Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: June 13, 2007 Contact: Public Information Officer (252) 331-6000

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. - Coast Guard Capt. Meredith L. Austin, a native of Pomona, N.Y., and 1981 graduate of Ramapo High School in Spring Valley, N.Y., will take part in a change of command ceremony for the Coast Guard's National Strike Force Coordination Center (NSFCC) here Friday.

Austin, daughter of Gloria and the late Robert Austin of Pomona, began her Coast Guard career by attending the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., and received her commission in 1985.  She holds a bachelor's degree in marine science, a master's degree in public health and industrial hygiene, and a master's degree in homeland security.

Austin is transferring to the newly created Coast Guard Deployable Operations Group in Arlington, Va., as the Chief of the Plans, Policy and Exercise Division.

She became commanding officer of the NSFCC and commander of the National Strike Force (NSF) in June 2004.  Her responsibilities included administering the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Strike Teams, the Public Information Assist Team, maintaining nationwide pre-positioned Coast Guard oil spill response equipment, conducting the classification of Oil Spill Removal Organizations and maintaining a nationwide inventory of oil spill assets. In 2005, Austin oversaw the NSF's response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast, the largest deployment of NSF resources in its history.

Prior to taking command of the NSFCC, Austin commanded the Pacific Strike Team (PST) in Novato, Calif. The PST is responsible for responding to oil and hazardous materials discharges for the Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency for the western United States, Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Territories. In 2001, she responded to the World Trade Center as commanding officer of the PST.

Throughout her career she has served at a variety of Coast Guard units including the icebreaking Coast Guard Cutter Polar Sea, marine safety offices in Louisville, Ky., and Galveston, Texas, the Eleventh Coast Guard District in Long Beach, Calif., and the Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Va.

Capt. Roderick E. Walker, formerly the deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector San Diego, will assume command of the NSFCC from Austin.

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 following military protocol is designed to strengthen the respect for the continuity of command that is vital to any military organization. The culmination 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.