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MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: First change of command for Charleston’s first National Security Cutter

April 10, 2015

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Charleston’s first National Security Cutter held its first change of command ceremony Friday, at the Federal Law Training Enforcement Center in North Charleston.

Capt. Scott W. Clendenin took charge of the Cutter Hamilton from Capt. Doug Fears, the plankowner commanding officer who commissioned the cutter Dec. 6, 2014.

“I am very excited and humbled to be back in the fleet and entrusted to lead the crew of the first National Security Cutter based on the East Coast,” said Clendenin. “Even more so, I am very grateful to Capt. Fears for his extraordinary leadership and the hard work of the plankowners in the past two years that has paved our path for our mission success as we prepare for our homeland security missions in the Western Hemisphere.”

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which formally restates the continuity of command will be maintained and is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of command. It conveys to the officers, enlisted members, civilian employees and auxiliary members of the Coast Guard that although the authority of command is relinquished by a leader and is assumed by another, it is still maintained without interruption.

“Having known Capt. Clendenin for over 25 years, I am pleased to pass the mantle of command on to such a talented and passionate leader,” said Fears. “Commissioning Hamilton has been both very difficult and rewarding for the crew and our families. I wish Capt. Clendenin and the crew all the best for continued success—Godspeed.”

The Hamilton is the fourth NSC built out of eight planned for the Legend-class cutter fleet. It is the sixth cutter to be named after Alexander Hamilton, who cast a vision for the Revenue Marine Service in Federalist Paper #12, and then as the first Secretary of the Treasury prompted Congress to create the Revenue Marine Service, a precursor to the modern Coast Guard.

Legend-class NSC’s are the largest multipurpose cutters in the Coast Guard fleet and is replacing the 378-foot high endurance cutter, which has been in service since the 1960s. The NSC is 418-feet long and has a top speed of 28 knots and a range of 12,000 nautical miles. It is capable of patrolling in excess of 90 days.

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Media kit information:

CGC Hamilton web page: http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cgchamilton/command.asp

News stories: http://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cgchamilton/news.asp

Press releases:

Multimedia release: Coast Guard welcomes Hamilton to the fleet

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2432154/

Photo release: Charleston’s new Coast Guard cutter arrives home for Thanksgiving http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2425650/

Photo release: National Security Cutter departs Miami for Charleston homeport

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2419110/

4th National Security Cutter, Hamilton, completes acceptance trials

http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2225686/