CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The greater Charleston area will be nationally recognized as an official Coast Guard community on Friday afternoon.
News 2 talked with Coast Guard officials who say that Charleston’s recognition as a United States Coast Guard community dates back to the start of its relationship in the 1790s.
Charleston is now joining 32 other Coast Guard communities nationwide. A lieutenant said this title of Coast Guard Community is a formal declaration of the historic relationship Charleston has with the Coast Guard.
Friday’s ceremony will start with a silent drill team, followed by speeches from state leaders and Coast Guard officials. Then, later in the day, there will be a Coast Guard demonstration with a helicopter and a search and rescue team.
Coast Guard Lieutenant and Commander Jason Plumley says achieving this Charleston-wide recognition is not an easy feat.
“This official recognition requires letters of endorsement from many different levels of government. We’re talking local, city, county, state, federal. Just the amount of endorsements from the different localities within the community has really built up to this moment, but it’s not an easy thing to accomplish,” said Lieutenant and Commander Plumley.