OXNARD, Calif. — Coast Guard Cutter Blacktip, an 87-foot Patrol Boat, received a new commanding officer during a change of command ceremony held at Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, Calif., June 30, 2011.
Master Chief Petty Officer Christopher R. Swiatek, commanding officer of the Blacktip, relinquished command to Senior Chief Petty Officer Gregory A. Simcic, during a time-honored military tradition that formally transfers command.
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 auxiliary members 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.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Simcic reports to the Blacktip from his previous tour serving as the executive chief petty officer of Coast Guard Cutter Steelhead in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Master Chief Petty Officer Swiatek will be taking over as commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Petrel, stationed in San Diego.
The Coast Guard Cutter Blacktip is a Marine Protector Class Patrol cutter and is homeported at Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, Calif. It was commissioned in 2001 and the current crew joins a proud history of distinguished service to the United States.
