EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CDR Travis R. Gagnon
Born and raised in Staffordville, CT, CDR Gagnon graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a B.S. in Management in 2006.
His first assignment was as a Deck Watch Officer onboard the USCGC ESCANABA in Boston, MA and he served as the Combat Information Center Officer. From there, he was selected for and completed basic Naval Flight Training in Pensacola, FL. He continued multi-engine training in Corpus Christi, TX and received his wings of gold in August 2009. His first aviation assignment was Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi as a HU-25 Falcon pilot.
There, CDR Gagnon served as the Assistant Command Center Supervisor doubling as duty pilot and Operations Unit Controller. He held positions as the Sector Command Security Officer, Training Officer, Auxiliary Liaison, and Flight Scheduler. He flew many search and rescue missions, international fisheries interdictions, and Deepwater Horizon oil spill. CDR Gagnon managed the decommissioning project, asset class retirement ceremony, and piloted the final flight for the HU-25 Falcon.
In 2014, he reported to Air Station Miami, FL, where he served as an HC-144 Ocean Sentry pilot. Notable flights include six counter narcotics seizures valued at $64M, over 30 migrant interdictions, and first On-scene Commander for urban search and rescue during Hurricane Harvey. With communications towers inoperable, CDR Gagnon and his crew played an essential role relaying communications between command centers and over 30 helicopters simultaneously saving 865 lives. He served as the Leadership Diversity & Advisory Council Chair and the Assistant Special Services Department Head. He was selected as the Flight Safety Officer and graduated Naval Aviation Safety School in 2016 and led the safety program as the Fixed-wing Flight Safety Officer and first ever unit Safety Examiner.
CDR Gagnon is a lifelong learner. He completed his Master of Science in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. In January 2020 he graduated from The George Washington University with a Masters of Public Administration and assigned to USCG Headquarters as a plank owner for the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation (CG-PAE) in CG-8. There he led $2.9B in enterprise-wide Service strategies, asset laydowns, and budgeting evaluations streamlining Coast Guard management processes on a 20-year time horizon.
At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, CDR Gagnon deployed to the White House Coronavirus Task Force working with Dept. of Health and Human Services, FEMA, and other govt. partners. He was entrusted as the Executive Officer of the data collection and analysis team revolutionizing the federal response for first-ever nation-wide hospital database used to prioritize the Strategic National Stockpile critical resources. He earned the Public Health Service’s second highest service medal for his efforts.
CDR Gagnon is heavily engaged with the community through Australian Rules Football and running clubs. He is a co-founder of the Jeff Braun Foundation for the Children of Honduras, an organization dedicated to the lifelong dream of his best friend and fallen Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, which now houses 13 children and caretakers. His personal military decorations include a PHS & USCG Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, two Commendation Medals, and other various personal and unit awards.
In July 2023, CDR Gagnon reported to Air Station Miami to serve as the Executive Officer. He resides in Hollywood, FL with his wife, LCDR Steph Wood, Civil Engineering Unit Miami Executive Officer.