Faces of Hamilton: Lt. Cmdr. Tanya Cuprak

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sydney Phoenix | Lt. Cmdr. Tanya Cuprak, originally from Preston, Connecticut, joined the Coast Guard in 2007. She is now the engineering officer aboard USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753), as seen here underway in the Atlantic Ocean June 3, 2021, and was previously stationed aboard Hamilton from 2013 to 2015. (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

Lt. Cmdr. Tanya Cuprak, originally from Preston, Connecticut, joined the Coast Guard in 2007. She is now the engineering officer aboard USCGC Hamilton (WMSL 753) and was previously stationed aboard Hamilton from 2013 to 2015.
 
“I knew I wanted to wear a uniform, but as a 17-year-old high school student, I didn’t know much more than that,” Cuprak said. “I drove by the Coast Guard Academy every day on my way to work in high school and thought it looked like a nice place to be. After some research and learning, I would wear a uniform, it was essentially free schooling and a job after graduation, it made sense to apply.”
 
Cuprak was on Hamilton’s recent deployment to the Mediterranean and Black Seas, visiting and engaging with several countries.

“I truly didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I was excited to work alongside the Navy and foreign maritime services. This was an opportunity to expand the Coast Guard’s reach well beyond our own borders, and it exceeded my expectations. “

Despite the complex engineering systems onboard the cutter, the biggest challenge Cuprak had was ensuring everyone had opportunities to wash their clothes and linens.

“The biggest challenge I had was making sure enough washers, and dryers remained operational to get us through the deployment,” she said. “When half of them broke within the first month at sea, I was skeptical about how soon the rest would fail. Luckily, we did not experience any more failures, and even without three washers, we learned the dryers are truly the system bottleneck.”
 
Cuprak said that her favorite memories of this deployment are enjoying pasta, pizza, and 2.2 lbs. of gelato ice cream on the pier in Naples, Italy, with Mount Vesuvius in the background, surrounded by great people.
 
“To anyone thinking about cutter life, do it,” she said. “You will discover a whole new level of camaraderie and teamwork. You will be challenged beyond your wildest imagination, and you will find success in those experiences. You will make lasting friendships that will carry you through your whole Coast Guard career.”
 
Cuprak is also an avid adventurer outside of the Coast Guard. She biked and hiked from the lowest point in the continental U.S. to the highest point in the continental U.S. over four days before the patrol.

• Date Taken: 06.04.2021
• Date Posted: 06.04.2021 15:00
• Story ID: 398187
• Location: NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, US
• Hometown: PRESTON, CT, US