PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Cmdr. Dave W. Ramassini assumed command of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear during a change of command ceremony at Base Portsmouth, here, Friday.
Ramassini relieved Cmdr. William J. Lane, who is transferring to Arlington to serve as the commander of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center’s, enlisted personnel management division.
As the commanding officer of the Bear, Ramassini will oversee the cutter’s operations for maritime homeland security missions that include drug and migrant interdiction.
Ramassini reported from the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf, one of the Coast Guard’s new 418-foot national security cutters homeported in Alameda, Calif., where he served as its executive officer.
“It was an awesome privilege to serve as the commanding officer of the Bear,” said Lane. “Working side by side with motivated and hard-charging men and women in the daily fight to protect our nation and save mariners in distress on a 30-year-old cutter was both challenging and rewarding. The crew of the Bear exceeded all of my expectations and more than lived up to the reputation of her predecessor.”
The 278-foot, medium-endurance cutter Bear was named after the Revenue Cutter Bear, which was built in 1885 and served with distinction until being decommissioned in 1929. Medium-endurance cutters like the Bear are built for multi-week offshore patrols including operations requiring enhanced communications and helicopter and pursuit boat operations, which provide a key capability for homeland security missions at sea.
