"Maritime Humboldt"

Captain Scott Powers currently serves as the Sector Commander of Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Humboldt Bay, California. He is responsible for leading multi-mission operations to ensure the safety, security, law enforcement and environmental protection of 250 miles of rugged coastline along the rugged Northern California coast from the Sonoma-Mendicino County line to the Oregon border and inland to Nevada. 

Prior to Sector/Air Station Humboldt Bay, he served as the Chief of Joint Operations North America on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. In that role, he was the principal advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on air, land, and maritime homeland defense, Arctic operations, maritime operational threats, Presidential security, State Funerals, and Defense Support to Civil Authorities, including hurricanes, wildland firefighting, floods, and other natural disasters, and military support along the Southwest Border. 

He has flown his entire operational career in the Pacific Area, serving in Alaska three times (twice in Kodiak and once in Sitka), and twice in San Diego. Designated as an Aeronautical Engineer in 2005, Captain Powers served multiple tours as an Aeronautical Engineer alongside his operational duties as a pilot. He also served at Coast Guard Headquarters two separate times, managing the entire aviation operational and acquisitions budget, and served as the Deputy Chief of Aeronautical Engineering, overseeing the airworthiness, engineering, technical, maintenance, and overhaul support for the Coast Guard’s entire aviation fleet of over 200 aircraft.  

A third generation Coast Guardsman, born in Mobile, Alabama and reared in Burke, Virginia, he received his commission from Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, VA in 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the University of Alabama, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Alaska, a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University, an advanced certificate in Joint Professional Military Education from the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College and maintains senior-level Department of Homeland Security certifications in Program/Project Management, Program Financial Management, and Life Cycle Logistics.  

Captain Powers accrued nearly 4,000 flight hours of military flight time in mostly in the Coast Guard H-60 and H-65 helicopters, and held Flight Examiner, Instructor Pilot, and Alaska-qualified Aircraft Commander designations and FAA Airline Transport Pilot certification. His military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, multiple Meritorious Service Medals, Joint and Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and other various unit and personal awards.