Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, Ore., holds change of command ceremony

Photo By Senior Chief Petty Officer George Degener | Capt. Patrick Ropp, commanding officer of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, OR., salutes as he departs the MSU Portland change of command ceremony on Swan Island, OR., June 20, 2013. MSU Portland performs the marine safety mission by conducting marine inspections, marine investigations and waterways management. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener.  

PORTLAND, OR, UNITED STATES

06.20.2013

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class George Degener 

U.S. Coast Guard District 13

ASTORIA, Ore. - Capt. Daniel L. LeBlanc passed the authority of command to Capt. Patrick A. Ropp at Marine Safety Unit Portland‘s change of command ceremony on Swan Island today.

Capt. LeBlanc is responsible for prevention operations covering three states, which includes 550 coastal miles, extending 200 miles offshore, and served as the federal incident commander for the multi-agency oil and hazardous material response to the derelict vessel Davy Crockett.

Capt. Ropp served as the chief of the Inspections and Investigations Branch for the 17th Coast Guard District in Juneau, Alaska, where he organized the nation’s largest non-emergent, relief and prevention outreach effort, while scheduling more than 55 tribal engagements in 26 villages throughout the North Slope and Western Alaska.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which signifies the transfer of responsibility and formally states the officer’s continuity and authority of command.

It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of the command and it confirms to the men and women of the unit the authority of command is maintained.

For more information contact Coast Guard Public Affairs at 503-861-6132.

• Date Taken: 06.20.2013
• Date Posted: 06.20.2013 22:04
• Story ID: 108997
• Location: PORTLAND, OR, US