SAN DIEGO — Capt. Robert Tucker relieved Capt. Patrick Dill as the Coast Guard Sector San Diego commander during a change of command ceremony in San Diego, Friday morning.
Rear Adm. Joseph Buzzella, commander, 11th Coast Guard District, presided over the time-honored military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding or flag officer to another.
Tucker assumes command of Sector San Diego after serving as the Deputy Commander at Sector Mobile.
Tucker’s previous assignments included the Chief of the H65 Training Department at the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center (ATC) Mobile; Aviation Budget manager at CG 711; Instructor at ATC Mobile; Air Station Miami; Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Florida; Officer Candidate School in New London, Connecticut; Air Station Clearwater in Florida; and Station Gloucester in Massachusetts.
Following the change of command ceremony, Dill is returning to his role as the Chief of Incident Management for Coast Guard District 11.
Tucker grew up in Ashland, New Hampshire and enlisted in the Coast Guard after graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He later earned his commission at the Officer Candidate School in New London, Connecticut and also holds a master’s degree in human factors from MAS Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Coast Guard Sector San Diego began as a Coast Guard Air Patrol detachment on May 4, 1934, for the purpose of preventing smuggling across the U.S. – Mexico border. The primary mission soon expanded to include saving life and property as patrolling aircraft were increasingly being diverted for search and rescue missions offshore. Sector San Diego was established in July 2004, combining three separate commands, Activities San Diego, Marine Safety Office San Diego and Air Station San Diego, into a single command performing 10 of the 11 statutory Coast Guard missions.