As he lives his dream, Tyler Willen rising up the ranks of the U.S. Coast Guard

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When Tyler Willen first approached his parents, Tony and Cindy Willen, of Clarkson, about joining the United States Coast Guard, they were understandably reticent and more than a bit apprehensive about his choice.

Cindy Willen, in particular, was anxious about the possibility of not seeing her son for long stretches of time.

“I was shocked and I panicked a little bit,” Cindy said. “I was scared. I didn’t know enough about the Coast Guard, of course, you worry … he’s my baby, he’s my youngest. I was afraid he’d be gone and we’d never be able to see him.”

Tony, a man who has spent over 25 year of his life in law enforcement, and currently serves as a Clarkson police officer and Grayson County Emergency Management Director, was also concerned, primarily because of his unfamiliarity with the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I had never, in my entire life, known anyone in the Coast Guard, didn’t know anything about the Coast Guard, so at first I guess I was a little skeptical,” Tony said.

But my how the tide has changed.

Tyler, a 2012 graduate of Grayson County High School, reported to boot camp in New Jersey on November 19, 2013 and graduated on January 10, 2014. Since that time, he has excelled like few others – not unlike a duck takes to water — in his journey to become a member of federal law enforcement as a Coast Guard Petty Officer Second Class.

His rapid rise up the ranks of the Coast Guard, from boot camp graduate to Petty Officer Second Class (E5) in approximately three-and-a-half years is a testament to his hard work, intelligence and a personality that leans toward helping others, as a result of his servant spirit.

The fact that Tyler loves being a law enforcement officer in the Coast Guard has also helped propel his career track into overdrive.

“Well, honestly, when I joined I joined to do my four years and get out, but seeing all the Coast Guard has to offer me and seeing all the places it’s taken me, I feel like it’s a great career and I’m going to stay in until the Coast Guard (doesn’t want me anymore),” Tyler said.

Responsible for a crew on a cutter based out of Paducah (a mere two-and-a-half hours from home), Tyler, at only 23-years-old, is responsible for enforcing maritime laws on the vast waterways of the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee (Kentucky Lake), and Cumberland Rivers (Lake Barkley), where Tyler and his crew encounter and deal with civilian boaters on a daily basis; something unique to military law enforcement.

Tyler’s passage from boot camp in New Jersey, to waterway federal law enforcement in Paducah, has not been absent challenges. But his life-long goal of having a law enforcement career has always been the carrot that’s dangled in front of him as he strives to meet and beat each challenge head-on.

“My first year I was stationed in Texas at Port Aransas (just east of Corpus Christi), on a cutter down there … not being able to see your family is a very hard hurdle to jump over,” Tyler said. “I never knew how strenuous it is mentally. I went to boot camp and I was surprised on how big of a mental strain it was as far as the required knowledge you have to memorize, and are required to learn. And even after boot camp, the qualifications as far as law enforcement (were very strenuous).”

But Tyler persevered, and because of his will-not-be-denied attitude he has accomplished his dream in near record time.

“I’m a qualified boat operator, and on a boat platform like we have here in Paducah, I’m in charge of a four or five man crew,” Tyler said. “No matter what you’re rank is I outrank you because (of my qualifications). I have to know all of the policies, the boat specs, and local area of operations.”

The opportunity to serve in the Coast Guard, which accepts only about three-percent of applicants, has given Tyler precisely what he was searching for  because of its unique place in law enforcement in the U.S.

“The Coast Guard is the only (military) branch that deals strictly with civilians as far as law enforcement,” Tyler said. “And that’s what I wanted to do; I wanted to interact with civilians through law enforcement.”

At least partially responsible for Tyler’s success is the influence his father has had on him as it pertains to giving a young Tyler someone to strive to be like … someone to emulate.

“My father has made a huge impact on me going into law enforcement,” Tyler said. “Basically my whole life I wanted to be a police officer (because of him).”

It’s the respect he has for his father, and seeing the good his father has done in his life that has molded and shaped a little boy into the man Tyler is today. But according to Cindy, who serves as secretary at Lawler Elementary, Tyler’s spirit has always been that of a caring boy with a huge heart.

“Of course I’m incredibly proud of him, but honestly, I’m not surprised,” Cindy said. “Tyler was a special child; very caring and loving, (and) with a wonderful disposition. Everyone liked him.”

According to Cindy, it is Tyler’s character, along with the hard work he has put in as he has risen up the ranks, that is responsible for his success.

“I have a feeling what has happened is, as he has worked under his superiors and they have gotten to know him and see the type of person he is … that’s not to negate all the hard work he’s put in, I know he has, but when they see that this is a very good person … he’s always wanted to help people, even as a child, he just always wanted to help anyone he could,” Cindy beamed.

Tony mirrors Cindy’s thoughts on what motivates Tyler by saying that, “I’m extremely proud of what he has done to this point and what he plans to do.  I really just think that he has a desire to serve, and that’s what we’re so proud of.”

The youth of America are often derided for their lack of work ethic and sense of entitlement, but Petty Officer Second Class Tyler Willen’s relentless pursuit of his goals is a prime and shining example for not only the youth of this country, but for all people who crave the American Dream.

Willen family plus-one

Adding to the beaming smiles Tony and Cindy Willen have on their respective faces because of the achievements of their son is the fact that Tyler, and his wife, the former Shea Boone, daughter of GC Sheriff’s Deputy Clay Boone and Kim Boone, last week welcomed to the world their first child, Cooper Duane Willen.

Tony reports that Shea and Cooper are doing well.


Tyler receiving his promotion to Petty Officer Second Class on July 3, 2017


Tony and Cindy with Cooper