Commander, Coast Guard Sector New York
Captain of the Port New York

Captain O'Brien assumed responsibilities as Captain of the Port New York and Commander of Coast Guard Sector New York on June 15, 2006. The command exercises Federal regulatory authorities of the Captain of the Port; the Federal Maritime Security Coordinator; the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection; the Federal On-Scene Coordinator; and the Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator. This is the Coast Guard's largest East Coast field command that executes Coast Guard operations from Sandy Hook, NJ, north through the Port of New/New Jersey, continuing up the Hudson River to just south of Lake Champlain, and up the East River to the Long Island Sound/Connecticut border. The command integrates missions to focus on two major operational processes: PREVENTION and RESPONSE, in Support of our service's five fundamental roles: Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, Maritime Mobility, Protection of Natural Resources, and National Defense.

Captain O'Brien's previous assignment was as Commander, Sector Hampton Roads, Virginia. He has held a wide range of other assignments during his 36 year Coast Guard career. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1970. While enlisted lie served on the USCGC LAUREL Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, then to Group Fort Macon as a small boat coxswain, and the Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) Fort Macon as Executive Petty Officer. In 1976 he was assigned as Officer-in-Charge (OINC) of the USCGC Blackberry at Oak Island, North Carolina. He was reassigned to OINC, ANT St. Simon's Island, Georgia, in 1978. Upon promotion to Chief Boatswain's Mate in 1979, he was transferred to the largest ANT in the Atlantic Area as OINC, and upon his promotion in June 1980 to Chief Warrant Officer as CO, ANT Long Island Sound, New Haven, Connecticut, then to Marine Safety Office (MSO) Baltimore.

Captain O'Brien received his commission as a Lieutenant (junior grade) in 1983. He has been assigned to MSO Galveston, TX; as Supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment in Marietta, OH; M SO Detroit, MI; the Fifth Coast Guard District Office in Portsmouth, VA; and MSO Hampton Roads, VA. In 1999 Captain O'Brien was assigned to MSO Memphis as Commanding Officer. In 2002 he left for Washington, DC to be
a Liaison to Navy's Military Sealift Command. In 2003 he was promoted to Captain and assumed command of MSO Hampton Roads, and then Sector Hampton Roads in 2005.

Captain O'Brien's personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal with "O" device(2), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal(2), Coast Guard Achievement Medal with "O" device(2), Coast Guard Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon(2), and Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal(3). He also holds the Cutterman, Surfman and Coxswain pins, along with the Officer in Charge (OINC) Afloat, OINC Ashore and the Command Ashore insignia.

A native of Savannah, Georgia, Captain O'Brien was raised in Ridgeland, South Carolina. He and his wife, Martha, have three children; Reid a Video Editor for NASCAR and 20th Century Fox lives in Cornelius, NC, Jennifer a registered Dietitian also lives in Cornelius, NC, and Caroline and her husband Tim Bosi and their son, Andrew, live in Mooresville, NC.