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Expo showcases Coasties’ creative ideas

The U.S. Coast Guard Innovation Expo saw its largest turnout ever, with nearly 2,000 participants and 288 booths displaying everything from financial management software to indoor simulated shooting ranges.

“It’s a good microcosm of the entire Coast Guard going on right now here,” said Chief Public Affairs Specialist Paul Roszkowski, who was blogging for District 13 from the floor of the expo. “It’s been a very interesting experience for me. Just the collaboration I’ve seen in Day One — I’ve never seen that before, not on this level. I’ve come up through the Coast Guard working for, under and with a lot of the people I’m seeing at this event.”

The four-day event, which ends today, is a way for Coasties from all rates and ranks to network with each other, as well as other military, industry and academia personnel in attendance. It also allows those participating to express their innovative ideas that may help the service operate more effectively and efficiently. The theme was “Collaboration Fuels Innovation.”

“For the average person just walking in there is a lot of hardware, and it’s eye catching,” said Lt. Cmdr. James Lyon, who is the post-delivery manager for the national security cutter project. “There are gleaming, beautiful fast boats, indoor ranges, a weapons simulator that is non-polluting, but the weapons still have a kick to them. It’s an astonishing assortment of tools, and everybody here has a great story.”

Machinery Technician 3rd Class David Scribellito, of the Lake Erie-based icebreaking tug Neah Bay, was one of the Coasties who had the opportunity to show their idea to the rest of the fleet.

Scribellito, who is in charge of the damage control locker aboard the Neah Bay, said he saw a need for a more organized way of carrying tools. On his own time, he designed a backpack with individual compartments for all the necessary tools. His unit has been using the bag for about a year — rather than a sea bag cluttered with tools — and his commanding officer invited him to the expo to show off his idea.

“The goal was to just make it easier for us during drill. When I hear people talk about fleet-wide stuff, I kind of got blown away that people would even consider it,” Scribellito said.