EdLeader Podcast - "People First... the rest will follow" featuring US Coast Guard Captain Jennifer Stockwell

 

Coast Guard Sector Virginia

Command Philosophy

People first, the rest will follow...

The foundation of all our success is the exceptional people in the Coast Guard. We must put our people first. Only when we support our members through personal and professional challenges, stand with their families, and sustain a highly professional work environment will we be able to attract and retain the workforce for today and tomorrow. Training, qualification, proficiency, mentorship, and experience are fundamental to success for us all.

We will trust and empower all members to safely execute mission, drive innovation, and take warranted risks. Leadership occurs at all levels and decisions must be made by those with the experience and training at the lowest levels. Tomorrow’s leaders must be given leadership opportunities today. Mistakes will occur; be open and honest following mistakes and learn from them. But, mistakes that are inconsistent with the Coast Guard’s core values will not be tolerated.

Through it all, we must maintain a pace we all can sustain, a pace in which we build and maintain resiliency for the events that will occur. All members will be asked to surge to meet operational demands and adapt to stressful situations - we must keep our assets, skills, and personnel safe, strong, and always ready.

CAPT Jennifer Stockwell
Sector Commander

Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut, describes leadership this way:

“Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine.”

That quote really seems to capture the heart of Coast Guard Captain Jennifer Stockwell, Sector Commander of Coast Guard Sector Virginia. I don’t know of many stakes higher than a person’s life when their boat has capsized or of consequences any more intense than when preparing for the impact of a hurricane. Yet, the groundwork she puts in place helps to ensure that the team she leads is ready to respond in those big, stressful moments.

Captain Jennifer Stockwell assumed duties as Commander, Sector Virginia in June 2022, after serving two years as Deputy Commander. As Sector Commander she leads 1,200 Coast Guardsman and Auxiliary personnel, among three cutters, six small boat stations, three aids to navigation teams, and a Sector Field Office conducting all Coast Guard missions in Virginia waters and offshore. Her official authorities include Captain of the Port, Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection, Federal On Scene Coordinator, Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, and Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator.

Captain Stockwell is a 1998 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, with a Bachelor of Science in Marine and Environmental Sciences, and earned a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering in 2002 from The Johns Hopkins University. She has responded to numerous major incidents, including Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, and Deepwater Horizon. Captain Stockwell is married to a retired Coast Guard Officer and the proud mother of four children.