Alaskan Coast Guard Person of the Year
KODIAK, Alaska - Some would say that in life there is a recipe for success. When it comes to those who have chosen a life of
cooking for others, their success can be directly measured by the actions of those they serve. For one Coast Guardsman serving
goes beyond food and requires attention to the elements that make up the human recipe. For this she has been recognized as the
2006 Alaskan Coast Guard Enlisted Person of theYear.
Petty Officer 1st Class Andrea Bisignani is a food service specialist aboard the Coast Guard Cuter SPAR, a 225-foot oceangoing
buoy tender home-ported in Kodiak, Alaska. Although she has only been on the cutter since June 2006, her accomplishments have
had an impact on the efficiency of the cutter's galley, the morale of the crew and the Kodiak community.
Bisignani joined the Coast Guard in 1994 at the age of 19. After graduating from Del Norte High School in her hometown of
Albuquerque, N.M., she attended one year of college where she made the decision to join the Coast Guard.
Bisignani quickly fell into the role of mess cook at her first duty station aboard the 180-foot Coast Guard Cutter Madrona in
Charleston, S.C. After 10 months aboard the cutter
Bisignani's culinary journey began as she was sent off to school to become a food service specialist. Her first duty station as a cook
was at Loran Station Port Clarence Alaska, just 85 miles from the Artic Circle on the Seward Peninsula.
After cutting her teeth in the remote north of Alaska, Bisignani was transferred to the opposite end of the country to Coast Guard
Group Portland, Maine where she continues to hone her professional skills. Bisignani was then given the chance to excel when she
received orders to Washington, D.C., to cook for the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. After two years she was reassigned to
cook for the Commandant of the Coast Guard at Coast Guard Headquarters.
"That's when I realized that it's really want I wanted to do and that I would be good at it," she explained. "That was the one moment
that did everything in my career."
After spending 5 years in Washington, where she earned her associates in culinary arts, Bisignani was reassigned to the Coast
Guard Cutter James Rankin, in Baltimore, Md. In June 2006 Bisignani transferred to her current duty station aboard the SPAR.
Bisignani has served 12 years on active duty, but it was her actions in the past year that earned her the award of 2006 Alaskan
Enlisted Person of the Year.
In June 2006, while aboard the James Rankin, she was selected as the Coast Guard's Food Service Specialist of the Year. She
also led the cutter's galley to win Coast Guard Dining Facility of the year in the small afloat category.
After reporting to the SPAR Bisignani took over the galley and improved its efficiency through training and budgeting. She
continues to oversee the daily operation of the galley as the food service officer on the cutter. She has also taken an active role in
the professional development of the three junior food service specialists aboard the SPAR, resulting in an improved menu and
overall improved operation of the ship.
"My outlook has always been that you want people to want to eat, and to do that you have to have good food," said Bisignani. "By
providing that you're creating high morale and people are now looking forward to something."
Outside the galley Bisignani serves as master-at-arms and an in-port command duty officer. She is noted in the award for
constantly trying to improve the quality of life aboard the SPAR, and is the first to bring issues to the attention of the command.
However, her attention to the needs of other stretches beyond the SPAR.
After the accident aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2006, where two divers lost their lives, she volunteered to take over for
the Healy's food service personnel to give them time to regroup after their terrible loss. She has also assisted other cutters with ties
to Kodiak. She helped the recently decommissioned Cutter Storis establish a web based stores account and worked with the Cutter
Munro, which is relocating to Kodiak from its current homeport of Alameda, Calif.
"I always like to get involved, I always like to do things," Bisignani explained. "One thing about me that I think makes me so different,
is that I am extremely persistent in trying to get a positive outcome on something."
In 2006 she was a key player in the unit morale program, hosting events such as cake decorating classes, cooking Thanksgiving
dinner and organizing a Christmas party for more than 80 crew and their family members.
What time and effort Bisignani has left after her other commitments has gone to the Kodiak community. Whether meeting with local
Girl Scout troops or organizing the collection of toys for the Toys for Tots Foundation, Bisignani has presented honor, respect and
devotion to duty throughout her professional and personal actions.
Bisignani lives in Kodiak with her husband and four year old son. She will leave to attend the awards ceremony in Anchorage on
February 22 where she will be formally recognized. The 2006 Alaskan Enlisted Person of the Year award recognizes superior
performance of duty as demonstrated by individual's actions. Awardees also exemplify the Coast Guard core values of honor
respect and devotion to duty.
"I just do my job and I don t do my job half heartedly," she said. "I truly, truly enjoy cooking and I can't imagine not being able to do
that."
KODIAK, Alaska - Some would say that in life there is a recipe for success. When it comes to those who have chosen a life of
cooking for others, their success can be directly measured by the actions of those they serve. For one Coast Guardsman serving
goes beyond food and requires attention to the elements that make up the human recipe. For this she has been recognized as the
2006 Alaskan Coast Guard Enlisted Person of theYear.
Petty Officer 1st Class Andrea Bisignani is a food service specialist aboard the Coast Guard Cuter SPAR, a 225-foot oceangoing
buoy tender home-ported in Kodiak, Alaska. Although she has only been on the cutter since June 2006, her accomplishments have
had an impact on the efficiency of the cutter's galley, the morale of the crew and the Kodiak community.
Bisignani joined the Coast Guard in 1994 at the age of 19. After graduating from Del Norte High School in her hometown of
Albuquerque, N.M., she attended one year of college where she made the decision to join the Coast Guard.
Bisignani quickly fell into the role of mess cook at her first duty station aboard the 180-foot Coast Guard Cutter Madrona in
Charleston, S.C. After 10 months aboard the cutter
Bisignani's culinary journey began as she was sent off to school to become a food service specialist. Her first duty station as a cook
was at Loran Station Port Clarence Alaska, just 85 miles from the Artic Circle on the Seward Peninsula.
After cutting her teeth in the remote north of Alaska, Bisignani was transferred to the opposite end of the country to Coast Guard
Group Portland, Maine where she continues to hone her professional skills. Bisignani was then given the chance to excel when she
received orders to Washington, D.C., to cook for the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. After two years she was reassigned to
cook for the Commandant of the Coast Guard at Coast Guard Headquarters.
"That's when I realized that it's really want I wanted to do and that I would be good at it," she explained. "That was the one moment
that did everything in my career."
After spending 5 years in Washington, where she earned her associates in culinary arts, Bisignani was reassigned to the Coast
Guard Cutter James Rankin, in Baltimore, Md. In June 2006 Bisignani transferred to her current duty station aboard the SPAR.
Bisignani has served 12 years on active duty, but it was her actions in the past year that earned her the award of 2006 Alaskan
Enlisted Person of the Year.
In June 2006, while aboard the James Rankin, she was selected as the Coast Guard's Food Service Specialist of the Year. She
also led the cutter's galley to win Coast Guard Dining Facility of the year in the small afloat category.
After reporting to the SPAR Bisignani took over the galley and improved its efficiency through training and budgeting. She
continues to oversee the daily operation of the galley as the food service officer on the cutter. She has also taken an active role in
the professional development of the three junior food service specialists aboard the SPAR, resulting in an improved menu and
overall improved operation of the ship.
"My outlook has always been that you want people to want to eat, and to do that you have to have good food," said Bisignani. "By
providing that you're creating high morale and people are now looking forward to something."
Outside the galley Bisignani serves as master-at-arms and an in-port command duty officer. She is noted in the award for
constantly trying to improve the quality of life aboard the SPAR, and is the first to bring issues to the attention of the command.
However, her attention to the needs of other stretches beyond the SPAR.
After the accident aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Healy in 2006, where two divers lost their lives, she volunteered to take over for
the Healy's food service personnel to give them time to regroup after their terrible loss. She has also assisted other cutters with ties
to Kodiak. She helped the recently decommissioned Cutter Storis establish a web based stores account and worked with the Cutter
Munro, which is relocating to Kodiak from its current homeport of Alameda, Calif.
"I always like to get involved, I always like to do things," Bisignani explained. "One thing about me that I think makes me so different,
is that I am extremely persistent in trying to get a positive outcome on something."
In 2006 she was a key player in the unit morale program, hosting events such as cake decorating classes, cooking Thanksgiving
dinner and organizing a Christmas party for more than 80 crew and their family members.
What time and effort Bisignani has left after her other commitments has gone to the Kodiak community. Whether meeting with local
Girl Scout troops or organizing the collection of toys for the Toys for Tots Foundation, Bisignani has presented honor, respect and
devotion to duty throughout her professional and personal actions.
Bisignani lives in Kodiak with her husband and four year old son. She will leave to attend the awards ceremony in Anchorage on
February 22 where she will be formally recognized. The 2006 Alaskan Enlisted Person of the Year award recognizes superior
performance of duty as demonstrated by individual's actions. Awardees also exemplify the Coast Guard core values of honor
respect and devotion to duty.
"I just do my job and I don t do my job half heartedly," she said. "I truly, truly enjoy cooking and I can't imagine not being able to do
that."
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| Petty Officer 1st Class Bisignani in the galley of the SPAR Feb 16, 2007. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Kurt Fredrickson) |
| Petty Officer Andrea Bisignani at the presidential inauguration in 2000 prepares food for a dinner with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at Coast Guard Headquarters. (Photo courtesy of Bisignani) |
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