News from May 2023


U.S. Coast Guard Academy Commencement

Two-hundred and thirty-five ensigns were graduated


Coast Guard hosts proclamation signing event for Safe Boating Week

Coast Guard Sector Honolulu will be hosting an event to mark the start of the 2023 National Safe Boating Week on Friday at Sector Honolulu.


At the top of her class

Life as a cadet at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is not meant to be easy. So, when a student earns a near perfect grade point average and receives two prestigious scholarships to pursue advanced educational opportunities, it is a significant accomplishment to say the least.


Coast Guard to kick off National Safe Boating Week

WHO: Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay and Coast Guard Station Mayport crews invite media to attend an event to promote National Safe Boating Week.


Coast Guard, partner agencies to hold oil spill-boom deployment exercise in Yorktown

Coast Guard, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, York County and Accurate Marine Environmental


Coast Guard medevacs crewmember near Southwest Pass, Louisiana

The Coast Guard medevaced a crewmember from an offshore supply vessel Wednesday approximately 11 miles southeast of Southwest Pass, Louisiana.


Coast Guard San Francisco medevacs passenger from cruise ship

The Coast Guard medically evacuated (medevac) a passenger from the cruise ship, Ruby Princess, near Alcatraz, Wednesday night.


Boston Coast Guard to kick off National Safe Boating Week

Media interested in attending the press briefing should RSVP to the Coast Guard First District Public Affairs Office at D1publicaffairs@uscg.mil.


TSA enables Georgia residents to use mobile driver’s license or state ID for verification at ATL

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in collaboration with the State of Georgia and Apple, deployed a new technology that allows airline passengers to use their Georgia-issued mobile driver’s license or ID card in Apple Wallet to safely and seamlessly present and verify their identity for airport security screening purposes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Georgia joins Maryland, Arizona and Colorado as the fourth state to offer this capability.


Passenger who discharged firearm at airport during Thanksgiving holiday travel season sentenced to federal prison

Kenny Wells has been sentenced to ten years in prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses. Wells made headlines when he recklessly discharged a firearm at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on the busy weekend before Thanksgiving in 2021.


TSA officers at Puget Sound airports have discovered six loaded firearms so far in May in travelers’ carry-on luggage

Officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Paine Field (PAE) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) have discovered six loaded firearms so far this month in travelers’ carry-on luggage during routine X-ray screening at the airports’ security checkpoints.


TSA canine handler recognized for exceptional performance, leadership at LAS

A canine handler for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who works at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas has been named 2022 National Canine Handler of the Year. Koa Purugganan was recognized last week during the agency’s annual honorary awards celebration, which was held at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.


Secret Service and CISA Release Toolkit for K-12 Schools to Strengthen School Safety Reporting Programs

Today, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit, a new resource to support kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools in strengthening school safety reporting programs and encouraging bystander reporting among students and the broader school community.


Florida Man Sentenced in Gas Station Skimming Scheme

A Florida man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to steal thousands of customers’ debit and credit card account numbers and other personally identifying information via a network of electronic equipment clandestinely installed at gas stations across New England.


United States Secret Service Hosts Visiting Police Executives at White House

The U.S. Secret Service hosted seven visiting police executives Saturday at the White House as part of National Police Week. The guests were from select police departments and were treated to a guided tour of the mansion, as well as several demonstrations from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division.


CISA and ONCD Award Champions of the Fourth Annual President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) awarded the winners of the fourth annual President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition in a private ceremony at the White House on Monday, May 15.  


CISA and Secret Service Release Toolkit for K-12 Schools to Strengthen School Safety Reporting Programs

Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) released the K-12 Bystander Reporting Toolkit, a new resource to support kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools in strengthening school safety reporting programs and encouraging bystander reporting among students and the broader school community.


New Virtual Reality Experience Tests Users’ Fire Safety Skills

In partnership with Meta, FEMA’s Ready Campaign, the Ad Council and the U.S. Fire Administration co-launched a new virtual reality experience promoting fire safety awareness.


President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee

FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Tennessee to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and a tornado from March 1-3, 2023.


Peters & Braun Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Strengthen Whistleblower Protections For Federal Contractors

U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced bipartisan legislation to expand whistleblower protections for government contractors and grantees.