Lewin takes over at air station as Deer retires

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U.S. COAST GUARD EDITION, The Daily Advance , Frida y, July 31, 2020

LEWIN takes over at air station as Deer retires

BY CHRIS DAY Multimedia Editor

Anear 40-year career that included tours in two branches of the armed services has come to a close for Capt. Joseph Deer. While a new future awaits Deer and his family, Air Station Elizabeth City has a new commanding officer. Deer, the air station’s commanding officer since 2017, retired Monday, June 22. His retirement fell on the same day he relinquished command of the air station to Capt. William Lewin, during a change of command ceremony held in the station’s hangar. “Today we bid farewell to one great leader, Capt. Joe Deer, and welcome another, Capt. Chip Lewin,” said Rear Adm. Keith Smith, who presided over the change of command. Smith is the commanding officer of the Coast Guard’s 5th District, which extends from the North Carolina/ South Carolina border to New Jersey. Deer flew the UH-1 “Huey” helicopter during the first Persian Gulf War. At the time, he was in the Army Reserves, which he had enlisted in the early 1980s, and was assigned to the Army’s 3rd Armored Division. Among his many medals is the Kuwait Liberation Medal. At the June ceremony, Smith presented Deer with a Legion of Merit award for meritorious service as station commander. In leading up to the award presentation, Smith listed several of the station’s accomplishments under Deer’s leadership. The station’s roughly 280 personnel managed to complete more than 700 search and rescue missions that resulted in more than 500 lives saved or assisted, Smith said. The station’s C-130 fixed wing crews took part in 29 international ice patrols to the North Atlantic, plus numerous counter-narcotics deployments. “In addition to these operations, Capt. Deer displayed unwavering leadership during three devastating hurricane seasons,” Smith said. During Hurricane Florence, which made landfall in North Carolina in September 2018, Deer managed an additional 21 Coast Guard aircraft and 168 crew members from 15 air stations across the nation, Smith said. Not only is Deer prior servicedesignated, but he also has completed Officer Candidate Schools for both the Army and the Coast Guard, as well as enlisted Army basic training. Deer thanked friends and family in attendance, plus those watching the ceremony via Facebook video. He told the audience he was 17 years old in 1981 when he shipped out to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to attend Army basic training. Deer is originally from the Green Bay, Wisconsin, area. He took over the air station in June 2017 from former commanding officer, Capt. Richard S. Craig. He completed Coast Guard Officer Candidate School in 1992 and began his career flying the H-65 helicopter, but later transitioned to the C-130H fixed-wing aircraft. Deer also served a tour as commanding officer of Air Station Detroit, and was stationed at Air Station Elizabeth City from 2002-05. He is married and he and his wife have four children. Lewin reported to Air Station Elizabeth City from New Orleans, where he served as Chief of Incident Management, District 8. Speaking

Keith Smith (l-r), commander of the 5th Coast Guard District; Capt. Joseph Deer, former commanding officer of Air Station Elizabeth City, and Capt. William Lewin, new station commander, salute the colors during an air station change of command ceremony, Wednesday, June 22.

Photo courtesy US Coast Guard

briefly after reading aloud his new orders, Lewin turned to Deer and thanked him for his friendship and years of service. “Thank you, Joe, for your leadership and nearly 40 years of service to our great country,” he said. “You’ll be greatly missed.” Addressing air station members in attendance, Lewin pledged his full Story said. Thankfully, the children’s grandmother alerted authorities after she grew concerned that the woman and the two children hadn’t returned after being gone for several hours. “A quick search was conducted of the area and we were able to locate the frightened children and the mother who were almost a mile apart,” Story said. Asked what he likes about Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, Story said he enjoys working with the different units at the base and “seeing the product that Team Coast Guard produces.” Story, who is married and has four children, said his family enjoys his assignment in Elizabeth City. “I enjoy the friendly community and especially like how this town supports Coast Guard families. support to assure the continued success the air station has enjoyed since it was established in 1940. “Please, you’ll expect my full support in getting what you need to continue down this path of excellence you’ve been on the past three years, in the past 80 years, at this historic air

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station,” he said. Thank you Elizabeth City!” he said. One thing people might not realize about Coast Guard service is that Coasties don’t just serve at bases in the U.S., Story said. “We routinely deploy overseas to different locations worldwide and deploy alongside other services in joint operations,” he said. “Also, some members have the opportunity to deploy and work with other countries to build relations and experience, which is a tremendous opportunity.” During his nearly 14-year career in the Coast Guard, Story has earned two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, one Commandant Letter of Commendation, four Coast Guard Good Conduct Awards, an Expert Pistol and Rifle medal, a Humanitarian Service Medal, among others.