U.S. Coast Guard Press Release:

ALAMEDA, Calif. — Rear Adm. Todd Sokalzuk, Commander of the 11th Coast Guard District, temporarily relieved the officer-in-charge of Coast Guard Station Noyo River, located in Ft. Bragg, Calif., Wednesday, citing a loss of confidence in the member’s ability to lead. 

The relief of an officer-in-charge by a district commander is a temporary administrative action followed by a formal review by Coast Guard headquarters.

 “Command positions at a Coast Guard unit are the most important and challenging assignments in our service,” said Sokalzuk. “Standards for command positions are extremely high and we sometimes must take these types of actions to ensure those standards are met. The public can rest assured that the matters under review did not present a danger to mariners. Coast Guard operations at Station Noyo River continue uninterrupted.”

Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Ryan Sanford was temporarily reassigned to Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay, Station Noyo River’s parent command. Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Moore from Sector Humboldt Bay has been assigned as temporary officer-in-charge at Station Noyo River. Moore is the former officer-in-charge of Station Golden Gate and is a Coast Guard Surfman. 

Station Noyo River is one of 13 search and rescue boat stations in the 11th Coast Guard District. The station has a crew of 29 men and women who carry out search and rescue and other Coast Guard missions. 

In 2017, unit personnel responded to 94 search-and-rescue cases saving or assisting 156 lives and over $4 million in property. The unit’s main area of responsibility extends 50 miles offshore and along approximately 100 miles of Northern California.