Photo By Chief Petty Officer Cynthia Oldham | Petty Officer Justin Lacy stands in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., with his family,...... read more read more
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Get to know your South Jersey Coast Guard!
This summer, while people are out enjoying the water and warm temperatures, Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Lacy, a native of Leesburg, Va., will be standing the watch with his shipmates at Coast Guard Station Atlantic City.
Serving as a small-boat coxswain and boarding team officer, Justin stands ready to respond to any search and rescue emergency. Justin, along with a boat crew, will also spend the summer on underway patrols; conducting vessel boardings to help ensure people are being safe on the water.
“When we board a boat we are not looking to ruin anybody’s good time,” Justin said. “We want to make sure people have the correct safety equipment aboard, children are wearing their lifejackets – as required by law – and the boat driver is not drinking alcohol. Our priority is to keep everyone on the water safe.”
The crew at Station Atlantic City provides search and rescue, law enforcement and environmental protection for an area of approximately 250 square miles of ocean, backbays and inlets around Atlantic City.
Justin has served locally since he joined the Coast Guard in 2005.
After basic training, Justin was stationed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter William Tate, a Philadelphia-based buoy tender responsible for maintenance of 250 buoys in the Delaware Bay and River, and the Upper Chesapeake Bay, Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet, Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, and now, the boat Station in Atlantic City.
It was through Justin’s Coast Guard service, and a couple of unique coincidences, that Justin met his wife, Mandy.
Much like active duty military service members, Mandy, who is a Florida native, moved many times before she found her home in New Jersey. Mandy’s family moved a lot because of a different type of service ⎯ Mandy’s father serves in the ministry.
Although Mandy is a civilian, she also had a very emotional Coast Guard connection before she even met Justin.
“My brother, Michael Bovill, served in the Coast Guard,” said Mandy. He was 23-years-old in 2010 when he died in an off-duty motorcycle accident.”
Mandy said her brother joined the Coast Guard to save lives, and he ended up doing that in both life and death.
“Michael saved five lives through organ donation,” Mandy said. “We ended up meeting four out of the five people who received my brother’s organs. One of the men, who got Michael’s lungs, even has a daughter now. “
Justin never actually met Mandy’s brother, but while he was stationed at the Air Station in Atlantic City one of Justin’s shipmates set it up for him to live with a local family – who happened to be Mandy’s aunt and uncle.
“About six months after Michael passed away, I went to my aunt and uncle’s house – where Justin had been living - for Easter dinner, and met Justin there,” said Mandy. “We dated for about a year-in-a-half, and then got married.”
“Our relationship flourished through our shared faith,” Justin said. “Our faith was one of the biggest things that drew us together.”
When Justin is not on duty at the Coast Guard station, he is spending time with Mandy and their two children, 7-year-old son, Leland and 5-month-old daughter, Blayne. The Lacy family is also very involved with the Highland Community Church in Galloway, where their involvement brings a strong foundation of emotional support.
“Military service is tough for the whole family,” Justin said. “I am grateful for our nearby family and our church community. And I am proud of Mandy, she is sacrificing for her country in a lot of the same ways an active duty member does.”
“I am proud of him,” Mandy said. “Look for him on the water this summer. He will be out there!”
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2015 12:19 |
| Story ID: | 157498 |
| Location: | ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, US |
| Web Views: | 228 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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