Coast Guard welcomes new Northeast commander during time-honored ceremony in Boston
by U.S. Coast Guard 1st District Northeast 4 Jun 2018 20:01 PDT
A change-of-command ceremony for the First Coast Guard District was held Monday at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall.
During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Andrew J. Tiongson, assumed responsibilities of commander of the First Coast Guard District, which covers eight states, including 1,225 miles of coastline from the U.S., Canadian border to northern New Jersey, and 1,300 miles offshore.
"I am deeply grateful, honored, blessed, and humbled to be your district commander," said Tiongson.
"I hope to live up to the high bar you set and build upon the strong foundation you left," Tiongson said to Poulin.
Rear Adm. Steven D. Poulin, who served as First District Commander for the past two years, will continue his Coast Guard career as the U.S. Southern Command's Director of Operations directing the U.S. military operations across the Caribbean Basin plus Central and South America.
Poulin said the First Coast Guard District is world-class and will continue to do heroic things every day.
Tiongson is a career cutterman whose time at sea spans five Coast Guard cutters and one U.S. Navy Ship. He has served as commanding officer aboard Coast Guard cutters Nantucket, Legare, and James. His most recent assignment was as Assistant Commandant for Resources and Chief Financial Officer at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C.
Vice Adm. Scott A Buschman, commander of Coast Guard Atlantic Area, presided over the ceremony.
The First Coast Guard District includes more than 12,000 active duty, reserve, civilian 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 $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 before the assembled crew, as well as honored guests and dignitaries, in order to formally demonstrate the continuity of authority within a command.