HONOLULU — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) held a change of command ceremony, Friday, in Honolulu.
Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, presided over the ceremony in which Capt. Craig Allen relieved Capt. Robert Kinsey as Kimball’s commanding officer.
Kinsey served as Kimball’s commanding officer from July 2023 to June 2025. Under Kinsey’s leadership, Kimball deployed to the Eastern Pacific for a counter-drug patrol and the Bering Sea in support of fisheries enforcement and providing a military presence protecting U.S. interests within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
While patrolling the Eastern Pacific, the Kimball operated under the tactical control of Joint Interagency Task Force South in support of Operation Martillo. The crew interdicted more than $191 million worth of cocaine and apprehended 18 suspected drug smugglers. Working with Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security partners, the Kimball supported controlling, securing, and defending the U.S. border and maritime approaches.
"Commanding Kimball has been the greatest honor of my career," Kinsey said. "This crew met every challenge with professionalism, grit, and a deep commitment to service. They truly embraced the ship's unofficial motto: 'Wield the paddles together, work together.' From patrolling vast Pacific waters to working alongside our partners and defending our homeland, their impact has been profound. I leave with immense pride, knowing that Kimball will continue to lead with strength and purpose in safeguarding our nation.”
Allen reports to Kimball after serving as chief of emerging policy at Coast Guard Headquarters.
Kinsey will serve as chief of staff at the White House Military Office.
A change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled crew, formally transferring total responsibility, authority, and accountability from one individual to another.
The Kimball is one of two 418-foot Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Honolulu. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug operations and defense readiness. National security cutters have a top speed of more than 28 knots, a range of 12,000 nautical miles, an endurance of up to 90 days, and a crew complement of up to 170.
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