NEW YORK — Crewmembers of Coast Guard Station Montauk held a change of command and retirement ceremony in Montauk, New York, Thursday.
Capt. Edward J. Cubanski, commander, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, presided over the ceremony to transfer command of Station Montauk from Senior Chief Petty Officer Jason Walter to Senior Chief Petty Officer Eric Best. Best comes to Montauk after recently serving as the executive petty officer of Station Gulfport, Mississippi. Best is married to Lauralee and they have two young children, Grace Anne and Gavin.
Walter retired after serving 20 years in the Coast Guard. Prior to his assignment as officer in charge of Station Montauk, he had command of Station Tawas, Mississippi; served on the Coast Guard Cutter Ridley out of Montauk and served as executive petty officer on the Coast Guard Cutter Cleat out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His other units included the Coast Guard Cutter Grand Isle out of Gloucester, Massachusetts and Independent Maritime Response Vessel out of Taylors Island, Maryland.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition, held before the officers and crew to formally restate the continuity and authority of command. The tradition is unique in the world today in that it is a transfer of total responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another. It marks the end of one segment of the command’s history and the beginning of another new opportunity for even greater accomplishment in the future.