District Commander Talks Coast Guard's Aging Fleet

Rear Adm. Vincent Atkins, USCG, commander, District 14, Honolulu, was the chapter's featured speaker at the luncheon in September. The mission of the United States Coast Guard is to ensure the nation's maritime safety, security and stewardship. The Coast Guard is both a military service and a law enforcement agency. The 14th District's boundaries of responsibility stretch from the Hawaiian Islands and across most of the Central and Western Pacific. The District Commander oversees 25 operational units ashore and afloat throughout the Pacific, which regularly perform missions in maritime safety, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security and national defense. Adm. Atkins mentioned some of the challenges he's faced with one being an aging fleet of cutters. He informed the audience that the District 14 will be receiving several new fast response cutters, as well as a couple of national security cutters. This month, the chapter recognized Technical Sgt. Devonte Goldsmith, USAF, as the Young AFCEAN of the Month; Mark Cleaver, Defense Information Systems Agency, Pacific Command, as the Senior Government Leader; and Ernesto Valentin, Modtech Solutions LLC, as the Executive of the Month.

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