BOSTON — A change of command ceremony was held for the Commander of the First Coast Guard District at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, Thursday.
During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Daniel B. Abel assumed responsibilities from Rear Adm. Daniel A. Neptun as commander of the 1st Coast Guard District.
Rear Adm. Abel is joining the First Coast Guard District from the position of Deputy Director of Operations for Headquarters, United States Northern Command. The Directorate of Operations is the principal advisor to the Commander, USNORTHCOM on all operational matters, providing strategic guidance to plan and execute NORTHCOM missions within the area of responsibility; including land, maritime, and Homeland Defense air operations as well as Defense Support of Civil Authorities.
Rear Adm. Neptun First District Commander for the past two years, relinquished his command and continues his Coast Guard career as the Assistant Commandant for Human Relations in Washington D.C. The Human Resources Directorate is made up of HR professionals, military and civilian, with one distinct mission: to meet the people needs of the Coast Guard while meeting the needs of Coast Guard people.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. It is a formal ritual, conducted before the assembled company of the command. It conveys to the officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, and auxiliarists of the Coast Guard that although the authority of command is relinquished by one person and is assumed by another, it is still maintained without interruption.
The First Coast Guard District, headquartered in Boston, encompasses an area of eight states from northern New Jersey to the Maine/Canada border, including more than 2,000 miles of shoreline. In an average day, the nearly 10,000 men and women of the Department of Homeland Security’s First Coast Guard District save two lives, conduct 17 search and rescue cases, assist 20 people, and safeguard $46,633 in property at sea.
The Coast Guard in New England is tasked with maritime search and rescue and the protection of living marine resources, as well as nine other critical missions. The Coast Guard works simultaneously with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in order to meet this task and ensure compliance with all federal maritime statutes and regulations.
