Mason Couch volunteers outside of his military service to give back to his community and because he doesn’t like sitting still.
U.S. Coast Guard Marine Science Technician 3rd Class Mason Couch is a 2022 recipient of The American Legion’s Spirit of Service award for his community service efforts. His drive to serve is from his “need to be out doing something,” he said. “I just love to do a lot of volunteer work because I hate sitting still.”
Couch led a beach cleanup last month for Earth Day at Centennial Park Beach in Port Jefferson, N.Y.
“We only have one earth and kind of feel like we’re obligated to clean up and try to do our best to make sure that what we have stays nice, stays clean.”
Couch and other members from his Coast Guard unit picked up trash along the shoreline on April 19. He said he’s always shocked at the amount of plastic that is on the beach, whether left there by someone or washed up on shore. “It doesn’t matter where it came from as long as we can remove it from here and keep the community and environment here nice and clean,” he said.
Beach cleanup is one of the many volunteer service efforts that Couch was honored for by The American Legion. He also was recognized for removing abandoned lobster nets – he saw an ad for help needed and answered the call because “anything I could do in my free time to give back to the community that’s given so much to me.”
For his volunteer efforts, Couch received The American Legion’s Spirit of Service award with the other recipients on stage at the organization’s 103rd national convention in Milwaukee last August. The Spirit of Service Award honors those members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have selflessly distinguished themselves over and above their normal duties predominately through community service activities and professional achievement.
“I really can’t thank The American Legion enough for providing the opportunity to come out there (Milwaukee) to the convention, receive the award and receive recognition for all of the hard work for that,” Couch said. “It just made me feel like instead of the reasons why I was doing it, which was just for the community and just expecting it to not go seen, and seeing that a lot of people really appreciated it. It really meant a lot.”
With his role in the Coast Guard, Couch educates the public on the importance of keeping the waterways free of pollution and provides facility and ship inspections on the island that has hazardable liquid to ensure “all operations are done safely and making sure nothing will happen to the environment.
“My favorite part about my job is how much we are not in the office,” Couch said. “A lot of people brag to me about their jobs, but I think I’ve got them beat.”
Couch is transferring to Alaska in June with the Coast Guard. He will be a commercial fishing vessel examiner at the Marine Safety Detachment Dutch Harbor, doing dockside and walking on boats to ensure everyone on the boat is safe.
“With the Coast Guard we’re just ensuring that they’re operating safely because it’s one of the most dangerous jobs out there,” Couch said, adding that some of the vessels he will be inspecting will be from the TV show “Deadliest Catch,” “which I think is going to be a lot of fun.”
Couch doesn’t know what volunteer opportunities Alaska will provide but he hopes to “continue volunteering as much as I can. I’ll find something.”
- Honor & Remembrance