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YANKEETOWN, Fla. — Members of Coast Guard Station Yankeetown held a change-of-command ceremony Wednesday at the station.
Chief Warrant Officer Robert Whitmore transferred command of the station to Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Eric B. Tookey during the ceremony.
During Whitmore's tour at Station Yankeetown, he and the 26 crewmembers stationed there were responsible for 3,500 miles of Florida coastline spanning six counties.
During the ceremony, Whitmore spoke about his year at the station and commended his crew for their work.
"My accomplishments are not solely mine," he said. "The station excelled because of each and every one of you."
Under Whitmore's direction, the station's crew conducted 67 search and rescue cases, and performed 193 maritime law enforcement boardings. Additionally, the crew was involved in numerous community outreach programs such as mentoring Navel Sea Cadets and working alongside multiple Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas.
The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored tradition, formally restating the continuity of command to the officers and crew. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of the command, which serves as a visible symbol of the transfer of total responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another.
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