NEW LONDON, Conn. — A new superintendent took command of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on Monday, replacing an officer who was the first female leader of any U.S. service academy.
Rear Adm. James Rendon became the academy's 41st superintendent at a ceremony on the riverfront campus in New London.
Rendon, 54, served as assistant superintendent at the academy from 2010 to 2012 and most recently has been directing a Hawaii-based task force charged with running counter-drug strategy in the Pacific. He replaces Sandra Stosz, who was recently promoted to vice admiral.
Rendon's mother, Madeline Rendon, said she thought he might end up as the academy's superintendent, The Day newspaper reported.
"Jimmy always dedicated himself to whatever job he had in the Coast Guard," she said.
Cadets at the academy receive full scholarships and graduate with obligations to serve five years in theCoast Guard.
The ceremony, which was moved indoors because of rain, was presided over by Coast Guard Vice Commandant Peter Neffenger.
Neffenger credited Stosz with establishing the Center for Maritime Policy and Study and the Center for Arctic Strategy and Policy. He said the centers are "innovative think tanks taking new and novel approaches to some of the nation's most challenging problems."
Stosz has been selected as deputy commandant for Coast Guard mission support, a new role in the maritime service in Washington. She will have 17,000 people in her chain of command with responsibilities for personnel, engineering and logistics.
