Coast Guard Recruits Return From Evacuation

CAPE MAY – Coast Guard recruits boarded buses to evacuate Training Center Cape May (TRACEN), the Coast Guard’s enlisted basic training center in response to Hurricane Sandy, Oct. 28.
More than 300 recruits and staff evacuated the training center as well as more than 1,000 Coast Guardsmen and their families, according to TRACEN spokesman, Chief Warrant Officer Donnie Brzuska. Families were evacuated to Burlington and Camden counties, he said.
Recruits returned to TRACEN Oct. 31.
Coast Guard recruits and training center staff conducted recruit basic training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Numerous operational units returned to TRACEN including numerous boats and ships Oct. 30.
A “ride-out” team stayed on base to secure the facility, said Brzuska.
Facilities engineers from TRACEN began repairing minor electrical and structural damage to the base’s waterfront in order to prepare it for the return of operational units Nov. 5. More than seven operational units rely the training center’s waterfront facilities to conduct their operations.
Brzuska told the Herald said there was water intrusion into several buildings at TRACEN “but nothing that would hinder the training process.”
A road on the perimeter of the base was washed out, he said.
A total of 30 homes in base housing received water intrusion from a total of 174 dwelling units, said Brzuska. He said the base was prepared for much worse damage.
“We working very hard to try and support those folks in those units north of us that bore the brunt of the storm,” said Brzuska.
Donated goods were delivered by cutter to Coast Guard Station Atlantic City and Station Barnegat from Cape May. Both stations sustained water damage.
Brzuska said all recruit companies will graduate on time.
“We did have to postpone the reporting date for the recruits scheduled to report Oct. 30,” he said.