NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Stone (WMSL 758) held a change-of-command ceremony, Thursday, in North Charleston.
Capt. Anne O’Connell relieved Capt. Jonathan Carter as the fourth commanding officer of Stone during the ceremony, which was presided over by Vice Adm. Nathan A. Moore, commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area.
Carter served as Stone’s commanding officer from July 2023 to June 2025, leading the crew while steaming more than 37,000 nautical miles, visiting 12 ports across six foreign countries and overseeing numerous patrols in the Florida Straits, Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. He oversaw the successful execution of a variety of missions, including maritime homeland defense and counter-drug operations.
“Stone’s patrols were truly unique,” said Carter. “Leading allied forces to safeguard U.S. sovereignty and disrupting transnational criminal networks are two missions that come to mind, for which I am extremely proud. None of it was possible without this exceptional crew. Serving alongside you has been the opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you.”
Carter will transfer to his next assignment at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washinton, D.C, serving as team lead for the Force Design 2028 implementation team.
O’Connell takes command after having most recently served at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as the director of the Commandant’s Advisory Group.
“I’m honored to join Stone and humbled by the opportunity to lead such a capable crew,” said O’Connell. “I look forward to learning from this exceptional team as we take on the missions and challenges ahead while we continue to protect our nation at home and abroad.”
The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored tradition that formally demonstrates the continuity of authority within a command, conducted before the assembled crew and honored guests. It marks the official transfer of total responsibility, authority and accountability from one leader to another.
Commissioned in 2021, Stone is a 418-foot, Legend-class national security cutter. The cutter’s primary missions include counter-drug operations, defense readiness, and support to joint interagency and international task forces. Stone falls under the command of Coast Guard Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Virginia. Atlantic Area oversees all Coast Guard missions east of the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. Atlantic Area allocates ships to deploy across the Caribbean Sea, Eastern Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean to combat transnational organized crime and illicit maritime activity.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn about active duty, reserve, officer, and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.
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