ASTORIA, Ore.— Rear Adm. Gary T. Blore speaks during the Sector Columbia River activation ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Monday.

Sector Columbia River was made official during the ceremony, in which Sector Portland, Ore., combined with Group/Air Station Astoria.

Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets.

U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kelly Parker.

ASTORIA, Ore.— Sector Columbia River is activated during a ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Monday, Aug. 23, 2010, in which Sector Portland, Ore., combined with Group/Air Station Astoria.

Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets.

U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kelly Parker.

ASTORIA, Ore.— Capt. Douglas E. Kaup speaks during the Sector Columbia River activation ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Monday, Aug. 23, 2010.

Sector Columbia River was made official during the ceremony, in which Sector Portland, Ore., combined with Group/Air Station Astoria.

Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets.

U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kelly Parker.

ASTORIA, Ore.— Rear Adm. Gary T. Blore shakes hands with Capt. Douglas E. Kaup during the Sector Columbia River activation ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Ore., Monday.

Sector Columbia River was made official during the ceremony, in which Sector Portland, Ore., combined with Group/Air Station Astoria.

Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarist Larry Kellis.

ASTORIA, Ore. —The Air Station Astoria, Ore., color guard presents colors during the opening of the Sector Columbia River activation ceremony at Air Station Astoria, Monday.

Sector Columbia River was made official during the ceremony, in which Sector Portland, Ore., combined with Group/Air Station Astoria.

Sector Columbia River is part of an initiative commonly referred to as "sectorization," part of a nationwide effort to consolidate the many responsibilities, missions and jurisdictions within the Coast Guard. The move is also aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Coast Guard personnel and assets.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn.

SEATTLE – Family members of the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mellon await the cutter’s arrival back to homeport here, Aug. 23, 2010. The crew concluded a five-month deployment to Southeast Asia in support of the international Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.

SEATTLE – Ens. Taylor Gruver greets her mother following the Coast Guard Cutter Mellon’s arrival back to homeport here, Aug. 23, 2010. The crew concluded a five-month deployment to Southeast Asia in support of the international Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.

SEATTLE – The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Mellon returned to homeport here, Monday, concluding a five-month deployment to Southeast Asia in support of the international Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises.

Since departing March 31, 2010 Mellon has been an active partner throughout the success of the exercises. Under the command of Navy Destroyer Squadron 31, Mellon engaged in five training phases focused on strengthening relations and interoperability with the maritime services of Southeast Asia. The multi-national exercises consisted of training scenarios both on land and at sea, which took place in Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Throughout the CARAT deployment Mellon partnered with maritime law enforcement counterparts in law enforcement procedures and simulated boardings, small-boat operations, air-defenses exercises and tactical ship maneuvering.

The crew of the Mellon also participated in community service projects to improve local conditions and establish a personal connection with residents. Combined service projects included mentoring children, rebuilding schools, and planting trees.

Mellon is commanded by Capt. David S. Klipp and has a crew of 170 officers and enlisted personnel. A 378-foot, high-endurance cutter, Mellon typically performs lengthy patrols enforcing fishery laws in Alaskan waters and counter-narcotics operations off the coast of Central America.

ASTORIA, Ore. - A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station North Bend, Ore., conducts flight operations training with the Royal New Zealand Navy Ship Te Kaha, June 25, 2010. This is the Royal New Zealand Navy's first visit to the U.S. in 26 years. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

ASTORIA, Ore. - Chief Petty Officer Jamie Hawke, a flight deck officer aboard the Royal New Zealand Navy Vessel Te Kaha, signals an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend, Ore., June 25, 2010. The Coast Guard crew was conducting flight operations training with the crew of the Te Kaha during the vessel's transit through the waters along the Oregon coast. This is the Royal New Zealand Navy's first visit to the U.S. in 26 years. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

ASTORIA, Ore. - Chief Petty Officer Jamie Hawke, a flight deck officer aboard the Royal New Zealand Navy Vessel Te Kaha, signals an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend, Ore., June 25, 2010. The Coast Guard crew was conducting flight operations training with the crew of the Te Kaha during the vessel's transit through the waters along the Oregon coast. This is the Royal New Zealand Navy's first visit to the U.S. in 26 years. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

ASTORIA, Ore. - Sgt. Jim Houldsworth, an avionics technician aboard the Royal New Zealand Navy Vessel Te Kaha, observes as an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station North Bend, Ore., prepares to lift equipment from the deck of the vessel June 25, 2010. The Coast Guard crew was conducting flight operations training with the crew of the Te Kaha during the vessel's transit through the waters along the Oregon coast. This is the Royal New Zealand Navy's first visit to the U.S. in 26 years. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Shawn Eggert.

SEATTLE – Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star take-in mooring lines to start the short trip from Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36 to Todd Shipyard at Harbor Island May 24, 2010. Following Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, reactivating the Polar Star last March, it will undergo an 18-month dockside and dry-dock overhaul. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.

SEATTLE – The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star makes the short trip from Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36 to join the Cutter Polar Sea already in dry dock at Todd Shipyard on Harbor Island May 24, 2010. Following Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, reactivating the Polar Star last March, it will undergo an 18-month dockside and dry-dock overhaul. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.

SEATTLE – Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star heave mooring lines to line handlers at Todd Shipyard on Harbor Island after the short trip from Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36 May 24, 2010. Following Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, reactivating the Polar Star last March, it will undergo an 18-month dockside and dry-dock overhaul. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin White.

Arctic West, Arctic (June 10, 1996) - Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 11). Since the late 1970s, these 400-foot mammoths of the Coast Guard fleet, based in Seattle, Wash., have been traveling north and south for their primary mission of scientific and logistical support in both Polar Regions. Polar class icebreakers have a variety of missions while operating in polar regions. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andy Devilbliss.

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star, one of the nation's two Polar Class icebreakers transited from the Coast Guard Base Seattle to Todd Shipyard here Monday.

Following the Coast Guard Commandant, Adm. Thad Allen, reactivating the icebreaker last March the Polar Star will now undergo an 18-month dockside and dry dock overhaul. 

"The immediate salutary effect in this region will be 250 new jobs and the knowledge that the Coast Guard will be taking a ship that has not been used in a long time and putting it back into service," said Allen.

The Coast Guard is the principal federal maritime enforcement agency in the Arctic with broad safety, security and stewardship missions.The scope of Coast Guard operations in the Arctic is expanding.

The Coast Guard is the only federal agency currently operating surface vessels, two powerful icebreakers, capable of asserting a U.S. sovereign presence in Arctic ice covered waters.

Editors note: To view or download the video or high resolution copies of the photos please click on the corresponding image below.

KODIAK, Alaska - Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Sippel and Petty Officer 3rd Class Kara Pardee, both of Air Station Kodiak, drop liferafts and other rescue gear from the back of a Kodiak-based HC-130 Hercules aircraft to the four crewmen of the Seattle-based fishing vessel Northern Belle April 20, 2010 who were later hoisted by the crew of a Kodiak-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and taken to Cordova. The crew of the 75-foot Seattle-based fishing vessel issued a mayday call when their vessel became stricken 50 miles south of Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska. U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.

KODIAK, Alaska - Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Sippel and Petty Officer 3rd Class Kara Pardee, both of Air Station Kodiak, drop liferafts and other rescue gear from the back of a Kodiak-based HC-130 Hercules aircraft to the four crewmen of the Seattle-based fishing vessel Northern Belle April 20, 2010. The crew of the 75-foot Seattle-based fishing vessel issued a mayday call at about 5:30 p.m. when their vessel became stricken 50 miles south of Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.

KODIAK, Alaska - Two crewman from the sunken 75-foot Seattle-based Northern Belle huddle together in anti-exposure suits aboard debris from the vessel 50 miles south of Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska April 20, 2010.  Coast Guard aircrews aboard an HC-130 Hercules aircraft and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Kodiak as well as the crew of the Valdez-based Coast Guard Cutter Long Island responded to the Northern Belle's mayday call. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Sara Francis.

KODIAK, Alaska - The crew of a Kodiak-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter prepares to rescue one of four crewman from the fishing vessel Northern Belle who managed to climb into a liferaft dropped by the crew of an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak 50 miles south of Monatgue Island in the Gulf of Alaska April 20, 2010. The Northern Belle crew issued a mayday call and abandoned the 75-foot Seattle-based vessel into the chilly waters of the Gulf of Alaska shortly after 5:30 p.m. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.

KODIAK, Alaska - The crew of a Kodiak-based MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter recovers the rescue swimmer after successfully rescuing four Northern Belle crewman from a liferaft dropped by the crew of an HC-130 Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak, the debris field and the water 50 miles south of Monatgue Island in the Gulf of Alaska April 20, 2010. The Northern Belle crew issued a mayday call and abandoned the 75-foot Seattle-based vessel into the chilly waters of the Gulf of Alaska shortly after 5:30 p.m. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.

KODIAK, Alaska - The crew of the 110-foot Valdez-based Coast Guard Cutter Long Island power through surf en route to the scene of the Northern Belle sinking to assist in the rescue of four crewman who abandoned their sinking vessel April 20, 2010. The crew was about 40 miles away at the time of the call and was diverted to respond to the mayday call taking them 50 miles south of Montague Island in the Gulf of Alaska. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Sara Francis.