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| Press Release |
Date: July 12, 2007
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Coast Guard Cutter to Receive New Commanding Officer JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A change of command ceremony is scheduled for the commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Maria Bray at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville 10 a.m. Friday. Chief Warrant Officer Richard J. Hutchison will assume the responsibilities of command from Chief Warrant Officer Jay L. Bealer as commanding officer of the Cutter Maria bray based in Mayport, Fla., during the change of command ceremony. The commanding officer of Sector Jacksonville, Capt. Paul F. Thomas, will preside over the ceremony. Bealer, who has served as the commanding officer of the Cutter Maria Bray since September 2005, will transfer to the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas based in Charleston, S.C. Under Bealer's command, the Maria Bray crew played integral roles in post hurricane operations for three storms ensuring that commercial and recreational traffic could resume as soon as possible in Florida waterways. Bealer's crew also hosted the first Iraqi delegation to visit a Coast Guard unit since the Gulf War. Under Bealer's command, the crew of the Maria Bray was able to collect and donate more than 500 pounds of food for a local Jacksonville food bank. "Maria Bray is the best ship in the Coast Guard for chief warrant officers. It has the best missions, best operational area and the best crew size. Pound for pound, it's the best thing the Coast Guard has afloat," said Bealer. The change of command ceremony is a time-honored event preserved by the rich heritage of naval tradition. It is a custom that is formal, and following military protocol, is designed to strengthen the respect for the continuity of command and is vital to any military organization. The culmination of the ceremony is reached when both officers read their orders, face one another, salute, and transfer responsibility for the command. This provides the entire command with the knowledge that the officer directed by proper authority is taking command and an opportunity to witness this transfer of responsibility. **EDITOR'S NOTE** -- Media who would like to attend the ceremony should contact Bobby Nash at 305-318-1864 and arrive at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville no later than 9:45 a.m. Friday. ###
The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the |
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