How would you describe your job? I am the second-in-command at the Aviation Technical Training Center, the Coast Guard's school that graduates aviation maintenance technicians, avionics electrical technicians and aviation survival technicians. I also test fly and deliver HH-65 aircraft to Coast Guard stations throughout the U.S.

(ENLARGE)

Lt. Cmdr. Dan Leary, age 42 Camden County Executive Officer, ATTC U.S. Coast Guard, 1 year (24 total service years)

Has your job been affected by changes in technology or other changes? Technology has allowed us to become better at flying. The autopilot allows the HH-65 to do things, such as fly so the pilot can search for people, hands-off, which allows more sets of eyes to be searching for whatever we are looking for.

Besides salary, what benefits do you derive from your work? Great opportunity for travel. I have been as far southwest as the Galapagos Islands, as far northwest as St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, as far southeast as Aruba and as far northeast as Cape Cod.

What are the long-term or indirect benefits of your job? I would say the long-term benefits are satisfaction, pride, courage, character building and camaraderie.

How do you see your job benefiting the larger community? At the Aviation Technical Training Center we not only train people to work on aircraft, we also teach them how to be leaders. This is a direct benefit to the community as we are putting good people with core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty out into the local community.

— Robert Kelly-Goss