Point Pleasant Man to Take Command of His Home Coast Guard Station

The historic Coast Guard station at Manasquan Inlet. (Photo: USCG)

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Paul Ashley, a native of Point Pleasant, will take command of Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet, relieving Chief Warrant Officer Michael Kristiansen, the service announced.

Ashley most recently served as commanding officer at Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island, and has served more than 20 years in the tri-state region across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

“Back to back command assignments are rare opportunities reserved for the most highly capable and professional service members,” said Lt. Cmdr. Fredrick Pugh, station supervisor and chief of incident management at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay, which oversees USCG operations in Ocean County. “Chief Warrant Officer Ashley’s experience in the area and professionalism will lead the station to success in executing its search and rescue and law enforcement missions.”

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The time-honored change of command ceremony will be presided over by Capt. Scott Anderson, commander of Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay.

Kristiansen is taking on new and exciting responsibilities of his own. He will be assigned to the Coast Guard’s Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron where he will operate training boats for the helicopters responsible for the Coast Guard’s drug interdiction mission in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean region.

Station Manasquan Inlet is responsible for conducting maritime search and rescue, law enforcement, and natural resource protection from Long Branch to Seaside Heights, and the inland waters of Shark River Inlet, Manasquan Inlet, and all navigable waters of Barnegat Bay south to Toms River.