CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Petty Officer Jakob R. Blass, Clearwater, Fla., has been named by the United States Coast Guard as its 2018 Enlisted Person of the Year in the Active Duty Component. Blass graduated from VU with a baccalaureate degree in Homeland Security in December 2018.

Blass currently serves as a tactical coxswain at Station Port Canaveral. While serving as Officer of the Day during Operation Shrimp and Grits, a multi-agency collaborative effort promoting boating safety and maritime domain awareness, BM3 Blass was instrumental in the coordination of multiple Coast Guard assets. This operation yielded numerous notices of violations, vessel terminations for safety reasons, and the detention and arrest of an undocumented alien with an extensive criminal history.

During the historical launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and simultaneous landing of two Falcon 9 boosters, an event that drew more than 100,000 visitors and 150 spectator vessels to Florida's Space Coast, he was instrumental in ensuring vessels were safe and out of the hazardous operational area.

As the Partnership in Education coordinator, he taught 14 classes through the Junior Achievement Program at two local schools, focusing on the fundamentals of sound decision-making. Additionally, as the Continuing Education Petty Officer, he assisted members in applying for tuition assistance, resulting in four shipmates earning their associate of arts degrees.

Along with his duties, BM3 Blass was recently accepted into the Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology Program at Argosy University.

Petty Officer Blass will be recognized in a ceremony in Washington DC on April 25.

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Vincennes University Newsroom

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