COMMANDING OFFICER
Commander Matthew Rooney
Commander Matthew Rooney received his commission in the Coast Guard in 2001 after graduating from Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation and a Third Mate Unlimited Tonnage License. In 2013 he earned a Masters of Public Administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.
He most recently served as the chief of the Policy and Standard Division (CG-1331) in the Office of Military Personnel (CG-13) at Coast Guard Headquarters. Commander Rooney was responsible for the development, promulgation, and implementation of military human resource policies including accessions, advancement, evaluations, and separations for over 42,000 military members.
Commander Rooney’s previous afloat assignments include Executive Officer of USCGC VIGILANT (WMEC 617) in Port Canaveral, Florida; Commanding Officer of USCGC KODIAK ISLAND (WPB 1341) Port Crew in Key West, Florida; Commanding Officer of USCGC MAUI (WPB 1304) in the Kingdom of Bahrain; Executive Officer of USCGC ATTU (WPB 1317) in Key West, Florida; Executive Officer of USCGC MOHEGAN (WPB 1305) in Key West, Florida; and Law Enforcement and Combat Information Center Officer aboard USCGC SPENCER (WMEC 905) in Boston, Massachusetts.
Commander Rooney’s previous shore assignments include service as a program reviewer in the Office of Budget and Programs (CG-821). As the reviewer for the Assistant Commandant for Human Resources (CG-1). Commander Rooney was responsible for the formulation and defense of the Coast Guard’s annual $6 Billion Human Resources budget that provides pay and benefit to over 100,000 Coast Guard active duty, reserve, civilian and retired personnel. Additionally, Commander Rooney was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Major Cutter Forces staff where he served as the Major Cutter, Scheduler, Area Patrol Boat Manager, and Major Cutter Budget Manager.
Commander Rooney is a permanent Cutterman. His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, five Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, and numerous unit and service awards.
Commander Rooney, a native of Wallingford, Connecticut, he is married to the former Kelly Hersko of South Euclid, Ohio. They have two children, Emma and Brennan.