WHY DID I JOIN the AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEER COAST GUARD?
Greg Tacey
NF19 KINGSCLIFF FLOTILLA
How long have you been with Coast Guard Kingscliff?
About three and a half years now.
Why did you join?
I was retired and looking for something to do when I saw an advertisement in the paper asking for radio operators for CGK. I responded to the advertisement because I had plenty of experience, having been in radio communications all my working life, with 4 years in the Post Office, 12 years in the Royal Aust Navy (Petty Officer/Comm. Supervisor, 5 years in the Royal Aust Fleet Reserve, and 28 years at the Joint Defense Facility, Pine Gap.
(Greg was awarded a medaIian in recognition of his role as an active participant on the team that engineered, designed, implemented, and operated the Manned Space Flight and NASCOM Networks supporting the Apollo 11 mission – the first landing of the man on the lunar surface and his safe return to earth. The medalian comprised of actual working components of the spacecraft “Eagle”, which landed on the lunar surface, and the spacecraft, “Columbia”, which orbited the moon.)
In what areas have you been able to share your skills?
I do radio shifts in the Tower and I am also responsible for the Flotilla’s and Squadron’s statistics and the monthly tide sheets for the Kingscliff and Tweed Bars
What do you personally get out of Coast Guard?
It is something that I enjoy doing while being retired.
Are you involved with any other voluntary organizations?
Yes, I was with the emergency services in Alice Springs and was involved with checking vehicles and distributing food and money to people coming through from Darwin following Cyclone Tracy in 1973. We also manned the radio during fires. I am also a volunteer for Red Cross in their visitor program, Meals on Wheels and Dune Care which cares for the dune area north of Norries Headland (Cabarita).
Who is your biggest supporter?
My wife, Pam and my family. I met Pam while working at the tracking station in Canarvon. When she left to travel around Australia, I took over her position as Teletype Operator supervisor for Amalgamated Wireless Australia (AWA), subcontracted under NASA. We married in 1979. I had 5 children from a previous marriage and Pam and I had one child after we were married. We have 9 grandchildren.
Greg makes a significant contribution to Coast Guard by working in the tower as a radio operator, and collecting and analyzing the statistics for our Flotilla and for the Northern NSW Squadron. He has the role of Squadron Statistics Officer and is also responsible for formulating the yearly tides for the Kingscliff and Tweed Bars. Greg is always available and helpful for any enquiries about a great range of topics, but especially in communications, and is also very interesting to chat to.