NEW LONDON, Conn. — For nearly 150 years, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy has prepared leaders to serve as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard. As the Class of 2026 prepares to graduate, cadets across USCGA are leaving their mark through academic excellence, athletic achievement, operational innovation, and service-driven leadership.

Among the Class of 2026 are Cadets Matthew Lanzilotta, Allie Wildsmith, and Jean Ryu, three future officers whose experiences reflect the opportunities and challenges that define the Academy experience.

USCGA recognizes the highest performing cadet as the Distinguished Graduate. The title is awarded to the cadet with the highest military precedence average, which combines academic, military, and athletic achievement throughout the four-year program. This year, Cadet Matthew Lanzilotta has been recognized as the Distinguished Graduate.

Cadet Matthew Lanzilotta, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, chose to attend the USCGA after working in ocean rescue as a lifeguard on one of the largest resort beaches on the East Coast. Through that experience, he discovered a passion for helping others during moments of crisis and sought a career centered on service.

During his time at USCGA, Lanzilotta balanced academics, leadership positions, athletics, and research initiatives while maintaining high academic performance. He served as Battalion Swab Summer Executive Officer, helping oversee the execution of the Academy’s Swab Summer training program, and later as Regimental Planning Officer.

Outside of the classroom, Lanzilotta participated in the Trap & Skeet Team, Officer’s Christian Fellowship, Surf Club, and boxing club. He also contributed to operationally focused projects, including capstone research exploring the use of Short-Range Unmanned Aerial Systems in Coast Guard aids to navigation inspections.

“The biggest lesson I learned at USCGA is the value of admitting when you are wrong,” said Lanzilotta. “Mistakes are inevitable, but owning them, learning from them, and moving forward with humility is what builds trust.”

Following graduation, Lanzilotta will report to flight school in Pensacola, Florida.

Cadet Allie Wildsmith, from Bainbridge Island, Washington, distinguished herself both in the classroom and on the national stage as an electrical engineering major and standout track and field athlete.

A nationally recognized high jumper, Wildsmith became the first Coast Guard cadet athlete in Academy history to qualify for the USA Track and Field (USATF) Indoor Championships. She also captured her fourth consecutive NEWMAC Championship in the high jump after clearing 1.71 meters (5 feet, 7.25 inches), setting a new Nitchman Track facility record.

Balancing the demands of engineering coursework with elite athletic competition required discipline, resilience, and time management. Through her experience as a cadet-athlete, Wildsmith developed leadership skills and mental toughness that will continue to serve her throughout her Coast Guard career.

“The Academy taught me how to push myself in ways I never thought possible,” said Wildsmith. “I learned the importance of asking for help, knowing when to push myself, and refusing to give up when things became difficult. I am deeply grateful for the people who helped me get through this incredible journey, and I will carry the lessons I learned here with me into the fleet.”

Wildsmith will report to C5I department at Base Boston, in Boston, Massachusetts, after graduation.

Cadet Jean Ryu from Suwanee, Georgia, forged a unique path during her time at USCGA, becoming the first Coast Guard cadet accepted into a physician assistant (PA) program. Her acceptance into the Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) reflects years of determination, accomplished without the structure of a formal Coast Guard pipeline program.

Ryu’s journey began early in her cadet career when she was the only freshman enrolled in Anatomy and Physiology. There, her instructor first introduced her to the idea of PA school. That early exposure sparked interest, but it was not until her sophomore year that the path began to take shape. She took the initiative to pursue the prerequisite coursework on her own time and at her own expense.

“I realized it was exactly the path I wanted to pursue,” said Ryu. “Once I understood the process and what was possible, I committed myself fully to making it happen.”

Ryu’s accomplishment reflects not only academic achievement, but also perseverance and self-motivation in navigating a path no one had attempted before her.

Together, Lanzilotta, Wildsmith, and Ryu represent the dedication, adaptability, and leadership embodied by the Class of 2026. Whether through operational innovation, athletic excellence, or breaking new ground in military medicine, each has helped shape the future of the Coast Guard Academy in their own way.

U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) Cadet Allie Wildsmith poses for a portrait at USCGA, New London, Connecticut, May 11, 2026. Wildsmith is a ’26 USCGA graduate and will be going to C5I department at U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, after graduation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Janessa Warschkow.)

U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) Cadet Jean Ryu poses for a portrait at USCGA, New London, Connecticut, May 04, 2026. Ryu is a ’26 USCGA graduate and will be going to Interservice Physician Assistant Program, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, after graduation. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Janessa Warschkow.)

On Patrol

Over open ocean, a bright orange MH-65 Dolphin streaks above the waves. On board,  two pilots and a precision marksman are locked onto the wake of a fleeing go-fast boat. As the smugglers below dump bales of cocaine and throttle forward, the crew of the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction and Tactical Squadron—HITRON—are calm and ready.  On command, the precision marksman above fires warning shots. When the vessel doesn’t stop, he fires again to disable the engines. Once the boat comes to a stop, a Coast Guard boarding team from a nearby cutter moves in.  It’s a scene that played out multiple times over the last 12 months, contributing to HITRON’s most successful year on record.  In 2025, the unit tripled its annual drug seizures, reached its 1,000th successful interdiction, and stopped a single vessel carrying more than 10,000 kilograms of cocaine – the largest seizure in its history.

A life-saving mission

HITRON, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is the Coast Guard’s only airborne use-of-force unit.  CAPT Dan Broadhurst, HITRON’s Commanding Officer, has spent much of his career with the unit. He sees the mission as an extension of the Coast Guard’s humanitarian role.

“It’s fundamentally a life-saving mission,” he explains.  “Every single kilo we seize has got 832 lethal doses in it.  And even if you think that is a high number, if you rounded down to simply one human life saved per kilo of cocaine… that’s 10,000 lives in a single interdiction, sometimes 20,000 lives in a single interdiction.”

By stopping drugs at sea, HITRON crews prevent drugs from getting into the country—keeping communities safer and reducing the risks faced by local law enforcement.

Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) aircrew personnel embarked aboard Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) display airborne use of force weapons from behind three bullet-damaged outboard engine cowlings in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Aug. 28, 2025. On Aug. 25, HITRON used airborne use of force to stop the non-compliant vessel, marking the unit’s 1,000th drug interdiction since the unit’s inception in 1999, which resulted in Midgett crew members seizing approximately 3,606 pounds of suspected cocaine worth an estimated $46 million and apprehending six suspected narco-traffickers. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

What a helicopter brings

HITRON units deploy aboard Coast Guard cutters for weeks at a time. When a suspicious vessel is spotted, the helicopter launches with its crew.  From the air, the crew has a clear view of the situation and can act quickly, stopping the vessel and then providing overwatch to Coast Guard boarding teams.

“What a helicopter brings to the drug interdiction mission is stability, visibility, reconnaissance,” says Broadhurst, “and the safest way to disable these vessels at high speed on the open ocean.”

New technology—such as long-endurance drones and advanced cutters—has made the mission even more effective, allowing crews to track smugglers for hours before moving in.

Precision under pressure

One of the most unique roles at HITRON is the Precision Marksman-Aviation (PM-A). These are highly trained aircrew marksman use precision rifles for marksmanship and machine guns for area-fire.  Petty Officer 1st Class Taylor Wolf, a PM-A, says the job is demanding but incredibly rewarding.

“We’re shooting from an aerial platform, which is very different than anywhere else,” he said. “Whether that means completing warning shots with my mounted area-fire weapon or using my precision fire weapons to disable the engines of these vessels.”

Wolf joined HITRON with only a basic training level of firearms experience. When he isn’t deployed on cutters, Wolf takes up the mantle of instructor, where he helps prepare and train others to take on one of the Coast Guard’s most challenging missions.

“As someone who had little to no shooting experience, HITRON does a tremendous job at getting us to the point where we’re able to make these complex shots and precise shots,” says Wolf.  “The [HITRON] training program does a great job at catering to each person’s shooting needs.”

A demanding role

Getting to HITRON isn’t simple.  The unit attracts highly motivated aviators and enlisted members from across the Coast Guard and even from other services.  LT Andy Gilliam, a former Army Blackhawk pilot, joined the Coast Guard through the Direct Commission Aviator program and found a home at HITRON.  He recalls his first deployment with the USCG, which coincided with the 1,000th HITRON interdiction.

“This is my first case. I just got certified. I’m pretty stoked about it. I’m using everything that I learned here at HITRON over the past year and a half,” says Gilliam. “And, as soon as we show up on station, we see the vessel. The vessel sees us, they start kicking contraband overboard, and they take off.”

A family forged at sea

Deployments can be tough… weeks at sea, long nights, and holidays spent away from home. But those shared experiences create a tight‑knit community.

“Those late nights, [those] early mornings… that breeds camaraderie and family”, says Broadhurst. “And you all know what you’ve been through.”

Many HITRON members return for second or even third tours, a testament to the mission and the people.  It becomes more than a job; it becomes a calling. As HITRON continues to grow, evolve, and attract new members, one thing remains constant: their commitment to protecting American shores by stopping threats long before they reach our coast.

WASHINGTON – The Coast Guard is standing up the Special Missions Command to oversee its deployable specialized forces. The command will enhance the operational effectiveness of the Coast Guard in responding to a wide range of national emergencies and events as the demand for deployable specialized forces capabilities increase.

The Coast Guard selected the existing Coast Guard C5I Service Center facility in Kearneysville, West Virginia, as the future site of the Coast Guard’s Special Missions Command (SMC). The SMC will be commissioned on or around October 1, 2026, fully integrating the Service’s Deployable Special Forces under a single operational commander to provide oversight and advocacy, improve readiness, mission effectiveness, and interoperability to meet Service, Department, and joint military requirements.

“The creation of the Special Missions Command is a vital evolution for our service,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard.  “We are forging our most elite operators into a single, razor-sharp instrument of national power. The Special Missions Command is not an administrative change; it is an investment ensuring these elite teams are the best trained, equipped, and organized force possible, ready to protect the Homeland and support the Joint Force.”

The Special Missions will include the following units:

• Maritime Security Response Teams serve as the Coast Guard’s first responders to maritime terrorism and other high-risk threats. They are equipped to conduct the nation’s most critical maritime security and defense operations at home or abroad, with both partner law enforcement agencies and joint services.
• Tactical Law Enforcement Teams provide law enforcement expertise across the full spectrum of maritime response situations with specific focus on counter-trafficking and criminal networks attempting to exploit maritime transit zones.
• Maritime Safety and Security Teams are rapidly deployable boat teams that provide port, waterway, and coastal security capability to safeguard the public, protect the marine transportation system, and respond to maritime crime, sabotage, and terrorist activity.
• Port Security Units provide shoreside and waterborne security including point defense of strategic shipping, designated critical infrastructure, and high value assets in joint and combined expeditionary warfare environments.
• Regional Dive Lockers provide dedicated undersea capabilities for a variety of missions. These missions include ensuring the security of ports and waterways, maintaining aids to navigation, and conducting ship maintenance and repair, often in extreme environments like the remote polar regions.
• National Strike Force provides highly trained technical experts and specialized equipment to Coast Guard and other federal agencies to prepare for and respond to the most complex crises and natural disasters, including oil, hazardous substances, and chemical, biological, radiation and nuclear incidents. The force, comprised of three strike teams, an incident management assist team, and the public information assist team supports federal on-scene coordinators and incident commanders, and is poised for immediate response across the nation and globally.

“The geo-political landscape is evolving and the demand for Coast Guard Deployable Specialized Forces is at an all-time high,” said Capt. Robert Berry, Special Missions Command pre-commissioning team lead. “These forces are instrumental to the Coast Guard’s readiness and its role as a global leader in maritime contingency response. The Service has always turned to its specialized forces to respond to national threats and disasters, and establishing this command is the natural next step to enabling our forces to lead the way at the tip of the spear.”

Additional units, capabilities and functions may be incorporated into the Special Missions Command in the future. Currently, the administrative and operational control of specialized forces units is shared between the Coast Guard’s two Area commanders. The Coast Guard is evolving to become a stronger, more capable and responsive fighting force in responding to threats presented by emerging technologies, intensified border security activities, large-scale contingencies and national special security events.

For media inquiries contact mediarelations@uscg.mil.

MIAMI – A Coast Guard law enforcement detachment deployed on the USS Billings stopped a suspected drug smuggling vessel, Thursday, approximately 8 miles off Mole Saint-Nicolas, Haiti.

With the permission of the Haitian government, the boarding team’s investigation resulted in approximately 3,200 pounds of marijuana being found, worth approximately $3.8 million, and one person was detained. The contraband and suspected smuggler were transferred to Haitian authorities, Sunday.

“In close coordination with the Haitian government, the U.S. Coast Guard remains steadfast in our shared mission to safeguard the maritime approaches of the Caribbean,” said Lt. Cmdr. Cory Arsenault, the Coast Guard liaison officer for Haiti. “Together, we are strengthening joint operations to disrupt the illegal flow of narcotics, protect vulnerable communities, and uphold the security and stability of the region. Our partnership reflects a continued commitment to collaboration, vigilance, and the rule of law.”

The following assets and crews were involved in the interdiction operations:

• USS Billings
• U.S. Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Team South, LEDET 405
• Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48, Detachment 3
• Joint Interagency Task Force South
• Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders

80% of interdictions of U.S.-bound drugs occur at sea. This underscores the importance of maritime interdiction in combatting the flow of illegal narcotics and protecting American communities from this deadly threat. Detecting and interdicting illicit drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. Joint Interagency Task Force South, in Key West, conducts the detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Once an interdiction becomes imminent, the law enforcement phase of the operation begins, and control of the operation shifts to the U.S. Coast Guard for the interdiction and apprehension phases. Interdictions in the Caribbean Sea are performed by members of the U.S. Coast Guard under the authority and control of the Coast Guard Southeast District, headquartered in Miami.