SAVANNAH, Ga. – The crew of Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Savannah held a change of command ceremony Thursday to formally recognize transfer of command of the unit.
During the ceremony, Cmdr. Joseph Loring transferred command of the unit to Cmdr. Amy Beach.
Loring served as commander of MSU Savannah for the past three years and is departing to continue his service at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Former Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Savannah, Ga., commanding officer Joseph Loring and new commanding officer Cmdr. Amy Beach salute each other to signify transfer of command of the MSU as Coast Guard Sector Charleston, S.C. Commander Capt. Ric Rodriguez watches Thursday, June 12, 2014. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Lauren Jorgensen
Loring said Savannah has an excellent and strong maritime community and provides unparalleled military support, and the MSU does great work so it is hard for him to leave.
“I’ve had a great tour,” he said.
Beach, who previously served as chief of the prevention department at Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound in New Haven, Conn., said she’s excited to begin working in a job many Coast Guard officers consider to be the best commanding officer position in the service.
The missions of MSU Savannah include stewardship of maritime resources; administration and enforcement of vessel safety standards; response to and investigation of marine casualties, violations of navigation laws, oil spills, and hazardous material releases; and outreach and coordination of contingency plans and preparedness activities with area stakeholders.
