NYC Ferry thanks all Veterans
for the time they served for our country!
We give a huge shout out to all the Veterans here at NYC Ferry who help to keep things
running smoothly.
Colin Skarka is an IT Technical Specialist and has been with NYC Ferry since May of 2017. Colin served in the United States Army, stationed at Fairbanks, Alaska and was deployed to Iraq. His M.O.S., or military occupational specialty code, was 91 Bravo, which translates to a light wheel vehicle mechanic. Colin decided to enlist in the U.S. Army because he had a family obligation to do so. He recalls his first days of boot camp as being very rough since training began immediately. He states the conditioning and transition of becoming a soldier is tough. Colin’s most memorable moment was that drive home from Alaska, but he can never forget the strength of the team; with them, anything was possible. Although it was tough, Colin’s family is what helped him get through it all. The act of selflessness and doing what he had to do fueled him throughout his time in service.
Brendan Smith has been with NYC Ferry for three years as the Director of Engineering. Brendan served in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. He was stationed in Charleston, North Carolina, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Groton, Connecticut. Brendan completed school and went on to join the U.S. Navy. He always knew he wanted to serve and the U.S. Navy paid for his education. Brendan didn’t know what to expect when starting out, but he remembers his first days as being a state of shock and went straight into training. One of Brendan’s most memorable moments was when he was driving the boat from Victoria, Canada to San Diego, California and he could see the water illuminated by bioluminescence fish. A second memorable moment was when he enlisted someone at the Arizona memorial. The sense of comradery that he shared with those he served with helped him to get through the time he shared; it was something about the shared miseries that brought them together.
Kristian Baldauf is a captain for NYC Ferry and has been with the company for a little over a year and a half. Kristian served in the United States Coast Guard and spent his time in Maine, South Carolina, Virginia, and New Jersey. He decided to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard because he grew up on the water and didn’t feel the desire to go to college. Kristian recollects his first few days in training as being nerve-wracking since he had no idea what to expect. A memorable moment for Kristian was when he had seen a fishing boat capsized in Manasquan, New Jersey. Staying motivated and focused was easier for Kristian with the friends he made by his side during his time in service.
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