Homemade meals come straight from the heart- ‘made with love’- as they say. Those fragrant aromas, familiar tastes and cherished recipes can transport you back in time to those moments that stick with you for a lifetime.
For Petty Officer 1st Class Jennaya Allen and Petty Officer 2nd Class Gabriela Alongi, family and food have always gone hand in hand. Now, as culinary specialists in the Coast Guard, both Allen and Alongi get to do something only seen a handful of times within the Coast Guard, one sibling taking over the other’s position.
On the morning of August 26, Allen advanced from petty officer second class to petty officer first class and was replaced by her own sister, Alongi.
Their parents attended the ceremony, and Allen specifically wanted her mom to pin her.
“She’s never been a part of a ceremony before and I think it would be pretty cool,” said Allen.
Standing outside of Coast Guard Station Little Creek, a small group of people watched as Master Chief Petty Officer James Swenson, the rating force master chief for culinary specialists, presented the sisters with his custom knives, which read, “Thank you and YES CHEF!” following Allen’s advancement ceremony.
After the ceremony, the sisters embraced and inspected their new knives with fervor. Alongi tried to keep her excitement to herself but was too enamored with the festivities to do so.
“Look at us now!” exclaimed Alongi.
Though they started from humble beginnings in their kitchen at home cooking with their parents, they now run their own galleys and travel the world in service of the Coast Guard as certified culinary specialists.
Coming from a blended family, both Allen and Alongi have grown up with Italian and French influenced cuisines prepared by their parents. These influences presently play a role in how they prepare and cook meals in the service.
“Food was always a priority in our family,” said Allen. “Whether it was gathering to make a meal for the holidays or just a simple meal to try, it’s always been something we prioritized as a family.”
When Allen received her orders to the USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) in Guam, she immediately called her sister to share the news with her. Excited for the next part of her journey, Allen was surprised to hear what Alongi had to say next.
“I want your spot,” said Alongi. She had always wanted to go to a patrol boat, and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. With the position opening up, the timing could not have been better for Alongi to head to the USCGC Sailfish (WPB-87356) homeported in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
An expression of joy lit Allen’s face as she said, “We knew we would cross paths at some point while in the Coast Guard, but we never thought that she would be relieving me, it’s just so crazy!”
Putting their plans in motion, Alongi put the Sailfish on her picks list and got what she wanted. She would be headed to Virginia Beach to take over the galley from her own sister in just a few months.
“I’m just worried about the jokes from the crew like, ‘oh your sister made this better than you did!’” said Alongi jokingly, “but I’m looking forward to the challenge!”
Allen joined the Coast Guard in 2019 and Alongi joined in 2021. Although both sisters knew they wanted to join, only Alongi knew culinary specialists was the obvious choice.
Allen was initially interested in public affairs, but with long wait times for that path, she decided to follow her other passion of cooking instead.
With her first option closed off, becoming a culinary specialist was next in line. Both sisters had spent countless hours in their family home cooking with their parents, for each other, and sharing their experiences with their five other siblings.
Between the two of them though, Allen would agree that the true culinary artist is Alongi.
“I love cooking,” said Alongi. “I always have. Food makes people happy and knowing that I can do that, brings me a lot of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.”
Morale aboard a cutter can be determined by many factors but the food is near the top of the list. Having come from the USCGC Calhoun (WMSL-759), a national security cutter homeported in South Carolina, the expectation for cooks, like Alongi, is high.
National security cutters have large crews, which means there are a lot of mouths to feed, not to mention the possibility of picky eaters.
Recognizing the importance of their meals, their choices, and their work ethic, both sisters are aware of the need to be present and flexible when it comes to their galleys.
“When you’re on a national security cutter, the crew is about 130 to 160 [people],” Alongi said. “There is always that one person who has an issue with your choice of food and it’s up to you to work with them to keep them happy and focused on the mission.”
“As a cook in the Coast Guard, you need to have thick skin,” stated Allen. “Not everyone will like everything that you make and it’s up to you to figure out what makes them happy and accommodate them. It took me awhile to develop that.”
For both Allen and Alongi, the experiences they have had in life and at home with their family has pushed them in the direction they wanted to go. Their trajectory would not be where it is now without the assistance and guidance—of not only each other, but specifically—their parents.
“It’s been a journey getting to this point for the both of us,” Allen enthusiastically avowed. “We could not have done this without our parents.”
“Jennaya’s right,” agreed Alongi. “We are who we are because of them.”
With the support of culinary specialist leadership from Coast Guard Headquarters, the two sisters shared a special moment during the morning’s ceremony. Standing to the side, Allen’s dad captured the moment her mom pinned on the first-class rank insignia onto her uniform.
These sisters share something no one else will be able to touch—you cannot replicate it—a relationship built over a long period of time with messy nights in the kitchen; and long talks on the phone while apart at their units.
Looking lovingly at her sister Alongi said, “I’m glad you’re my sister and I’m glad our parents met. We wouldn’t be where we are today if they didn’t find each other. We didn’t have to love each other but we chose to love each other. We have that bond and that means a lot to me.”
From humble beginnings cooking Italian and French influenced dishes with their parents to traveling the world serving Coast Guard crews from their own galleys, these two truly are ‘Sisters in Service’.
- USCG -