MILWAUKEE – U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, one of the Coast Guard’s largest field commands, is scheduled to hold a change-of-command and retirement ceremony, Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Capt. Luann Barndt, who took command in June 2009 and is the first woman to hold the position, will transfer the duties and responsibilities of sector commander to Capt. Matthew Sibley. Following the change-of-command ceremony, Barndt will retire after 27 years of service.

Media Note: Media wishing to attend should plan to arrive by 10:30 a.m. There will be a media availability at 10:40 a.m., at which point both Barndt and Sibley will be available for questions.

Sibley comes to Milwaukee from Washington, D.C., where he previously served as military assistant to the secretary of homeland security.

Responsible for protecting 1,640 miles of coastline and hundreds of miles of inland rivers, Sector Lake Michigan’s Milwaukee base is responsible for 21 field units in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2010, Sector Lake Michigan crews saved 128 lives during 1,173 search and rescue missions.

With more than 740 active-duty and reserve military members and civilian employees, the commander of Sector Lake Michigan is responsible for all Coast Guard missions, including port safety and security, search and rescue, law enforcement, aids to navigation, waterways management, marine environmental protection and commercial vessel safety.

Tuesday’s ceremony is part of a time-honored naval tradition which formally acknowledges the transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another.

Barndt graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1984 and went on to serve at 12 different Coast Guard units. Her career is highlighted by positions as the chief of the Global Positioning System Information Center, surface operations officer of Coast Guard Group North Bend, Ore., regimental officer in charge of military indoctrination at the Coast Guard’s only recruit training center in Cape May, N.J., a member of the principal federal officer’s staff in response to Hurricane Katrina, deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector Guam, and the U.S. Coast Guard chair of the National Defense University.

Among numerous unit and service awards, Barndt has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal.

The Coast Guard is a multi-mission, maritime, military service and is part of the Department of Homeland Security. It is unique among federal agencies in that it is at all times an armed service, while also a humanitarian, regulatory, law enforcement, environmental, and emergency management agency.

For further information, contact Lt. Casey Steuer, Sector Lake Michigan public affairs officer at 414-747-7151.



MILWAUKEE – U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, one of the Coast Guard’s largest field commands, is scheduled to hold a change-of-command and retirement ceremony, Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Capt. Luann Barndt, who took command in June 2009 and is the first woman to hold the position, will transfer the duties and responsibilities of sector commander to Capt. Matthew Sibley. Following the change-of-command ceremony, Barndt will retire after 27 years of service.

Media Note: Media wishing to attend should plan to arrive by 10:30 a.m. There will be a media availability at 10:40 a.m., at which point both Barndt and Sibley will be available for questions.

Sibley comes to Milwaukee from Washington, D.C., where he previously served as military assistant to the secretary of homeland security.

Responsible for protecting 1,640 miles of coastline and hundreds of miles of inland rivers, Sector Lake Michigan’s Milwaukee base is responsible for 21 field units in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. In 2010, Sector Lake Michigan crews saved 128 lives during 1,173 search and rescue missions.

With more than 740 active-duty and reserve military members and civilian employees, the commander of Sector Lake Michigan is responsible for all Coast Guard missions, including port safety and security, search and rescue, law enforcement, aids to navigation, waterways management, marine environmental protection and commercial vessel safety.

Tuesday’s ceremony is part of a time-honored naval tradition which formally acknowledges the transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from one individual to another.

Barndt graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1984 and went on to serve at 12 different Coast Guard units. Her career is highlighted by positions as the chief of the Global Positioning System Information Center, surface operations officer of Coast Guard Group North Bend, Ore., regimental officer in charge of military indoctrination at the Coast Guard’s only recruit training center in Cape May, N.J., a member of the principal federal officer’s staff in response to Hurricane Katrina, deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector Guam, and the U.S. Coast Guard chair of the National Defense University.

Among numerous unit and service awards, Barndt has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal.

The Coast Guard is a multi-mission, maritime, military service and is part of the Department of Homeland Security. It is unique among federal agencies in that it is at all times an armed service, while also a humanitarian, regulatory, law enforcement, environmental, and emergency management agency.

For further information, contact Lt. Casey Steuer, Sector Lake Michigan public affairs officer at 414-747-7151.



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