National Naval Officer Association Hosts Historic Fireside Chat

by Anna De Cheke Qualls

Last month, the National Naval Officer Association hosted an historic event. It was the first time in the United States Coast Guard when the only two accession points into the U.S. Coast Guard's 233 year history are being led by African Americans: Admiral Michael Johnston and Captain Warren D. Judge, a Howard alumni.

Johnston is the 43rd Superintendent at the Coast Guard Academy located in New London, Connecticut. Judge, a Master's graduate of Howard's Computer Science Department, is the 33rd Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard's only Boot Camp, located in Cape May, New Jersey. There he oversees the military basic training of approximately 3,800 new Coast Guard men and women.

Judge originally enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1986. Subsequently, he was selected for the Pre-Commissioning Program for Enlisted Personnel in 1995. Over his long and distinguished career, he has held various important posts, including as Presidential Response Officer communications lead for President Barack Obama at the White House Communications Agency. He was the only Coast
Guardsman to do so.

Capt. Judge’s military awards include Department of Defense and three Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals. His educational accomplishments include completing the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Homeland Security Executive Leaders Program and being awarded the 2021 Coast Guard’s Black Engineer of the Year. He attended Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Education for Cybersecurity. He also received the 2013 Elizabeth City State University Chancellor’s Legacy Leadership award for the military.