Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Jacksonvil­le resident named Boating Instructor of the Year

- BY LISA J. BURNETT Staff Writer

JACKSONVIL­LE — Greg Deen has taught 23 boating-education courses over the span of two years, 10 of which were with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Central Arkansas Flotilla 15-8.

Deen, of Jacksonvil­le, was recently named the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Boating Education Instructor of the Year at the Arkansas Wildlife Federation Inc.’s Governor’s 2013 Conservati­on Achievemen­t Awards banquet.

“When I got the award, it was very humbling, and I was surprised,” Deen said.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary teaches boating-education classes to the public, along with conducting free boat-safety inspection­s, monitoring navigation aids on the Arkansas River and maintainin­g displays of boating-safety literature at public locations around the state.

Deen said he was fascinated with boats at a young age.

“I grew up with boats and started driving them at 8 years old,” Deen said.

He lived in Florida with his parents and helped neighbors with their boats and taught others how to water ski when he was 12 years old, he said.

Deen bought his first boat when he was in high school, and boating has always played a large role in his life. Boating safety is important to him, he said, and he always felt he wanted to do something to give back to the community.

He went to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and took a boating-education course to get familiar with the boating terms and rules in Arkansas, he said. He then went to Jason Hooks, regional education coordinato­r for the commission, and went through the boating education material with him.

Deen’s working career began in the U.S. Air Force. He served active duty for 12 years before switching to civilian work. As an instructor, he taught pilots and crews in flight simulators at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonvil­le. He was an instructor for over 20 years, so teaching wasn’t new to him, Deen said.

 ?? RUSTY HUBBARD/THREE RIVERS EDITION ?? Greg Deen of Jacksonvil­le talks about the use of a lanyard that activates a motor kill switch if a boater is thrown from the craft.
RUSTY HUBBARD/THREE RIVERS EDITION Greg Deen of Jacksonvil­le talks about the use of a lanyard that activates a motor kill switch if a boater is thrown from the craft.

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