Media Availability: First Coast Guard District to hold change of command ceremony

Editor's note: News media interested in attending are asked to RSVP with Coast Guard External Affairs at d1publicaffairs@uscg.mil by 3 p.m., Thursday. BOSTON — The First Coast Guard District is scheduled to host a change command ceremony, Friday. During the ceremony Rear Adm. Michael Platt, a Boston native, will relieve Rear Adm. John Mauger as the commander of the First Coast Guard District. Adm. Linda Fagan, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard, and previous First Coast Guard District commander will be presiding. What: Coast Guard First District change of command ceremony. When: Friday, May 10, 11 a.m., news media are requested to arrive no later than 10:30 a.m. Where: Coast Guard Base Boston, 427 Commercial St, Boston, MA 02109. The Coast Guard First District’s missions span across eight states in the northeast including over 2,000 miles of coastline from the U.S. and Canadian border to northern New Jersey and 1,300 miles offshore. The district includes more than 12,000 active duty, reserve, civil servant and auxiliary personnel. In an average year, the First Coast Guard District saves 427 lives, conducts 2,392 search and rescue cases, assists 4,536 people, and safeguards approximately $115,000,000 in property at sea. The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition that marks a transfer of total responsibility and authority from one individual to another. The ceremony is conducted in order to formally demonstrate the continuity of authority within a U.S. military command.