COMMANDING OFFICER
USCGC BAINBRIDGE ISLAND (WPB-1343)

MICHAEL R. SINCLAIR
LIEUTENANT, U.S. COAST GUARD

Lieutenant Michael Sinclair graduated from the U. S. Coast Guard Academy with a BS in Government in 1998. From 1998 through May 2000, he served as a Deck Watch Officer, Assistant Navigator, First Lieutenant and lead boarding officer aboard USCGC LEGARE (WMEC 912), based out of Portsmouth, VA. His next tour was as Executive Officer of USCGC SANIBEL (WPB 1312) homeported in Woods Hole, MA. In 2002, he transferred to Activities (now-Sector) New York as the Law Enforcement Coordinator. In 2003, he was selected to design and serve as the Chief of that unit's Tactical Operations Section, charged with executing Commercial Vessel Security Boardings, Positive Control Boardings of High Capacity Passenger Vessels including commuter ferries and cruise ships, and shoreside security patrols of Marine Facilities and critical infrastructure.

In January 2005, LT Sinclair volunteered to serve as the Commanding Officer of the 7th Patrol Boat Crew, assigned to duty with the Coast Guard's Patrol Forces, Southwest Asia (PATFOR SWA), in support of Operation Iraqi/Enduring Freedom. While overseas, he completed six temporary reliefs, commanded five of the six PATFOR SWA 110 foot patrol boats, while their billeted COs took mid-period leave, and executed vital Maritime Security and Interception Operations with the coalition's multinational task force, in support of critically important, strategic national objectives. When not underway in a command or task force liaison capacity, he served as the Officer-in-Charge of the Coast Guard's Forward Operating Base located at the Kuwait Naval Base/Camp Patriot in Ra's Al Qulay'ah, Kuwait.

As BAINBRIDGE ISLAND's ninth Commanding Officer, LT Sinclair executed Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, and Ports and Waterways Coastal Security missions throughout the First District including three emergency tows of commercial fishing vessels foundering in the worst of North Atlantic weather conditions, nearly 100 at-sea boardings, and multiple high interest/high consequence vessel escorts and harbor patrols.

Lieutenant Sinclair also holds a MA in Emergency and Disaster Management. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with the operational "O" distinguishing device, Coast Guard Commendation Medal with "O" device, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals with "O" device, the Iraqi Service Medal, and the Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon with "O" device. He will attend Coast Guard sponsored graduate studies in Law (JD) at Temple University's Beasley School of Law starting in August 2007. He is married to LCDR (select) Jennifer Sinclair (Becher) USCGA 1997. They live in Williamstown, NJ with their seven month old son, Archer Michael and four year old Rhodesian Ridgeback, Sydney.