yearlong mobilization

Published Sept. 2, 2014
By Petty Officer 3rd Class Ali Flockerzi
U.S. Coast Guard District 1 PADET New York

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Lt. Steve Mannion will return to South Orange, N.J., Aug. 31, 2014, upon completing a one-year mobilization with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Mannion was activated to supervise the pre-deployment warrior training of 257 Coast Guardsmen, whom have deployed to Afghanistan, Bahrain, and Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mannion traveled over 260 days from home between Camp LeJeune, N.C., Base Portsmouth, Va., and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., for this assignment.

Coast Guardsmen who are deployed to Afghanistan and Kuwait inspect shipping containers for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps and annually save the Defense Department approximately $4 billion in fines and penalties. Those deployed to Bahrain patrol the Persian Gulf aboard 110-foot cutters to provide anti-terrorism and force protection supporting the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

"I am privileged to have served with members of each branch of the military during this tour, but am very glad to be coming home," Mannion said, when asked about his mobilization.

For his service as a liaison to JB MDL and his individual accomplishments this year, Mannion was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Marine Corps and Army Pistol Expert Badges, and the Navy Rifle Expert Medal.

Mannion and his wife, Sherrie, have lived in South Orange since 2000. He has been a member of the Coast Guard Reserve and N.J. Naval Militia since 2004 and a member of the Coast Guard's Deployable Specialized Forces since 2012. He will return to U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team New York in Staten Island as its Senior Reserve Officer in September.