Belize Coast Guard Honors Fathers in Uniform Ahead of Father’s Day

As Belize prepares to celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, the Belize Coast Guard took time to honor the men within its ranks who serve not only their country, but also their families. The organization hosted a special celebration recognizing the dedication and sacrifices of Coast Guard fathers. Love News reporter Zayna Augustine has the story.

Zayna Augustine, Love News:  With Fathers Day just around the corner, the Belize Coast Guard took time to recognize and celebrate the Fathers serving within its ranks. The special event brought together Coast Guard personnel and their family members for an afternoon of fellowship, appreciation, and recognition. The Belize Coast Guard hosted a Fathers Day celebration honoring the many Fathers who continued to balance the demands of military service with the responsibilities of family life. The event featured food, entertainment, and the distribution of a variety of gifts as a token appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Coast Guard fathers throughout the year. Speaking at the gathering, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis highlighted the importance of recognizing fathers within the organization and the vital role they play both at home and in service to the nation. 

RADM Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “So today the Belize Coast Guard is celebrating Father’s Day under the theme “Fathers of strength, Leaders of Courage, Guardians of our Nation.” We recognize the contribution that our fathers play and the role they play within the organization their leadership not only in their homes but also here within the Belize Coast Guard. And so today we simply had this event to highlight and honor the sacrifice, their commitment to duty and their commitment to the mission and mandate of the Belize Coast Guard as fathers within the organization.”

Zayna Augustine, Love News: The celebration served not only as a gesture of appreciation but also as an opportunity for camaraderie among Coast Guard personnel and their families. Petty Officer Anthony Neal who is both a father and a member of the Belize Coast Guard reflected and the challenges and rewards of balancing duty to country with family responsibilities. 

Petty Officer, Anthony Neal, Belize Coast Guard: “I’ve been a dad ten years now. It’s a good experience being a dad. Dad at home and being a dad at the Coast Guard is similar but somewhat different. The Coast Guard instills a lot of discipline, a lot of courage and me that has a position in the Coast Guard it teaches me to deal with older folks because each rank has it’s own set of people to command so it meshes with the home responsibilities of being a dad, you could be more stiff, you could be more lenient on your child and different things as a dad and as a member.”

Zayna Augustine, Love News:  The Belize Coast Guard says it remains committed to supporting the wellbeing of it’s personnel and their families, recognizing that strong families contribute to a stronger and more effective organization.