JUNEAU, Alaska — The typical day at Air Station Sitka for Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Troy Brevik can involve taking apart helicopter engines, rescuing people from burning ships and generally saving lives imperiled in Alaska's treacherous waters and wilderness.
For Brevik, this does not come without recognition; the Juneau native was named the Coast Guard's 2010 Enlisted Person of the Year award, and will be travelling to Washington on May 17 to accept the award.
"Not only does he want to help others at work, but seven days a week, 24 hours a day," said Chief Warrant Officer Dohn Galbraith, an aircraft maintenance officer who supervises Brevik and nominated him for the award.
Brevik, 39, said he didn't originally intend to make the Coast Guard his career. The plan was to serve for four years to get money from the G.I. Bill to pay for college.
"I actually like the job so much I stayed," said Brevik, now in his 19th year with the Coast Guard.
Brevik said his duty is to maintain the air station's three helicopters, which can be used for operations like delivering pumps to ships that are taking on water or perform search and rescue operations.
Brevik's efficiency and mechanical expertise in ushering in a new type of helicopter were particularly impressive, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert Papp said in a statement.
"Petty Officer Brevik was the unit's cornerstone during a year when Air Station Sitka overcame numerous challenges, including the transition of a new aircraft, an aeronautical engineering logistics inspection and a unit standardization evaluation," Papp said in a statement.
Brevik was put in charge of training 55 mechanics to work on the new T model of the Jawhawk helicopter, which Brevik said featured digital avionics and sensors. When the aircraft first arrived, Brevik said he would occasionally work every shift just to ensure mechanics were knowledgeable of the new helicopter's quirks.
"It's new to all of us," Galbraith said of the helicopter's new technology. "(Brevik's) efforts made for a smooth transition."
Another aspect of Brevik's service that impressed his superiors was his dedication to helping others outside of work through the Sitka Volunteer Fire Department and the Sitka Mountain Rescue, two organizations that Brevik is a part of.
Brevik said his co-workers also deserve recognition.
"The people who I work for are who I give credit to, for saying, let's get this done, and get it done right," Brevik said.
Brevik eventually wants become a master chief with the Coast Guard.
He and his wife, Jennifer, 36, have three children, Nikole, 10, Andrew, 8, and Megan, 7.