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so I think, for years to come in terms of watch. people wanting to ? nd a better life than Ultimately, you have to be humble in where they live now, and that place will what you do and say, but what does that be here in the US. So who is going be mean? I talked about my ? rst command the enforcement? The United States Coast a? oat. My last command a? oat, was on

Guard. the Coast Guard cutter Rush. It was just

But you don’t want to do it (enforce- taken out of service last year, old beyond ment) inside the sea buoy. You want to her years. But when I was on there as a make sure that you can operate well off- captain, and we’re on the bridge wing, and shore and meet these challenges before we’re getting ready to get underway. I’ve they really show up on our shoreline. got my self-important hand on my hip, and the other is holding a cup of coffee,

Looking back on your career, what do and then I looked back and I’m looking you count as your most in? uential or at our ? re control radar, and I look back de? ning moment? at our air search radar, I look at our gun weapons system, I look at all the other an- It probably goes back to 1980. tennae arrays up there, and said, “I think I

I was the Commanding Of? cer of the know about what two-thirds of those do. I

Coast Guard Cutter Cape Upward, a 95 can’t ? x any one of them.” foot patrol boat. I’m a seasoned lieuten- And then I look at our main console: ant JG, which means I’ve got all of three we’ve got two diesels, we’ve got two tur- years of experience under my belt. And bine engines, and I said, “Okay, I probably

I was probably the youngest crew mem- don’t know how to maintain either one of

Immediate Construction Availability ber on the vessel, but it was right there them, I can call somebody in the engine

Aluminum Vessels & Towboats — New Orleans Yard in the Mariel boatlift. Over a span of sev- room and say, ‘Hey, I need 30 knots and eral months, we rescued well in excess I need it now, they can ? re up the turbine

Gulf Coast Shipyard Group has available capacity for the construction of of 1500 people. (And one time) we just and away we go.” And then I look at the offshore supply vessels, offshore and inland barges of all types, tugs, tow- stumbled on this vessel. It was about 60 white paint, and said, ‘Out of all these boats, ATBs, crew boats, fast supply vessels, oil spill response and patrol feet in length with well over 200 people things on here, about the only thing that vessels; in steel or aluminum up to 410’ LOA. Under-cover construction on it. And as soon as we came along- I could really do is paint the ship. Ev- facilities ensure quality workmanship and reduced delivery times.

side, the women were literally throwing erything else you do through others.’ So their babies to these complete strangers, you need to make sure that you know who but they saw “U.S. Coast Guard.” They those people are and that you value them, thought their boat was going to sink, as well. But if you think that your self- and at least their children would survive. important hand on your hip makes you

With this crew of 16, and all of my three all-knowing, you’re kidding yourself. years of experience, we got all 200 onto You’re an emperor with no clothes.

our boat. For me, it was, “Wow. I could never do this job by myself.” This crew, A very good point. From the time you the mission; I was hooked and from that entered the Coast Guard to today, how point on, I said, “I have found my calling is it the most the same and how is it the and this is what I want to do for the rest of most different?

my life.” I think what hasn’t changed is the

Who or what inside – or outside – the mission. And that mission accomplish-

Coast Guard do you consider the great- ment when I go back to making our ? rst est in? uence on your leadership style big drug bust, a search and rescue case, and why? and how the crew rallies around those big events. You know you are part of the Just before coming into this job, winning team. So what hasn’t changed is

I looked at all of the Commandants that I that we’re still very much a winning team. had served for while I have been on ac- What has changed is where we’ve gone tive duty, and it was about eight of them. with diversity, especially where women

But there is one that I’ve always looked have come, then and now. My last year up to, and not just because he’s 6 foot 6: at the Academy was the ? rst year that

Admiral Jim Loy. He was my Area Com- women came into the Coast Guard Acad-

Gulf Coast Shipyard Group, Inc.

mander when I was in command of a emy, or any of our service academies. 13085 Seaway Road medium-endurance cutter, and he was on They were treated as a novelty. Today, our

Gulfport, Mississippi 39503 a leading edge of bringing this “culture women are treated as peers, as profession- 0