MIAMI — Lt. Thomas Martin will relieve Lt. Cmdr. Craig H. Allen, Jr. as commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter William Flores during a formal ceremony at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Fla., Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Allen has commanded the 154-foot Fast Response Cutter since it’s delivery to the Coast Guard in August 2012. Allen’s next assignment will be at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Va.
Martin is reporting to the William Flores after being the Operations Officer on the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous, in Cape May, N.J., conducting Law Enforcement, Counter Narcotics operations, Homeland Security and Search and Rescue throughout the Atlantic Area.
Martin is a 2004 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. His afloat career began as a Deck Watch Officer in training aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant homeported in Port Canaveral, Fla. Following this tour he served as an Information Technology Project Officer in the Office of C4 and Sensor Capabilities at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C. Martin was then assigned as Weapons Officer on Coast Guard Cutter Waesche in Alameda, Calif. as part of the plankowner crew and acting Navigator and Tactical Action Officer.
His personal awards include two Commendation Medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
