Lieutenant Cary Godwin (left) salutes Lieutenant Matthew Walter as he prepares to transfer command of the USCGC Biscayne Bay at the change of command ceremony. Captain Lorne Thomas (center) praised Lt. Godwin's service during the ceremony. Lieutenant Matthew Walter took over command of the Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay from Lieutenant Cary Godwin Friday, July 10. The change of command ceremony was conducted in front of nearly 100 guests and the crew members of Biscayne Bay in St. Ignace.

The ceremony was marked by speeches made by Lt. Walter and Lt. Godwin, who talked about their previous experiences and their hopes and plans for the future.

Presiding was Captain Lorne Thomas, Chief of Prevention for the Ninth Coast Guard District, to which Biscayne Bay is attached.

Leading as effectively as Lt. Godwin is a goal Lt. Walter cited during his speech. He expressed his eagerness to become better acquainted with the 19-member crew.

Lt. Walter has had previous experience working with icebreakers. In 2005, he was assigned to the USCGC Neah Bay in Cleveland, Ohio, as an executive officer, which was a challenge.

Capt. Lorne Thomas presented the Coast Guard Commendation Medal for superior performance of duty to Lt. Cary Godwin (at right) during the change of command ceremony. In addition to commanding the Biscayne Bay since June 2006, Lt. Godwin was temporarily assigned command of the Mobile Bay in Wisconsin. "I spent the first eight months piled behind books," he said.

He has also performed domestic icebreaking, maritime law enforcement, and search and rescue operations.

"You couldn't ask for a better background. We couldn't have picked a better guy," Capt. Thomas said of the incoming commander.

Lt. Walter is looking forward to working with his new crew. A major responsibility of a commanding officer, he said, is inspiring and promoting the crew members.

"It's very exciting, and the responsibility is a little terrifying," he said.

With his wife, Lora, and two children, Eliana and Jacob, Lt. Walter is living in government housing in St. Ignace. He and his wife are eager to become involved in the community.

The Biscayne Bay will mark Lt. Walter's first assignment as a commanding officer. He will be in charge of leading search and rescue missions, icebreaking, maritime law enforcement, and public affairs concerning the Biscayne Bay.

An outdoorsman, Lt. Walter looks forward to hunting and camping when not on duty.

Lt. Godwin assumed command of the Biscayne Bay in July, 2006. As commander, he spearheaded missions such as domestic icebreaking, search and rescue operations, and maritime law enforcement.

The Coast Guard Commendation Medal was awarded to Lt. Godwin during the ceremony for superior performance of duty. Besides commanding Biscayne Bay, Lt. Godwin temporarily commanded USCGC Mobile Bay in Wisconsin in 2008. He was recognized for improving the overall condition of the Mobile Bay before returning to his original assignment.

Working on an ice cutter can be grueling work, Lt. Godwin said. Sailing can be dangerous, and freezing spray from the lake builds on the ship, creating ice up to three feet thick, which must be continually cleared away.

During the ceremony, Lt. Godwin credited the effectiveness of his crew. When the ship had engine trouble one day, he recalled, engineers bypassed the problem with a fire hose while repairs were made. Shortly thereafter, Biscayne Bay was ordered to Beaver Island to aid a man who had suffered a heart attack. Had the engineers not shown such ingenuity, Lt. Godwin said, the ship would have had to pull into port and would not have been available to respond to the call.

Commanding Biscayne Bay has been a joy, he said. Among his favorite things were the random, anonymous mottos written on a board by crew members.

"Others break down, we break ice" was one he enjoyed.

Following a vacation, Lt. Godwin will travel to New London, Connecticut, with his wife, Nancy, and his six year-old son, Caleb, to train new commanding and executive officers. The experience gained commanding and training the crews of the icebreaking tugs he has worked on make his new job a natural choice, he said.