Coast Guard Academy Lacrosse

BEARS AIM HIGH: just pulled these from the Summer 2026 archives - awesome photos featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN’S LACROSSE players Cadet 2/c Nolan Grizzle (Midfield/Severna Park, MD/Severna Park) and Cadet 2/c Tobias Perkins (Attack/Windham, ME/Windham) during their cadre phase overseeing the Academy Introduction Mission or AIM program.

AIM is an intensive, one-week summer immersion for rising high school seniors. AIM lets students experience a realistic slice of cadet life through military drills, physical fitness, and academic workshops. It serves as a premier trial run to help students determine if a Coast Guard career matches their future goals.

Guess who attended AIM? Tobias’ younger brother Tegan! What’s up Tegan? Ya in? Ya out?

Looking good fellas. - GO BEARS!!!

Confession - my home computer has been on ‘life support’ for most the summer and finally died. Got a new one! Catching up on some of the summer stuff that eluded me!

Thought this was pretty cool…

I always say it - THIS IS WHAT WE DO - come to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy get a top-notch education, play lacrosse at a high-level, win championships, Serve your Country after you graduate and MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the world...like these crews!

Keeping drugs off America’s streets! 🇺🇸

- GO BEARS!!!

BEAR FAMILY: just saw this great shot featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN'S LACROSSE player Cadet 1/c Mason Tucker (Midfield-FOGO/Alpharetta, GA/King's Ridge Christian) with his Mom an Dad (who I guess are now living fairly close to Jacksonville in Flagler Beach) on the bow aboard USCGC COHO during his Cadet Summer Training Program.

Mason was assigned to USCGC COHO - an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat - homeported in Jacksonville, FL for his Cadet Summer Training Program. COHO is assigned to Sector Jacksonville and is tasked with executing homeland security, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, and fisheries enforcement missions.

Great stuff - the Tucker Family looking good! - GO BEARS!!!

BEARS EARN THEIR WINGS: just saw these great photos featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN'S LACROSSE program 'Old Bear' LTJG Ian Feely, CGA '24 (Midfield/Spring Branch, TX/Smithson Valley) along with fellow ‘Old Bears’, coaches and his family during his Winging Ceremony at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX.

‘Old Bears’ on the scene included: ENS Josh France, CGA '24 (Midfield/Apex, NC/Middle Creek) and LTJG Gaige Kruger, CGA '23 (Attack/San Diego, CA/Coronado) - both are assigned to Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, FL. Joining them was Assistant Coach/Director of Operations Coach Ian Christian.

Ian just completed his Advanced Multi-Engine phase flying the T-44 "Pegasus" - a twin-engine, pressurized turboprop aircraft, the military training version of the Beechcraft King Air 90. Ian will be flying the HC-130J 'Super Hercules’ at Air Station Barbers Point, HI...where he will join fellow ‘Old Bear’ LTJG Gunnar Brodfuehrer, CGA '23 (Midfield/Lexington Park, MD/St. Mary's-Ryken) - so make your winter lodging reservations early!

Congratulations Ian!

- FLY SAFE, LEAD WELL and GO BEARS!!!

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day reminds us that excellence is built through hard work…

BEARS STICK TOGETHER (WINDHAM): just saw this great photo featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN’S LACROSSE players 2/c Tobias Perkins (Attack/Windham, ME/Windham) and Cadet 2/c Brayden Feeney (Defense/Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East) on Labor Day Weekend liberty in Windham, ME at the Perkins Home. The photo is with Tobias’ brother Tegan after his Windham Eagle football game on Friday night - I’m told Tegan had “a couple of touchdowns” in a losing cause.

Anyone else got Labor Day Weekend photos? Please send ‘em!

I love stuff like this. Looking good fellas. . - GO BEARS!!!

BEARS COMMAND (JIATF-W): just saw these awesome photos featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN'S LACROSSE program 'Old Bear' RDML Benjamin Golightly, CGA ‘98 (Midfield/Mayville, NY/Mayville Central) assuming command as the 22nd Director of Joint Interagency Task Force West at Camp H. M. Smith, HI.

Ben was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral (Lower Half) on 14 July 2026. He just completed his tour as the Commanding Officer of the Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center - Atlantic or MIFC-LANT. The Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center Atlantic is a robust intelligence center that directs specialized services to deliver intelligence around the clock to meet specific requirements of Coast Guard units.

Ben has been a great supporter of the Program. Congratulations Ben - well done - thank you for all your support! - GO BEARS!!!

The OFFICIAL press release reads:

CAMP H.M. Smith, Hawaii – Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West) held a change of command ceremony Aug. 28, 2026, at U.S. Pacific Command (US PACOM) headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. During the ceremony, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Benjamin Golightly relieved U.S. Navy Capt. George Howell as director of the task force.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael Drowley, Chief of Staff of US PACOM, presided over the ceremony and commended Howell’s exemplary leadership during his tenure as director.

During his remarks, Drowley highlighted the critical importance of the JIATF West mission and praised Howell’s specific achievements, specifically the thousands of kilograms of illicit narcotics and precursor chemicals seized under Howell’s direction, the deep partner nation relationships established, the expansion of operational fusion centers, and the strategic deployment of analysts to support law enforcement. Drowley stated the command was grateful to have benefited from Howell’s leadership, while also warmly welcoming Golightly to join the team. Following Drowley’s remarks, Howell addressed JIATF West for the final time expressing deep gratitude to the personnel he led.

“To every member of JIATF West, military, civilian, law enforcement, and contractor, please know that I have seen your commitment. I have seen you adapt. I have seen you take care of one another, and I have been profoundly proud to serve beside you.”

Under Howell’s leadership, JIATF West worked closely with U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies to disrupt drug trafficking networks, seizing more than 16,000 kilograms of co***ne, 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 98 kilograms of fentanyl. His focus on disrupting the supply chain at its source led to intelligence that enabled the seizure of 812,000 kilograms of precursor chemicals, including the largest single chemical seizure in U.S. history. Additionally, he expanded collaboration with allies and partners to address threats posed by transnational criminal organizations.

Reflecting on the rapid evolution of the command’s regional counterdrug mission during his tenure, Howell emphasized the command’s future.

“This command has endured uncertainty, transition, and enormous change,” Howell said. “It now stands at the edge of tremendous opportunity.”

Howell, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina and graduate of North Carolina State University, began his tenure as Director of JIATF West in July 2025, and before that served as the Task Force’s Chief of Staff starting in June 2024. He is the first Navy officer to lead the Coast Guard-billeted command. Howell departs as the Task Force’s 21st Director and will next serve as the Senior Defense Officer and Defense Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Norway under the guidance of U.S. European Command. In this role Howell will serve as the principal military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador, representing the Department of War and serving as the single point of contact for all DoW matters within the diplomatic mission.

Golightly assumed command as the 22nd director of JIATF West after previously serving as the commanding officer at the Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center – Atlantic (MIFC LANT). A native of Mayville, New York, Golightly graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in government and earned a Master of Science in strategic intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in 2003.

Upon taking command, Golightly expressed his gratitude to the Task Force and highlighted the critical importance of the ongoing counterdrug mission.

“Through teamwork, responsible application of resources, and a focus on mission ex*****on, JIATF West will safeguard the American public from the drugs and precursor chemicals flowing toward the U.S. mainland, while targeting the illicit funding streams that fuel the cartels and adversary activities,” Golightly said.

JIATF West, in coordination with U.S. law enforcement, interagency and partner nations, combats, disrupts and dismantles drug trafficking and transnational criminal organizations, to protect U.S. lives, interests, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

OLD BAY CREW ‘OLD BEAR’ NUPTIALS TODAY: heard we got double COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN’S LACROSSE program ‘Old Bear’ weddings in the mid-Atlantic region today for LT Cole Hudson, CGA ‘19 (Attack/Sparks, MD/Friends School) and Mr. Riley McNulty (Midfield/Arnold, MD/Broadneck):

Cole and Maddie are getting married in Rehoboth Beach, DE…

Riley and Ashleigh are getting married in Annapolis, MD…

Congratulations to both of these couples on their big events - hope it’s a wonderful day with family, friends and ‘Old Bear’ brothers! Wishing a lifetime of happiness to both of these couples.

Oh, and send some BEARS LACROSSE photos!

Cole is assigned as the Coast Guard Liaison Officer (CGLO) to NAVSOUTH/4th Fleet***, he works in the Operations Department coordinating joint operations and keeping the Coast Guard in the loop with Navy efforts and vice versa.

Riley separated from the Coast Guard last year to pursue opportunities with his family business in the Richmond, VA.

- GO BEARS!!

BEARS RESPECT SERVICE & SACRIFICE 🇺🇸: On the night of 4 September 2008, Coast Guard MH-65C helicopter 6505 was conducting an over-water training mission south of Honolulu, Hawaii. While delivering a rescue basket to a Coast Guard 47-foot Motor Lifeboat something went terribly wrong and the aircraft descended to the water with two pilots, a flight mechanic and a rescue swimmer onboard. On this fateful night the following men lost their lives:

Pilot: CAPT Thomas G. Nelson
Co-Pilot: LCDR Andrew Wischmeier
Rescue Swimmer: AST1 David Skimin
Flight Mechanic: AMT2 Joshua Nichols

We honor all the Guardians lost in this fatal crash, but most especially friend and teammate Captain Thomas G. Nelson, CGA '88 (Defense/Ronkonkama, NY/Newfield) who was a COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN'S LACROSSE player - he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Va., April 17, 2009.

Each spring, the team honors Captain Nelson (and LT John M. Senyard ’83) as part of the annual Goal Flag Ceremony conducted at the first NEWMAC home game. A navy blue flag with 61 white stars commemorates Captain Nelson as the 61st name on the WALL OF REMEMBRANCE which honors Academy graduates who have perished while carrying out operational missions. The program also wore "all-orange" 6505 tribute uniforms from 2012-2014 (see photos). This was a great looking "kit" (probably my favorite in the history of our program)...designed with a great cause in mind - to honor our friend and teammate CAPT Tom Nelson and all the Guardians lost in the mishap. In 2025, the team honored the 6505 aircrew with orange porthole mesh jerseys adorned with “CG-6505” on the back (see photos).

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
-- Robert Laurence Binyon

BEARS HIT THE MARK: just got these great photos featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN’S LACROSSE players Cadet 2/c Sam Fritz (Defense/Wallingford , PA/Strath Haven), Cadet 2/c Greg Lempin (Defense/Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) and Cadet 2/c Andrew McDowell (Goalie/Crestwood, KY/South Oldham) after a session at the range during their Cadet Summer Training Program. Sam, Greg and Andrew shot the standard issue Service pistol for the U.S. Coast Guard - the G***k 19 GEN5 MOS chambered in 9 mm.

Range training during the summer focuses on core weapons, handling, safety, and tactical qualifications.

During 2/c summer at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, cadets transition from followers to front-line leaders through an intense series of training blocks and professional milestones. The summer is highlighted by Cadre Duty, where cadets lead incoming freshmen during Swab Summer, and Coastal Sail Training, a two-week navigation cruise aboard sailing craft along the New England coast. They also spend a week exploring specialized career paths like aviation or marine safety, alongside completing tactical requirements such as weapons qualifications and the critical Rules of the Road navigation exam. This pivotal summer also marks their 100th-week milestone, where cadets officially commit to their military service obligations before concluding the block with three weeks of well-deserved leave.

Awesome stuff fellas. Thank you for the photos. Who else has Cadet Summer Training Program photos? Please SEND 'EM! - GO BEARS!!!

BEAR AT 'THE CAPE' (CATP - CAPE COD): just got these great photos featuring COAST GUARD ACADEMY MEN'S LACROSSE player Cadet 2/c Owen Pray (Defense/Keeseville, NY/AuSable Valley) in the cabin of both an HC-144B Ocean Sentry aircraft and an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter during familiarization flights at Air Station Cape Cod, MA as a part of his Cadet Aviation Training Program or CATP.

CATP is a one week introduction to the Aviation Community at various air stations around the country (we had a few guys going to Air Station Elizabeth, NC too). Cape Cod operates 3 HC-144Bs and 3 MH-60T helicopters. These guys get to do some sweet flying from the US/Canadian border south to New York City and all points in between including the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. In addition, there are two large fishing fleets that work out of Gloucester and New Bedford. Winter weather conditions are typically very challenging.

Looking good Owen - thank you for sending these photos - awesome! Who else has Cadet Summer Training Program photos? Please SEND 'EM! - GO BEARS!!!