TOKYO – Capt. Mark J. McCadden relieved Capt. John Koster during a change of command ceremony presided over by Rear Adm. Charles W. Ray at Coast Guard Activities Far East (FEACT) on Yokota Air Force Base, Wednesday.
McCadden replaces Koster as the commanding officer of FEACT, a component command of U.S. Forces Japan. Koster retired after 31 years of service.
As the commanding officer, Koster led offices in Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore from June 2010 to present. In this position, he was responsible for a diverse array of maritime safety, security, and environmental protection activities across 47 countries and territories throughout the Asia-Pacific region, which encompasses eastern Russian Federation, south and westward through Asia to India, the Indian Ocean island nations, Australia and New Zealand.
McCadden, will assume command of FEACT following this ceremony. McCadden has served in the Coast Guard for 32 years and has held numerous leadership positions in Washington, Louisiana, North Carolina, Alaska, Oregon, and Virginia.
The missions conducted by FEACT include flag administration, inspection, certification and casualty investigations for U.S.-flagged deep draft commercial vessels, mobile offshore drilling units, the Military Sealift Command and Ready Reserve Force fleets. They also conduct port state control examinations of higher risk foreign ships destined for America; as well as the Coast Guard’s international port security program with trading partner nations throughout the Asia-Pacific.
The change of command ceremony is a revered military tradition, which formally restates to the officers and crew of the command the continuity and authority of command. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of the command, and it confirms to the men and women of the unit that the authority of command is maintained. The ceremony is a transfer of total responsibility, authority, and accountability from one individual to another.
