Faces of Hamilton: Petty Officer 1st Class Heather Ashworth

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sydney Phoenix | Petty Officer 1st Class Heather Ashworth, originally from Birmingham, Alabama, is an operations specialist on USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753), as seen here in the Atlantic Ocean, on May 26, 2021. She has been aboard Hamilton for five and a half years and in the Coast Guard for almost seven years. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sydney Phoenix)  

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, UNITED STATES

06.04.2021

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sydney Phoenix 

U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area

Petty Officer 1st Class Heather Ashworth, originally from Birmingham, Alabama, is an operations specialist on USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753). She has been aboard Hamilton for five and a half years and in the Coast Guard for almost seven years.
 
Ashworth joined the U.S. Coast Guard because she wanted a job that would challenge her and provide new and unique experiences. During Hamilton’s most recent deployment to the Mediterranean and Black sea, she was challenged in ways she hadn’t experienced before but carried out the mission to the best of her ability.

“Our biggest hurdle was having to perform at the same level as U.S. Navy ships but with only a fraction of the crew that it takes to sail one,” Ashworth said. “We are required to fill numerous positions at any given moment and at times simultaneously.”

While underway, she serves as the combat information system watch supervisor. The CIC watch supervisor oversees the other watch floor positions, drives the mission, handles internal and external communications, and manages intelligence reports that provide indications and warnings of suspicious activity during deployments.

With the U.S. Coast Guard sailing in U.S. Sixth Fleet during tensions amongst other countries, she appreciated why it is important for the crew to be there and carry out their missions.

“Having completed our Black Sea deployment, I have a better understanding of operations with high political tensions and how the smallest of actions we take as a country carry a high degree of impact and visibility throughout the world,” she said.

With the deployment coming to a close and Hamilton heading home, she has had time to reminisce about their time in the Black Sea. Ashworth said her favorite part of this deployment was visiting the various countries and sampling the local food.
 
“To anyone thinking about getting underway, do it,” she said. “I have been to numerous different countries, and I have experienced incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. The crew camaraderie and the traditions surrounding the cutter life is unlike any other unit.”

• Date Taken: 06.04.2021
• Date Posted: 06.04.2021 15:01
• Story ID: 398140
• Location: NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, US
• Hometown: BIRMINGHAM, AL, US