Commanding Officer
U.S. Coast Guard Activities Europe
As Commanding Officer, Captain Bailey serves as Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, ensuring U.S. commercial vessel and foreign cruise ship compliance with U.S. regulations and international conventions throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In addition, she oversees the International Port Security Program's efforts to meet the congressional mandate to assess anti-terrorism measures and verify implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code at ports in 83 countries.
Prior to her current assignment, she served as the Deputy Sector Commander Columbia River, in Warrenton, Oregon, where she was responsible for serving as the alternate Captain of the Port (COTP), Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC), Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI), Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC) and Active Suspension (ACTSUS) Authority, and maritime Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC).
CAPT Bailey enlisted in 1995 and started her Coast Guard career as a small boat engineer at Station Panama City in Panama City, Florida. In 1998 she received her commission from Coast Guard Officer Candidate School and was assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter COURAGEOUS as Deck Watch Officer.
CAPT Bailey’s first Prevention tour was at Marine Safety Office Puget Sound in 2000. She started as a Marine Inspector and earned multiple qualifications to include Hull and Machinery, and served as a Boarding Officer after 9/11.
From 2003 to 2007, she was assigned to Marine Safety Unit Baton Rouge where she served as the Chief of Inspections, Senior Investigation Officer, Small Boat and lead Law Enforcement and Boarding Officer and Reserve Team Lead.
In 2007, she served at Headquarters in the Hazardous Materials Division, where she was responsible for developing and maintaining regulations, standards and industry guidance to promote the safety of life and protection of property and the environment during the marine transportation of hazardous materials. CAPT Bailey returned to Seattle in 2011 and served as Assistant Chief of Inspections, Domestic Division at Sector Puget Sound. She led and trained numerous new marine inspectors in conducting all aspects of marine inspections including vessel security inspections and maintaining a fleet of passenger vessels, to include the Washington State ferry system, the 2 nd largest ferry system in the world, and numerous foreign flagged vessel inspections.
In 2014, she served as Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Houma, Louisiana where she oversaw all vessel and facility inspections, marine casualty investigations, aids to navigation, and vessel traffic within the Port Fouchon complex and Gulf of Mexico offshore industry within the Houma area of responsibility.
In 2017, CAPT Bailey served as Executive Assistant to Atlantic Area Commander.
CAPT Bailey is from Lincoln, Nebraska and a 1994 graduate from the University of Nebraska where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts & Sciences - Natural Resources and a Masters in Homeland Security from American Military University.