Daily Sitka Sentinel

Ceremony Installs New Skipper for Kukui

By SHANNON HAUGLAND

Sentinel Staff Writer

Lt. Cmdr. Joshua W. Branthoover formally took command of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kukui from Cmdr. Ray Reichl Thursday, at a ceremony at the Kukui’s dock on Japonski Island.

The Change of Command ceremony represented the formal transfer of authority and responsibility for the Kukui from one commanding officer to the next. It was attended by dozens of members of the Coast Guard and invited guests.

In the formal part of the transfer ceremony, Branthoover said, “I relieve you, sir,” and Reichl replied “I stand relieved.” They saluted and shook hands.

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Joshua W. Branthoover, left, shakes hands with Cmdr. Ray Reichl at a change of command ceremony aboard the cutter Kukui, as Rear Admiral Nathan Moore, 17th Coast Guard District commander, looks on Thursday afternoon. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

This is Branthoover’s third tour in Sitka. From 2004 to 2006 he served as a third class machinery technician in the Auxiliary Division aboard the Cutter Maple, for his first assignment. From 2008 to 2011 he was a first class machinery technician in the public works division as the machinery technician (“MK”) shop supervisor at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sitka.

But, he said, he is particularly pleased to have been given his first choice for this next tour.

“A big priority was getting back to family, and we consider Sitka to be a major part of that,” Branthoover said. “We love the community of Sitka – we’re looking to get back and be part of the community, and having the added blessing of family.”

He met his wife, the former Cassandra Pook of Sitka, on his first tour here. They now have two sons, Soren, 14, who loves sports, and Koen, 10, who has been involved in a number of arts programs. Cassandra is the daughter of Cass and Stewart Pook of Sitka.

Branthoover, 37, enlisted in the Coast Guard soon after graduating from Richlands High School. He grew up just outside Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and decided that wasn’t the career choice for him.

“I went to a town near Baltimore for the summer with family, and saw some commercials for the Coast Guard,” he said. “It looked really interesting. I came back after the summer and saw a recruiter in Wilmington, North Carolina, and he got me set up to go through the enlistment process.”

He went to boot camp in 2004, and found himself drawn toward work in mechanics - he had worked in car mechanics during and immediately after high school. In his first post with the Maple he was assigned to the auxiliary division and was a small boat engineer. But he also enjoyed being in Southeast and being underway.

“At that point, I wasn’t looking at taking command,” he said. “I enjoyed the mechanical side, working on different pieces of equipment.”

 He became an officer following his time at the Leadership Development Center at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, graduating in 2012. 

Other assignments were as a supply officer on the Cutter Steadfast in Astoria, Oregon; operations officer on the Cutter Sycamore in Cordova; deputy logistics department head at Sector North Carolina; and commanding officer of the Cutter Henry Blake in Everett, Wash.

For the past two years he was detachment supervisor in the USCG/United Kingdom Royal Navy Engineering Exchange Program in Portsmouth, England. He was the senior USCG officer assigned in the United Kingdom supporting USCG engineers completing worldwide deployments aboard Royal Navy ships.

Branthoover said a number of factors, such as timing, had to line up for the three-year Sitka position to become a reality.

“You normally only get one  opportunity to have command at each rank and, really, this was my last opportunity to get back to Sitka,” he said. “This was my number one pick and I was blessed enough to get it.”

While on active duty, Branthoover earned a bachelor of arts degree at Thomas Edison State University in 2010, a master of science in leadership from Duquesne University in 2017, and a doctor of education in organizational change and leadership from the University of Southern California in 2021.

His military decorations include one Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and two Commandant’s Letter of Commendations. He is honored to wear the Permanent Cutterman Insignia. 

Meanwhile, Reichl, 47, is not going far from Sitka. His next assignment is as deputy sector commander at Sector Juneau. He said the job involves “numerous Coast Guard missions throughout Southeast Alaska.”

He will be alternate captain of the port, has search and rescue mission coordinator duties, will fill in for the Sector commander when needed, and assist with personnel and other duties.

Reichl has been here three years, during which time his wife, Elise, and children stayed in Juneau after his last duty there. He is completing his eighth tour in Alaska, and entering his ninth.

“I’m looking forward to being back with the family but I’ll miss the camaraderie and joys of shipboard service but I’m looking forward to being back with family.”

His 18-year-old daughter, Emma, will be starting her second year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks this fall and his son Ethan, 16, will be a junior at Thunder Mountain High School. 

His first tour in Sitka was 2010 to 2012 when he was executive officer on the USCG Cutter Maple.

A second-generation Coast Guard member – his father served 27 years as a commissioned officer – Reichl started his career with boot camp in Cape May, New Jersey, in 1994. As an enlistee he served aboard the Planetree in Ketchikan, and the Anacapa in Petersburg, as well as Station Bellingham, and CG Group Port Angeles, before heading to Officers Candidate School at the Coast Guard Academy.

His first tour in Sitka was 2010 to 2012 when he was executive officer on the USCG Cutter Maple.

As an officer, in addition to various assignments in Alaska, he has served on the Mackinaw in Cheboygen, Michigan.

Among the honors Reichl has received are four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, four Achievement Medals, and three Commandant’s Letters of Commendation. During his time at the helm in Sitka, in the midst of other challenges with COVID,  the crew of the Kukui earned the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation.

“It’s been a huge honor to serve in Sitka,” Reichl said this week. “To have the opportunity to watch numerous people that work for me advance and get promoted, being able to recognize those achievements, that was a huge reward. Being able to operate in the challenging waters of Southeast has been rewarding. It’s both beautiful and dynamic, stronger currents, funneled winds coming from different directions ... Being able to make a difference in the maritime industry, keeping the waters safe, that’s been rewarding.”