ASTORIA, Ore. — Coast Guard Air Station Astoria held a change-of-command ceremony, July 16, at Coast Guard Base Astoria.
Rear Adm. Arex B. Avanni, commander of the Northwest Coast Guard District, presided over the ceremony in which Cmdr. Michael Flint relieved Capt. Neal Corbin as Air Station Astoria’s commanding officer.
“It is a profound honor to take command of Air Station Astoria,” said Flint. “I look forward to working alongside this incredible crew and our regional partners of the Northwest District. The highly demanding conditions of the Pacific Northwest require the highest levels of training and proficiency; I am committed to upholding the standard this unit has set for the past 62 years.”
Air Station Astoria operates several MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters. The unit's functions include search and rescue, law enforcement, aids to navigational support, national defense, environmental protection and training the joint force during the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School. Known as the “Guardians of the Pacific Northwest,” the unit maintains the Coast Guard’s motto of Semper Paratus “Always Ready,” serving through surf, storm, and howling gale.
“It has been an incredible privilege and the highlight of my career to lead this unit,” said Corbin. “These men and women have gone above and beyond to make Air Station Astoria one of the finest Air Stations in the country. They will forever have my utmost respect.”
Following the ceremony, Corbin departed for his next assignment as Incident Management Branch Chief at the Great Lakes Coast Guard District.
The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition representing a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding officer to another. The passing of colors, standards, or ensigns from an outgoing commander to an incoming one ensures that the unit and its members are never without official leadership, formally demonstrating the continuity of authority and a continuation of trust.
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