U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Brent Schmadeke, commanding officer of USCG Air Station Port Angeles, spoke to a meeting of the Port Angeles Noon Rotary on Wednesday about his command and what goes on out on Ediz Hook. (Peter Segall / Peninsula Daily News)

U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Brent Schmadeke, commanding officer of USCG Air Station Port Angeles, spoke to a meeting of the Port Angeles Noon Rotary on Wednesday about his command and what goes on out on Ediz Hook. (Peter Segall / Peninsula Daily News)

Aging assets and retention issues for Coast Guard

Systemwide issues felt locally, Air Station Port Angeles commander says

PORT ANGELES — Six months into his command of Air Station Port Angeles, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Brent Schmadeke said he was thankful to have been assigned to the Olympic Peninsula.

“This is my third tour back in Port Angeles. We love it here,” Schmadeke told a Wednesday meeting of the Port Angeles Noon Rotary.

“I’m very thankful that I was assigned here,” Schmadeke said.

Schmadeke took over as commanding officer at USCG Air Station Port Angeles in July but had twice been assigned to the region before.

Just before taking over command of the air station on Ediz Hook, Schmadeke was Deputy of Aviation Forces at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C. His last tour in Port Angeles was as operations officer from 2016-2019, and he was first stationed here in 2005.

There were eight different Coast Guard commands working at the end of Ediz Hook, Schmadeke said, some of them controlled from as far away as San Francisco, and he was responsible solely for the air station.

The air station’s three H-65 helicopters were responsible for the entire Puget Sound, Schmadeke said, an area that extends from near Blaine to as far south as Aberdeen and includes Tacoma and Olympia.

“We, as the air operations, are basically a maritime search and rescue, so anything over the water is ours, anything over land we assist with,” Schmadeke said.

For search and rescue efforts on land, USCG will partner with the various local agencies such as the Port Angeles Police Department or Olympic National Park but also with the U.S. Navy and Air Force. The air station also partners with Canadian peace officers to patrol and arrest people traveling over the international maritime border, Schmadeke said.

Some of the biggest issues facing the air station are issues impacting the Coast Guard as a whole, Schmadeke said, including aging assets and recruitment and retention issues.

The Coast Guard and other branches have offered retention bonuses to aviators, Schmadeke said, but pilots can ultimately make more money flying for commercial airlines and many are choosing to do the minimum services requirements before moving to the private sector.

Staffing issues are impacting the Coast Guard and the military as a whole, but Schmadeke said his command is mostly full.

“We are short a couple of billets out there,” Schmadeke said, referring to postings. “It’s a lot worse in other places. But as soon as (recruits) are graduating boot camp, they’re getting assigned to fill those gaps.

“But the Coast Guard recruitment efforts, along with (the Department of Defense), it’s just through the roof. They’re trying like crazy to get people to join.”

Many of the Coast Guard’s assets are aging too, Schmadeke said, including the three helicopters stationed at Ediz Hook, one of which was built in 1984 and has about 20,000 air hours.

“That’s a lot of hours to be putting on an aircraft,” Schmadeke said, “that’s like a 200,000-mile car that you’re driving.”

The Coast Guard as a whole is looking at retiring the H-65 entirely and converting the entire helicopter fleet to the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters.

There are 330 Coast Guard members stationed on Ediz Hook, Schmadeke said, with an average salary of $75,000, making up about $25 million worth of economic activity.

“We have a lot of people out there that have a lot of services, have kids in school, buy their groceries here and buy houses,” Schmadeke said.

Schmadeke, who began his career as an elementary and middle school teacher, said his tour as commanding officer is for two years and will finish in summer 2024.

________

Reporter Peter Segall can be reached at peter.segall@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Residents vote early in Dearborn, Mich., Nov. 3, 2024. Like in 2020, the vote count will still feature “blue mirages” or “red mirages,” in which one candidate builds a fleeting lead simply because mail or Election Day ballots are counted first. (Nick Hagen/The New York Times)
What we’ll know and when we’ll know it: A guide to election night

Four years ago, it took days for news organizations to project Joe… Continue reading

A man drops off his ballot this weekend in front of the Clallam County courthouse in Port Angeles. Dropboxes across Clallam and Jefferson counties will be open until 8 p.m. tonight. Go to www.peninsuladailynews.com for initial results. Election coverage will be in Thursday’s print edition. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Election day

A man drops off his ballot this weekend in front of the… Continue reading

Clallam last of its kind in nation

County has predicted president since 1980

Bruce Skinner. (Leah Leach/for Peninsula Daily News)
Skinner earns festivals association lifetime award

Veteran music festival organizer also inducted into Hall of Fame

Hood Canal Bridge closures set Thursday night

The Hood Canal Bridge on state Highway 104 will repeatedly… Continue reading

Decoy carver Ben Tyler, left, talks about the carvings he has on display to Brian Erickson, from Juneau, Alaska, during the Port Townsend Woodworkers Show at the Legion Hall in Port Townsend on Saturday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Decoy carvings

Decoy carver Ben Tyler, left, talks about the carvings he has on… Continue reading

About two dozen witches set off on the second annual Witches Paddle from Northwest Maritime to the Pourhouse pub on Saturday, a distance of half a mile. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Witches paddle

About two dozen witches set off on the second annual Witches Paddle… Continue reading

Jefferson commissioner to speak at Studium Generale East

Jefferson County commissioner Kate Dean will present “Small Town… Continue reading

Port Angeles City Council to meet Wednesday

The Port Angeles City Council will conduct public hearings… Continue reading

Cindy, left, and Alan Turner are selling Port Book and News after 38 years in business. The store has become a fixture in Port Angeles for its thoughtful selection of books, carefully curated gifts, exceptional customer service and community-minded spirit. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Book and News for sale after nearly 40 years

Store known for its curated selection of books, magazines

Family members of Ruth McCord celebrate the dedication of a park named after their mother’s legacy on Oct. 25. The future park, located near North Seventh Avenue and West Hendrickson Road, looks to honor the late Sequim resident’s wishes to offer a place for youngsters and the elderly alike. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim dedicates a new city park

Land to offer attractions for both youth, elderly

Operations scheduled at Bentinck range this week

The land-based demolition range at Bentinck Island will be… Continue reading