U.S. Coast Guard holds change-of-command ceremony in Juneau

Published 11:47 am Monday, July 13, 2026

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) held a change-of-command ceremony in Juneau Friday.

On July 10, Capt. Ginny Nadolny relieved Capt. Stanley Fields as sector commander of Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska at Coast Guard Station Juneau. Capt. Michele Schallip, Coast Guard Arctic District chief of staff, presided over the military tradition.

Nadolny said that it is an honor to take command on Sector Southeast Alaska.

“The men and women of this command are vital to executing the Coast Guard’s highest priority missions, serving maritime communities across Southeast Alaska,” she said. “I look forward to continued service alongside this exceptional team and our partners throughout Southeast Alaska.”

Nadolny received her commission from the Coast Guard Academy in 2005 and served as the deputy commander of Sector Southeast Alaska prior to assuming command. She served in key leadership roles aboard Coast Guard cutters during the initial phase of her career before transitioning her operational focus to the sector community in 2020.

She also held multiple strategic assignments, notable serving as a military aide to both President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump, as well as other pivotal leadership positions at Coast Guard Headquarters.

The ceremony represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding or flag 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, a continuation of trust,” USCG stated.

Fields served multiple tours in Southeast Alaska and said that his family had “truly learned” to call Juneau home.

“Whether it’s interacting with community members at family events or through the Coast Guard in a professional capacity, thank you to our friends and partners,” he said. “It’s truly special to find a place where federal, state, local, tribal, and industry members can accomplish so much.”

Fields added that serving in Juneau and throughout Southeast Alaska has been the greatest honor of his lifetime.

“I am grateful for the men and women throughout Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska who continue to forge new paths on a daily basis as the Coast Guard grows their footprint and increase their operational impact throughout Alaska,” he said.

Fields had served as sector commander since 2024 and will report to Charleston, South Carolina, for assignment as the chief prosecutor for the Coast Guard.

Sector Southeast Alaska covers approximately 550 miles from north to south and contains 20 percent of the U.S. coastline, including most of the 1,100 Alexander Archipelago islands.