CORONA DEL MAR, Calif.— The Command of Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal will be transferred from Lieutenant Kristopher Ensley to Lieutenant Junior Grade Marc Whitaker in a change-of-command ceremony being held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2009.
Lt. j.g. Whitaker is a 2006 graduate of Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in New London, Connecticut. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Systems from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Lt. j.g. Whitaker was most recently deployed overseas in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom where he served as the Executive Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Baranof.
Lt. Ensley, who will be reporting to the Coast Guard Office of Congressional Affairs next month, became Commanding Officer of the Cutter Narwhal in August of 2007.
Capt. Roger R. Laferriere, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach, is scheduled to preside over the ceremony.
The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored event preserved by the rich heritage of naval tradition. It is a formal custom that is designed to strengthen the respect of authority, which is vital to any military organization.
The ceremony culminates when both officers read their orders, face one another and salute. This signifies to the entire command that the transfer of responsibility has formally taken place.
