83R18706 JGH-D
By: Hernandez Luna H.R. No. 1579
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Captain James H. Whitehead is retiring as commander
of Sector Houston-Galveston of the U.S. Coast Guard on June 14,
2013, drawing to a close a distinguished career in the nation's
service that has spanned more than a quarter of a century; and
WHEREAS, After earning a bachelor's degree in political
science from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, James
Whitehead graduated from the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School
in 1987; he began his career as a staff officer at Coast Guard
headquarters in Washington, D.C., before joining the Marine Safety
Office Puget Sound in Seattle as a marine inspector in 1989; from
1990 to 1993, he served at the Marine Inspection Office in New York,
as marine inspector, investigator, and supervisor for all
commercial ships trading with Europe, Africa, and the Middle East;
and
WHEREAS, Captain Whitehead resumed his education at the
University of Maryland, receiving a master's degree in business
administration, and returned to Coast Guard headquarters as a
project manager for the Marine Information for Safety and Law
Enforcement System; beginning in 1998, he served three tours in
Boston as chief of inspections and investigations; after two years
as supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment at Sturgeon Bay,
Wisconsin, he became the executive officer of the Marine Safety
Office in Morgan City, Louisiana, where, as operations section
chief for the Sector New Orleans Incident Command Post, he oversaw
boat search and rescue and waterway and pollution cleanup after
Hurricane Katrina; and
WHEREAS, From 2005 to 2008, Captain Whitehead served again at
Coast Guard headquarters as a program reviewer in the Office of
Budget and Programs and as executive assistant to the assistant
commander for resources; he then took time to earn a master's degree
with distinction in national security and strategic studies from
the U.S. Naval War College; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, after two years as deputy commander,
Captain Whitehead became the commander of Sector
Houston-Galveston, serving as officer in charge of marine
inspections, captain of the port, federal maritime security
commander, search and rescue mission coordinator, and federal
on-scene coordinator for the region of the Gulf Coast from
Matagorda Bay to Lake Charles, which includes seven major U.S.
ports; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of his exemplary tenure, Captain
Whitehead and the crew members under his command have been credited
with saving more than 250 lives and assisting nearly 800 others in
distress; his many awards and commendations include three
Meritorious Service Medals, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals,
two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and the Commandant's Letter of
Commendation, as well as the Paul Cuffee Maritime Leadership Award
from Texas Southern University; and
WHEREAS, For 26 years, Captain Whitehead has embodied the
Coast Guard motto "Semper Paratus," or "always ready," and with his
skill, leadership, and dedication to duty, he has helped protect
our ports, defend our maritime borders, and ensure that the
nation's sea-lanes and waterways are safe for both commerce and
recreation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Captain James H. Whitehead on his
retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard and extend to him sincere best
wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Captain Whitehead as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.