Media availability: 17th Coast Guard District to conduct change-of-command ceremony Friday

 

Media Availability

U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska Contact: 17th District Public Affairs Office: (907) 463-2065 17th District online newsroom

17th Coast Guard District to conduct change-of-command ceremony Friday

 

WHO: Rear Adm. Nathan A. Moore, Rear Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr.

WHAT: 17th Coast Guard District Change-of-Command Ceremony

WHERE: Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, 6000 Glacier Spur Rd., Juneau, AK 99801.

WHEN: Friday, April 23, 10 a.m.

Editor’s note: Media, please see RSVP info at the bottom. Due to COVID mitigation precautions, in-person attendance is limited. Anyone interested in viewing the ceremony can watch on the Coast Guard 17th District Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USCGAlaska/ .

JUNEAU, Alaska — Coast Guard 17th District personnel are scheduled to conduct a change-of-command ceremony Friday at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center in Juneau.

Rear Adm. Matthew T. Bell Jr. will transfer command of the Coast Guard’s 17th District to Rear Adm. Nathan A. Moore.

As the 17th District commander, Moore will be responsible for all Coast Guard operations throughout Alaska, the North Pacific and the Arctic which includes protecting life and property, enforcing federal laws and treaties, preserving living marine resources, and promoting national security. Headquartered in Juneau, the 17th District encompasses 3.8 million square miles and over 44,000 miles of shoreline. During an average year the 2,500 active duty, reserve, civilian and auxiliary personnel of the 17th District save 264 lives and assist 636 people.

Moore was previously assigned as the Coast Guard assistant commandant for engineering and logistics. As the Coast Guard’s chief engineer, he was responsible for all naval, aeronautical, civil and industrial engineering and logistics for the service’s 23,000 facilities, 230 ships, 1,800 boats and 200 aircraft. He was responsible for executing an annual budget of $1 billion, and leading 5,000 personnel assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters, Aviation Logistics Center, Surface Forces Logistics Center, Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center and the Coast Guard Yard.

Bell originally took command of the 17th District in June 2018, and will retire after 36 years of service following the change of command.

A change-of-command ceremony marks a transfer of total responsibility and authority from one individual to another. It is a time-honored tradition conducted before the assembled crew, as well as honored guests and dignitaries to formally demonstrate the continuity of the authority within a command.

Due to social distancing measures, no more than one person from one media outlet will be granted access. If we receive an RSVP from more than one outlet, a media pool will be required. In that case, a list of media that RSVP'd will be provided to all media that RSVP'd, and media personnel will be responsible for working together to identify who will attend. Media desiring to attend must RSVP by emailing uscgalaska@gmail.com no later than 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 21.

-USCG-