Houston Changes Captain of Port

A Change of Command ceremony for Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston is scheduled for July 14. The event will take place at United Way Community Center in Houston. During a formal ceremony, the current Commander of Sector Houston-Galveston, Capt. Richard M. Kaser, will be relieved by Capt. William J. Diehl. Presiding over the ceremony will be Rear Adm. Joel R. Whitehead, Commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District and Commander of Maritime Defense Command Eight. Kaser, the Commanding Officer for MSO Houston-Galveston from July 2003-December 2005 and Commander, Sector Houston-Galveston from December 2005-July 2006, will relinquish his command and move on to a position as Chief, Prevention Division at Coast Guard Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Virginia. The change of command ceremony is a time-honored event preserved by the rich heritage of naval tradition.

It is a custom that is formal and impressive and designed to strengthen the respect for authority, which is vital to any military organization. The climax of the ceremony is reached when both officers read their orders, face one another, salute and transfer responsibility for the command. This provides the entire command with the knowledge that the officer directed by proper authority is taking command and an opportunity to witness this transfer of responsibility.