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Sparks takes helm of Coast Guard Guam
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Posted on Jul 19 2008
[B]GUAM[/B]—Capt. Thomas Sparks has relieved Captain William Marhoffer as Commander of Coast Guard Sector Guam at a Change of Command ceremony held July 18 at the Naval Base Guam theater.
Sparks, with 25 years in the Coast Guard, is now in charge of 20 officers, 125 enlisted, two 110’ patrol boats and three 25’ Defender class boats.
In addition to Sector Commander, he now serves as Captain of the Port for Guam and the CNMI, Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection, Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, Federal On Scene Coordinator for pollution response, and Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.
Sparks reports to Sector Guam from service as Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Port Arthur, Texas.
Among the guests at the ceremony were Rear Adm. Mason Brown, commander of the 14th Coast Guard District in Honolulu, representatives of the Government of Guam, senior military officials, maritime industry representatives, and many friends and family of the Coast Guard. Guam’s Naval Sea Cadet Corps served as the color guard.
After three years of service on island, Marhoffer said a sad goodbye to the attendees. He said he will truly miss Guam.
Under his command, Sector Guam coordinated approximately 144 maritime search and rescue cases with 102 lives saved and 129 persons assisted across Micronesia in 2007. Sector Guam’s Prevention and Compliance Department inspected approximately 200 foreign-flagged vessels, 880 containers, and 32 regulated maritime facilities.
Marhoffer was acknowledged at the ceremony for his outstanding leadership these past three years and well wishes were given to him as he heads to his next position at Coast Guard District 14 in Honolulu.
Sparks said looks forward to leading the Coast Guard missions of serving the people of Micronesia, saving lives, protecting the environment, enforcing the law on the seas, facilitating commerce and guarding the homeland.
The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition that formally symbolizes the continuity of authority as the command is passed from one individual to another. [B][I](USCG)[/I][/B]
