Photo By Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Tamargo | CAPE MAY, N.J. - Peggie Montemurro, a travel specialist in the Travel Management Team...... read more read more
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Peggie Montemurro, known by friends, staff, and the recruits she has helped as Ms. Peggie, has worked at U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May (TCCM) for more than 13 years as the sole travel agent for recruits graduating the 8-week training course known as boot camp.
Over her time here, she has helped arrange travel for more than 30,000 recruits. She is the ADTRAV representative for the base and a vital member of the TCCM team.
Montemurro makes travel arrangements for both regular recruit and Direct Entry Petty Officer Training companies - normally 80-120 people a week.
“This is the best job I ever had. I get excited because the recruits are excited,” said Montemuro. “Seeing the things they accomplish, it’s an inner growth for them,” she said. “When they go out, I’m rooting for them. You can’t help rooting for them.”
Since the nationwide COVID-19 pandemic impact began, Montemurro dedicated long hours, more than 160 hours in total, and late nights working through recruit travel challenges until every recruit had a solid travel plan to their first unit.
With the added pressure of two companies departing the same week, an abnormal occurrence under normal conditions, Montemurro ensured that each travel plan for both companies was complete and remained responsive to the constant travel changes that were happening almost hourly.
Additionally, to make sure each service member arrived at their first unit safely and that their travel plans were successful, she tracked each check-in at the airport and monitored any delays or changes that popped up, ready to help if needed.
“During this uncertain time, Ms. Peggie went above and beyond what was required. Her dedication to ensuring the Coast Guard's newest members arrived safely to their unit was a mission essential task that ensured we were able to continue to provide operational units with fleet-ready non-rates,” said Master Chief Petty Officer Dave Pace, the command master chief at the base. “She has worked miracles during this COVID-19 period conducting graduate travel arrangements. She has been a godsend here at TCCM for the recruits and staff for many years,”
COVID-19 caused many issues and constant changes in travel planning making it difficult for some recruits to leave the training center immediately after graduation. Montemurro adjusted effortlessly to the environment showing how important she is to the Recruit Administrative Support Team and to the Coast Guard as a whole.
“The recruits are going away to do something great,” she said. “They climbed the mountain and made it to the top.”
Her hard work and dedication to our newest members even enabled two graduates to arrive in Valdez, Alaska, a remote location where there are few flights available.
Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Charles Ray and the Training Center Cape May command, Capt. Kathy Felger and Cmdr. Scott Rae, recognized Montemurro for her relevant professionalism and agility, hard work and dedication to the service modeling the Coast Guards core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty.
“I am humbled by it. I really appreciate it,” said Montemurro. “With so much going on, I feel the last thing on their mind would be me. I really like the people I work with. They are great.”
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2020 09:13 |
| Story ID: | 369864 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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