News

The Alumni Association proudly celebrated Karen Licitra’s 25 years of dedicated service on May 22, recognizing her pivotal role during the organization’s growth and expanding its support to the Academy. As Director of Business Operations, Karen’s unwavering integrity, exceptional financial expertise, and steadfast guidance have significantly enhanced the Association’s resources and capabilities.

Read about the recent Change of Commands, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features RADM Eric Jones '87, CAPT Matthew Hammond '98, CDR Andrew Grantham '06 and CAPT Brian Whisler '04.

Memorial Day is a time for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Board Member Skip Langlois '82 shares a reflection and brief history of the holiday.

CDR Mary Gilday '07, Commanding Office of Marine Safety Unit Morgan City, shares a look at her job, career path and tips on advancing within the Prevention Ashore specialty. 

CDR Pail Podolak '93, Principal Vice President and Project Manager, Bechtel National Inc., describes his job, his post-CG career path and tips for alumni looking to transition into the engineering sector.

Read about the recent Change of Commands, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features LT Christopher Raia '98 and CAPT Frank Florio '01.

LCDR Collis Brown '15 shares his tips for alumni looking to break into or advance within the Aviation specialty.

Hear from Olivia Cream '04 as she describes her path to human resources and tips for those looking to excel in the field.

Read about the recent CoCs, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features RADM Chris Bartz '90, Sean Plankey '03, and John Rendón '88.

Share your experiences aboard USCGC Eagle for author Will Sofrin's upcoming book, Eagle: An American Ambassador. The book will celebrate the ships invaluable role in shaping generations of Coast Guard personnel and serving as a symbol of American diplomacy. 

LCDR Erin Palmer ’09, Enforcement Division Chief, shares her career journey and tips for alumni looking to transition into the Response Ashore CG specialty in our most recent issue of The Bulletin.

Thirteen alumni discuss the joys and challenges of racing in IRONMAN triathlons.

The results are in from our March 2024 All Alumni Survey! Many thanks to the following individuals who assisted in the analysis of this year’s survey: Sydney Wagner ’17, Michelle Goebel ’18, Tara Strauss ’18, Phil Baxa ’06, and Pete Vermeer ’06.

CAPT Kate Higgins-Bloom '00 discusses how her role supporting the service's response to Hurricane Katrina shaped her Coast Guard career, how mentorship has impacted her and the best career advice she's ever received. 

As you return to New London for Homecoming, Family Weekend, Commencement, to cheer on the Bears in athletic competition, or just coming back for a visit with your family, we hope you consider supporting our trusted preferred vendors. We are also here to assist in coordinating tours of the Academy through admissions and more!

National Native American Heritage Month is observed each November to celebrate the history, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans and Alaskan Natives (NA/AN) to our country. This month we reflect on two alumni trailblazers, CDR Don Champan '48 and LT Mara (Huling) Langevin '91.

Read about the recent CoCs, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features Capt. Jessica Worst '00 and Peter Coxon '85.

Eric Harvey '90 describes his career journey and tips for those looking to transition into a career at NASA.

LCDR Joshua Brandt '06 shares a look at his job as an Operations Officer at Port Security Unit 309 and offers tips for those looking to advance within a CG specialty. 

This month, the Columbarium surpassed its 10-year anniversary since its dedication to the Academy on Oct. 17, 2014. Since then, the structure has inspired a renewed sense of connection to the Service and to the Academy among families whose loved ones have been inurned – and who have chosen the Academy as their final resting place. While everyone who rests inside the Columbarium has a unique story, one thing remains the same: a shared love for the Academy and for the Coast Guard. 

50 years ago, on Halloween of 1974, 5 brave cadets took on a unique mission in the remote town of Lubec, Maine. Their task - perform the role of gravedigger and exhume the remains of the first Revenue Marine officer, Captain Hopley Yeaton to bring him back to the Academy.  Read the full story of this legendary tale in our October/November issue of The Bulletin.

Hurricane Helene knocked out the power and running water at James Greene's nursing home in Asheville, North Carolina. By October 19, Greene '62 and his fellow residents still did not have regular access to safe, running water for their daily activities.

Hear from Drew Stafford '14 as he shares his career journey and tips for those interested in the afloat community.

Dana Dougherty '09 shares advice for those planning a transition from the Coast Guard and tips for those looing to transition into the data analytics field. 

Earlier this year, Coast Guard Cyber's Red Team, the specialized force which looks for weaknesses in systems, earned Department of Defense (DoD) certification in record time with a team of just 10 people.LCDR Kenneth Miltenberger '12 and LTJG Justin Steiner '21 were instrumental in obtaining certification. “A lot of the work he [Steiner] did was to get us set up and molded into the team we needed to be to work with the NSA,” reflected LTJG Domenico Bulone '22, a member of CGA's first graduating class of cyber systems majors who joined the cyber team in August 2023.

Learn about the roles and missions of the Pacific Area in this Q&A with Pacific Area Commander Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson '89. VADM Tiongson serves as the operational commander responsible for all Coast Guard missions westward from the Rocky Mountains across the Indo-Pacific, Arctic, and Antarctic regions, to the coast of eastern Africa. He concurrently serves as commander, Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard operational support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.

Read about the recent CoCs, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features CDR Aaron Kowalczk '04, LT Abigail Sadler '17, LT Lucy Wright '16, LCDR Emily Marks '14, LT Claire Gilliland '19, CDR Kelly Higgins '05 and VADM Tom Allan '90.

 

An update on the Coast Guard’s efforts to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment in the wake of Operation Fouled Anchor by VADM Peter Gautier, USCG, ’87, Deputy Commandant for Operations. “Failure to disclose the Fouled Anchor report was a mistake. As Commandant, Admiral Fagan has conveyed how this prevented oversight, missed opportunities to connect with victims, and eroded trust. ”

Read about the recent CoCs, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features RADM Joseph Buzzella '92; CAPT Hans C. Govertsen '97; CAPT Jeffrey J. Rasnake '00; CAPT Keith M. Ropella '96; RADM Andrew Sugimoto '90; and CAPT Charles K. Wilson '03.

A Host Your Own social with the Alumni Association is a fantastic (and EASY) opportunity to connect with fellow alumni wherever you live. With the team's support, we make the experience smooth, so you can enjoy yourself and the great company!

Your USCGA Alumni Association is committed to building community, education and advocacy to all those impacted by sexual assault and harassment (SASH). We are gathering feedback about the needs and preferences of our community regarding programs and pathways that bolster education, community building and advocacy. Please share your thoughts in this anonymous survey.

Your Alumni Association is proud to launch "The Money Academy," a 6-week live virtual course covering all aspects of military personal finance and investing for our members and their spouses. Taught by Rob Shaye '04 and sponsored by the USAA Educational Foundation, this course is designed for Coasties who have a dedicated interest in improving their financial lives and are willing to commit 4-6 hours per week of their time to do so.

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) has appointed Brooke Millard '03 as its new Chief Executive Officer, a significant leadership transition for the non profit serving the Coast Guard for 100 years. Millard recently concluded her distinguished career with the U.S. Coast Guard, where she last served as the Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bear.

Dr. Mark Moland '94 was recently appointed the Dean of the College of Education, Arts & Sciences at LeTourneau University in Longview, TX. A former professor of humanities at the Coast Guard Academy, Dr. Moland joined the faculty at LeTourneau in 2015 following a 21-year career in the Coast Guard.

Do you love Coast Guard news? Packed with more than 100 pages of Coast Guard content, the printed edition of the quarterly Long Blue Line, is now available in print at no cost to the USCGA Alumni Association community. Click above to sign up to receive the free print issue directly to your home, proudly sponsored by the National Coast Guard Museum Association.

Past Asian Pacific American Council cadet leaders ENS Tyler Ma ’23, ENS Kalea Salang ’23 and ENS Heather Huang ’23 reflect on their first year in the fleet and the leadership lessons they carry forward.

Dr. Lawson Walter Brigham '70, fellow at the Center for Arctic Study and Policy at USCGA, was named the High North Hero of 2024, for his tenure as a distinguished professor of Geography and Arctic Policy, and groundbreaking contributions to Arctic maritime policy. 

CDR Dan Han '07, Commanding Officer of Maritime Safety & Security Team Honolulu (91107) describes his career path, his current position and tips for alumni looking to break into or advance within the Response Ashore CG specialty.

Your AA Team welcomed two new faces this spring: Taylor Burke, Annual and Planned Giving Manager and Amanda Cizek, Alumni Engagement Specialist. Using her background in higher education fundraising, medical sales, and marketing, Taylor specializes in forming connections with Alumni and growing the Annual Giving and Planned Giving programs. Amanda supports our alumni by helping to bring them together utilizing her specialty in event planning and coordination.

Read about recent CoCs, promotions, retirements and honors of your fellow alumni. This edition features CAPT Jordan M. Baldueza '99, CAPT Rob Kistner '99, VADM Nathan Moore '92, VADM Kevin Lunday '87, CAPT Daniel Rogers '00, CAPT Stacey Crecy '02, CAPT Ryan Manning '94, and Sean Plankey '03.

Commander Joshua Zike '05, CG Liaison to the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Program Manager within the Autonomy Portfolio at DIU, shares his career journey and his top tip for alumni looking to break into or advance within the Afloat CG Specialty.

CAPT Joyce Dietrich-Holm '00 assumed Command of the Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center (ICC) in August 2022, and in celebration of Women’s History Month she sat down with ICC’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) Chapter to share her reflections on her experiences as a female in the Coast Guard, as a leader and role-model, and as the first female CO of ICC, in hopes of inspiring and promoting the next generation of Intelligence professionals.

Max Sivohins ’13, shared his career journey and advice for those looking to transition into entrepreneurship and/or real estate investing.

In March, the Alumni Association supported a trip to the East Coast Asian American Student Union Conference at Yale for cadets from the Asian Pacific American Council (APAC). 2/c Kira Hutchison-Lundy reflected on the impact of attending the conference, "I loved the testimonies and learning about people’s stories; it brought genuine and authentic conversation into the room and created a welcoming atmosphere."

Listen in as CAPT Daniel C. Burbank '85, the 2nd Coast Guard Astronaut,CDR Andre Douglas '08, the Coast Guard's 3rd and newest Astronaut, explore the similarities between the vastness of space and the depths of the ocean in this video created by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. CDR Douglas was also sworn-in as a Reserve commissioned officer during a ceremony on Tuesday. “We’re proud to have Commander Douglas serve in the Reserve and to represent the Service as the third Coast Guard member of the NASA Astronaut Corps,” said Commandant ADM Linda Fagan '85.

Interested in investing in your creative growth? Take advantage of the free comedy, storytelling, visual arts, acting, improv, or creative writing classes provided by the Armed Service Arts Partnership (ASAP). "ASAP has taught me to reframe the uncertainty of life and to transform challenges into opportunity for growth," shares CAPT Luann Barndt, USCG, (ret.) '84.

The Board of Directors has embarked on a strategic planning process to revise and refresh the organization's 5-year strategic plan. Our All Alumni survey, aims to help us understand how the alumni community views their relationship with the Academy as well as how they engage with the Alumni Association. Survey closes March 31.

In our February/March issue of The Bulletin, Chris Costello ’11 and Chris Tarbell ’11, Co-Founders of Roland Hall Partners, shared their career journeys and gave advice to cadets and to those looking to transition to the private sector.

Astronaut Candidate Andre Douglas '08 is in the final stretch of more than two years of training to earn his wings from NASA and become eligible for spaceflight. Douglas will join two other CGA alums who served as astronauts, Bruce Melnick ’72 and Daniel Burbank ’85

LTJG Kathryn E. Ashbey '20 graduated from the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) Class 21-03, during a Thursday afternoon ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy’s Thayer Award Room, West Point, N.Y. Her first assignment as a physician assistant will be at the Samuel J. Call Health Services Center, located at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center, Cape May, N.J. 

The Coast Guard announced their latest actions to ensure a safe workplace, including the creation of a new position (Enterprise Victim Advocate) to advance efforts to address sexual assault and sexual harassment issues, as well as, a new Safe to Report policy that ensures victims won't be penalized for collateral misconduct.

The Alumni Association is seeking to hire two new team members to fill our Manager of Annual and Planned Giving and Alumni Engagement Specialist positions.

"I’m just a kid who likes buoy tending and got lucky enough to still be doing it 18 years later.” CDR Jeannette Greene ’05, Commanding Officer of CGC Mackinaw, shared her career journey and tips for alumni looking to break into or advance within the Afloat CG specialty.

LT Lena "Lexie" Royster '14 was announced as the recipient of the 2023 Coast Guard Engineer of the Year Award. Assigned to the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center (MSC) in Washington D.C, LT Royster is a mechanical engineer serving in the Machinery Branch, and is a highly skilled member of the MSC's Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT).

Meaghan Brosnan '03 describes her career path and tips for alumni looking to transition into the nonprofit sector.

Al Sowers ’08, President and CEO of OneZero Solutions, shares his career journey, as well as some useful lessons learned along the way.

"There are many pathways to entry into the entertainment industry and being open to opportunities that may not be what you initially envisioned can go a long way," writes CAPT John Pruitt III '94 in his Track Lines feature that shares his career journey.

“Luckily on most days when no one is in distress, we just enjoy looking at the earth from a bird’s eye view which never gets old,” shares LT Kyla Hughley ’19, pilot of an MH-65D helicopter.

Tanya Schneider ’94 is an official ball girl for the Washington Nationals and is often on the first or third baseline. “Every time I field a ground ball and give it to a kid, especially when they’re not expecting it, the looks on their faces are spectacular. I get to make that happen two to nine times a day.”

In July, CG Commandant ADM Linda Fagan '85 initiated a 90-day Accountability and Transparency Review (ATR) to assess the service’s authorities, policies, processes, practices, resources, and culture around sexual assault, harassment, bullying, retaliation, and other inappropriate behavior. The ATR team, led by RADM Miriam Lafferty '93, is pursuing six lines of effort.

LT Chelsea Sheehy '14 remembers exactly what one of her mentors at the Coast Guard Academy told her in 2010: “The greatest things in life don’t come easy.” Back then, Sheehy was a cadet struggling to get through an engineering class. Now, she has just wrapped up a tour as the commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Charles Sexton out of Key West, Florida.

Initiated by the Class of 1981, the fund supports projects that expand beyond the Americans with Disabilities Accessibility Act requirements, ensuring enhanced physical access and mobility for everyone and making a more welcoming environment for all. This July, during Disability Pride Month, the Academy cut the ribbon on a newly installed concrete path located left of the chapel leading to Hopley Yeaton's tomb. This new pathway opens up the entirety of Crown Park to all visitors.

View the short statement by our Alumni Association President and Board of Directors Chair on the recent news of prior sexual assault cases at the Academy.

CGA Superintendent RADM Michael Johnston '90 shares an important message sent by Coast Guard Commandant, ADM Linda Fagan '85, about recent investigations into past Coast Guard Academy sexual assault cases.

Sarah Hohenberger ’13, Vice President of Zepponi & Company, shares her career journey, as well as some useful lessons learned along the way.

LCDR Matt Baker '02, speechwriter for the Commandant's Advisory Group, talks about his current job in the Coast Guard. "It is incredibly rewarding to research a topic and an audience, write a speech, hear the Commandant or Vice Commandant deliver the words I wrote, and see the audience react."