As early as I can remember, I have always loved the ocean. Even when my Uncle Bob, God rest his soul, would threaten to dunk me under her waves at four years old (and often did), I still couldn’t get enough. As youngsters, my brothers and I would charge the retreating waves, only to see if we could turn and outrun the oncoming waves that would threaten to claim us like pebbles on the beach. We were a pack of explorers who pushed the ocean to her edge, or so we thought, and we had no cares in the world except for uncovering her secrets. At the time, we had no idea how powerful the ocean was, but we trusted our oldest brother, Mike, and followed him to whatever patch of beach we could conquer. As the oldest, we always figured Mike knew best, and if he was there, it couldn’t be all that bad for the rest of us.
It wasn’t until years later that I came to understand how right we were to follow Mike. He was a natural leader for his five younger brothers and the moral compass by which we set our rudders. I am not saying we didn’t have a few scrapes with the rocks…or other impediments…but there was no one better at keeping us out of danger than Mike.
So on this occasion of my oldest brother’s retirement after 30-plus years of service to the Marines and Coast Guard, I will use the remaining space to let you know who had your back as well, when leaving port from Cape Cod to Alaska and everywhere in between. I couldn’t be more proud of Mike.
Chief, Coast Guard National Command Center United States Coast Guard
Hailing from Acton, Massachusetts, Captain Megan assumed his current duties of Chief of the Coast Guard’s National Command Center in August of 2010. Upon graduation from Saint Anselm College in 1982, Captain Megan attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. After completing Marine Corps Basic School and Naval Aviation Training, he was designated a Naval Aviator in August 1984. He completed training in the “Sea Stallion” helicopter with operational assignments that included several overseas deployments and NATO exercises.
In 1989, Captain Megan concluded his Marine Corps service as a Captain and was selected for the Coast Guard‘s Direct Commission Aviator program. Assigned to Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Massachusetts, he participated in several significant search and rescues, including the search for the F/V Andrea Gail in October 1991, later made famous by the book and film, The Perfect Storm. Captain Megan transitioned to the “Jayhawk” helicopter and deployed to Saudi Arabia where he served as an Air Liaison Officer to the team tasked with overseeing the response to the massive Arabian Gulf oil spill at the conclusion of Operation Desert Storm.
Following operational Coast Guard assignments included Air Stations Kodiak, Alaska and Elizabeth City, North Carolina. In the summer of 2000, Captain Megan commenced graduate studies at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Upon receiving a Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, he was selected to remain as a faculty member and Coast Guard liaison to the Naval Staff College.
In 2004, Captain Megan returned to the operational Coast Guard and was assigned as Executive Officer, Coast Guard Air Station Houston, Texas, where he played a key role in overseeing support for 40+ Coast Guard and other military aircraft and hundreds of aircrew members during the massive response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
In 2007, Captain Megan was assigned to the Pentagon as a liaison to the Navy Staff where he headed the Global War on Terrorism Division in the Navy’s Office of Operations, Plans, and Strategy. Captain Megan was further assigned to the Pentagon as the Coast Guard’s project manager for the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review.
A veteran aviator with a combined total of over 4,400 flight hours in eight different military aircraft and numerous air-sea rescues, Captain Megan’s personal awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is married to the former Peg Bailey of Westford, Massachusetts, and they have been blessed with three terrific children, Michael (17), Hannah (15), and Kate (11).