HONOLULU — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) held a change of command ceremony Monday at Coast Guard Base Honolulu.
Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area and Defense Forces West, presided over the ceremony in which Capt. Tyson Scofield relieved Capt. Robert Mohr as Waesche's commanding officer.
Mohr served as Waesche's commanding officer from July 2022 to May 2024, leading the cutter through two Eastern Pacific patrols, supporting Joint Interagency Task Force-South that resulted in the seizure of over $405 million worth of illegal narcotics.
Waesche also represented the Coast Guard during San Francisco's Fleet Week in 2023, showcasing the national security cutter platform's capabilities, missions, and operations. The crew participated in the parade of ships, hosted over 1,800 visitors aboard for tours, and was an observation platform for VIPs and guests during the Fleet Week airshow.
Most recently, Waesche completed a four-month, $14.8 million drydock period, during which maintenance and repairs were completed throughout the cutter to prepare it for its next patrol.
"It has been an honor to serve with such a devoted and resilient crew," said Mohr. "To the men and women crew of cutter Waesche, thank you for your perpetual optimism, pride, and hard work."
Mohr's next assignment is to serve as the strategic planner for the Deputy Commandant of Mission Support at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Scofield reports to Waesche from the Coast Guard's Headquarters, where he served as the executive assistant to the Coast Guard's Assistant Commandant for Acquisitions and Chief Acquisition (CG-9). There he assisted the Coast Guard's Chief Acquisition Officer in the oversight and execution of a $2-billion portfolio modernizing the Coast Guard's Air, Surface, and Command, Control, Computers, Communication, Cyber, and Information technology domains.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition representing the formal transfer of authority, responsibility, and accountability for a unit from one commanding officer to another. The event reinforces the continuity of command and provides an opportunity to celebrate the crew's accomplishments.
Commissioned in 2010, Waesche is one of four Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda, California. National security cutters are 418 feet long and 54 feet wide, with a top speed of over 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, endurance of up to 90 days, and can hold a crew of up to 170. The advanced technologies of the national security cutter class ships are designed to support global operations and missions.
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