Industrial College News

Adm. Linda L. Fagan has been confirmed as the 27th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, clearing way for her to be the first woman top officer in one of the military services. The Senate on Wednesday approved Fagan’s promotion, along with those of five other senior Coast Guard officers, by unanimous consent.Nominated for the role by President Joe Biden in April, Fagan will succeed Adm. Karl Schultz as head of the Coast Guard. Schultz, who has been Coast Guard Commandant since 2018, will retire at the end of this month.

VT Halter in Pascagoula, MS has been on a strong run, capped by its winning the high-profile contract to build the U.S. Coast Guard’s next generation of icebreakers. Maritime Reporter recently spoke with Ron Baczkowski, President and CEO, VT Halter Marine, for insights on the shipyard’s recent success and future prospects. Globally, the shipbuilding industry has gone through some ‘interesting’ times of late. How has it looked from your perspective?The shipbuilding market and activity at VT Halter during the past 12 months has been dynamic.

Pascagoula, Miss. shipbuilder VT Halter Marine, Inc. announced it has appointed Ronald Baczkowski as president and CEO with immediate effect.Baczkowski joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1980 and retired with the rank of Brigadier General in 2012. He had held various command and staff appointments directing high-level strategic initiatives with impact on tens of thousands of troops. He joined VT Systems in 2016 and was mostly recently Vice President of Business Development. Before that from 2013-2015, he was Chief Operating Officer of Angarai International Inc, a professional management consulting firm; and Senior Program Manager at Engility Corporation…

Retired Coast Guard Vice Adm. Manson Brown was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by a voice vote of the U.S. Senate to serve as assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction and deputy administrator for NOAA. Brown joins NOAA after 36 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard. As deputy administrator, Brown will play a major role driving the Obama administration and NOAA priorities for weather and water services, climate science, plus the agency’s integrated mapping and Earth-observing capabilities.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has begun a new era, as Rear Adm. Mathias W. Winter-a decorated aviator with advanced degrees in both computer science and national resource strategy-was sworn in as the chief of naval research (CNR). Winter officially took the helm of ONR, the organization that leads Navy and Marine Corps research efforts, during a change-of-command held on Dec. 30. The ceremony was held at the Pentagon and officiated by the Honorable Sean Stackley, assistant secretary of the Navy (research, development and acquisition). "As the next Chief of Naval Research, I look forward to leading the ONR team in stretching the limits of physics and discovering the next generation of breakthrough technologies to ensure a dominant…

When ABS, the global provider of maritime classification services, announced that James A. Watson had been named President and Chief Operating Officer of their Americas Division, it wasn’t hard to see why. Likewise, there were few if any other candidates for the job with as well rounded a CV, and with the breadth of knowledge spanning the full range of maritime issues. Formerly the Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and before that, Watson served as the U.S.

Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. announces the appointment of Richard K. Murphy as a senior manager working on Coast Guard and other governmental programs. Murphy joins Bollinger Shipyards following a very successful 30-year career with the United States Coast Guard, culminating with the rank of Captain. His most recent assignment was Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Yard, Baltimore, Md. His prior assignments include staff tours at Coast Guard Headquarters, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit in Miami…

ABS announced that James A. Watson, Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), will join ABS as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Americas Division on September 2, 2013. In this role, Watson will have operational responsibility for activity in North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. Watson will take over from Robert Gilman, who will move to the ABS Group (ABSG) of Companies as Senior Vice President and Head of Technical Inspection Services within the ABS affiliated company, ABSG Consulting.

55 young people successfully complete their vocational training, or their courses of dual industrial & college study at Tognum. Young people have successfully completed their vocational training or their courses of dual industrial and college study at Tognum, the specialist for propulsion and power solutions, and its subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen. Tognum is particularly proud of the six Chamber of Industry and Commerce award-winners who won recognition for their outstanding achievements in both theory and practice. These were mechatronician Julian Boss, industrial mechanics Christian Männer and Florian Hecht and draftspersons Kevin Fuchs, Maximilian Dersch and Nadine König.

Captain Richard Murphy, United States Coast Guard (USCG), recently assumed command of the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Md. He is the 40th Commanding Officer in the 111-year history of the shipyard, the only shipbuilding and ship repair facility of the United States Coast Guard. Captain Murphy took charge of the Coast Guard Yard from Captain John Kaplan who served as the shipyard’s Commanding Officer from May 2008 to May 2010. Captain Kaplan retired from the U.S. Coast Guard with 28 years active duty service.

Sealift Logistics Command Atlantic, the Norfolk, Va.,-based U.S. Navy command responsible for operational control over Military Sealift Command vessels providing ocean transportation of equipment, fuel, supplies and ammunition in the Atlantic, changed command during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk today. Capt. Michael G. Graham assumed command of SEALOGLANT from outgoing commander, Capt. George G. Galyo, on the flight deck of fast combat support ship USNS Arctic in a 10 a.m. ceremony. Arctic, one of MSC's four fast combat support ships, transports fuel and other vital supplies to Navy warships, which allow the combatants to remain deployed for long periods of time. Galyo's next assignment is with Naval Surface Force Atlantic as its training and readiness officer.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta today announced the appointment of retired Coast Guard Commandant James M. Loy to the newly created post of Deputy Under Secretary for Transportation Security and Chief Operating Officer of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In his new position, Admiral Loy will report directly to Under Secretary for Transportation Security John Magaw, the head of the TSA. The secretary's announcement was included in remarks he gave at today's change of command ceremony, when Admiral Loy was succeeded by Admiral Thomas Collins as Coast Guard commandant. "Jim Loy is a world-class executive and an experienced transportation professional. TSA's already strong team will benefit from this phenomenal addition.

Vice Admiral James C. Card, recently retired Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has been appointed vice president - Technology at the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). Vice Admiral Card will report to Dr. Donald Liu, senior vice president, and will be based at the ABS Corporate World Headquarters in Houston. He will assume his new duties in early October. Vice Admiral Card holds Master's degrees in naval architecture and in mechanical engineering, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a 1986 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Coast Guard Names Senior Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, today announced the selection of Claire M. Grady as senior procurement executive and head of contracting activity. Grady will assume this senior executive service position in July 2007. Currently serving as director of strategic initiatives in the office of the chief procurement officer for the Department of Homeland Security, Grady has over 16 years of acquisition experience with the federal government. Before joining the Department of Homeland Security, Grady served in numerous positions with the Department of the Navy, such as Naval Sea Systems Command deputy division director for surface weapon systems…

Boyd E. (Butch) King was appointed CEO of VT Halter Marine Inc. at the beginning of the month. "King brings tremendous experience to his new position," said General (Ret.) John Coburn, CEO and Chairman of VT Systems Inc., in announcing the appointment. "He will be at the forefront to ensure that VT Halter Marine contributes to the profitability of our marine sector." King most recently served as a senior associate with Booz Allen and Hamilton, consulting on various logistical support projects. Among others, this included the study and recommendation to revamp the Balkan Military Support initiative for the United States Army Europe. King…

General (Ret.) John Coburn, CEO and Chairman of VT Systems Inc., announced the appointment of Boyd E. (Butch) King as CEO of VT Halter Marine Inc. at a company event celebrating the acquisition of VT Halter Marine. “King brings tremendous experience to his new position,” stated Gen. Coburn. Most recently a senior associate with Booz Allen and Hamilton, King consulted on various logistical support projects. Among other, this included the study and recommendation to revamp the Balkan Military Support initiative for the United States Army Europe. King also played an instrumental role in developing the Capstone Training Course for the first Interim Brigade Combat Team command and staff for the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command. Prior, King had a successful 35-year career in the U.S.

The Vigorous, homeported in Cape May N.J., will welcome a new commanding officer during an onboard change-of-command ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday in Cape May. Cmdr. Michael C. Husak from Operations Policy Directorate at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. will relieve Capt. David L. Hill, who will continue his career at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Vice Adm. James D. Hull, Coast Guard Atlantic Area commander and Commander, Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic will preside. Vice Adm. Thad Allen, Coast Guard Chief of Staff, will be a guest of honor. Husak is a native of Syracuse, N.Y. He is a 1984 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

Boyd E. "Butch" King is a man on a mission. The new CEO of VT Halter Marine, Inc. is rebuilding the shipbuilding company one contract at a time. "Our goal is to reestablish VT Halter Marine's world-wide reputation as a builder of midsize commercial and military vessels," King said from his office in Gulfport, Miss. King is a retired Brigadier General with a 35-year career in the U.S. Army culminating in his appointment as Director of Transportation, Energy and Troop Support on the Army staff. During his Army career, King was in charge of the management and tracking of 12,000 ocean shipping containers worldwide and headed various logistic operations including the shipment of combat equipment in support of operations in Haiti.