Coast Guard Auxiliary member Charles "Chuck" Fischer of St. Croix accepted the Coast Guard Shipmate Coin from Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., of the United States Coast Guard during an all hands assembly held Oct. 18 at Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen.

Fischer is the Auxiliary Aviation coordinator for Sector San Juan, serving the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is also a member of the St. Croix, Christiansted USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 16-01.

He has contributed 5,000 volunteer hours working to arrange aviation operations, recruitment and nonprofit activities, according to a news release from the U.S. Coast Guard.

"I will be giving him a coin in a moment," Papp said. "And that like doubles the pay he gets. These volunteers help us out to get the Coast Guard missions done."

The Commandant's Shipmate Coin is awarded individually by Admiral Papp to active duty, Reserve, Auxiliary, civilian and Team Coast Guard partners who contribute above and beyond toward four Coast Guard guiding principles, which set a course that: "Steadies the Service, Honors our Profession, Strengthens our Partnerships, and Respects our Shipmates."

From October 2010 to September 2011, under Fischer's command, the mission hours flown by Auxiliary aircraft for the Air Station increased 56 percent, from 391 to 612. The following year, October 2011 to September 2012, the mission hours increased again by 22 percent, to 744.

"What a great job you have been doing as the Auxiliary Aviation coordinator," Papp acknowledged. "Yourself, you have flown as pilot or pilot in command for 7,000 hours. I want to thank you for being a good shipmate. I am not saying just an Auxiliary shipmate, I am saying a good shipmate."