Commander Monica L. Rochester, daughter of Louise Rochester from the Casa View area and graduate of Bishop Lynch High School and Southern Methodist University, was recently cited for meritorious service in the performance of duty while assigned as a Coast Guard Liaison Officer, Office of Operations Coordination and Planning, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from August 2010 to May 2012.

As Deputy Chief of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Yield Explosives (CBRNE) Section, she contributed significantly to its growth in size and response coordination and capabilities through DHS and interagency partners.

Commander Rochester led numerous national-level exercises and was hand selected as a CBRNE expert to coordinate with the White House National Security Staff where she was instrumental in the development of a National Biological Assessment and Threat Response protocol that ensured communication synchronization between interagency partners.

As Deputy Director of the Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center, she ensured that the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security received critical information to aid in the protection of first responders, the public and the environment.

She also served as the Secretary’s Crisis Action Team, providing operational knowledge in response to Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, as well as providing essential technical advice during the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear contamination in Japan.

In recognition of her exemplary leadership and her dedication and devotion to duty and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard, she was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal from the Office of Homeland Security.