Editor’s Note: Media interested in attending should contact Chief Petty Officer Cristina Berrios at Cristina.R.Berrios@uscg.mil no later than 3 p.m., Thursday, May 12, 2026 to RSVP.
WHO: Capt. Benjamin Keffer, commander of Coast Guard Accessions Service Center, Chief Petty Officer Cristina Berrios, recruiter-in-charge of Coast Guard Recruiting Office Austin, and Cedar Park, Texas-based Coast Guard recruiters
WHAT: Coast Guard Recruiting Office Austin Grand Opening and presiding official, Capt. Benjamin Keffer to swear in new Coast Guard recruits.
WHEN: Grand Opening event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16, 2026, and new recruits swearing in ceremony at 10:15 a.m.
WHERE: Coast Guard Recruiting Office Austin 1335 Whitestone Blvd. Suite 225, Cedar Park, TX 78613
AUSTIN, Texas — The Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a grand opening ceremony for the new Coast Guard Austin Recruiting Office Saturday, as part of Force Design 2028 (FD2028) workforce initiatives.
The presiding official for the grand opening will be Capt. Benjamin Keffer, Coast Guard Accessions Service Center commander. Keffer will also preside over a swear-in ceremony for new Coast Guard recruits.
The Austin Recruiting Office will serve as a regional hub to engage communities across Austin and Central Texas connecting individuals with opportunities in active duty and reserve positions in the Coast Guard.
"The Coast Guard is dedicated to meeting the future head-on and the opening of our newest recruiting office in Austin reflects this commitment,” said Keffer. “The Coast Guard is filled with members who are devoted to saving lives, serving their communities and always ready to respond in emergency events. The Service continues to modernize how and where we recruit—to ensure we’re reaching the best talent in communities across the country, not just on the coasts. This new office strengthens the Coast Guard’s ability to build a force that is more agile, capable and ready to remain the world’s premier maritime fighting force and first responder."
The mission of Recruiting Office Austin is to empower individuals by guiding them toward meaningful careers within the United States Coast Guard, ensuring their professional growth and futures success.
Austin will become the newest Coast Guard recruiting office in Texas, joining Dallas, Houston, Corpus Christi, El Paso, and San Antonio. This expansion follows the Coast Guard’s rescue of over 230 people during recent flash floods near Kerrville, highlighting its commitment to public safety and emergency response in the region.
Learn more about the Austin Recruiting Office.
For information about joining the Coast Guard, visit GoCoastGuard.com.
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