Meet the Commanding Officer

CAPT Riley O. Gatewood

Commanding Officer
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter DOUGLAS MUNRO (WHEC 724)

Captain Riley Gatewood assumed the duties of Commanding Officer, USCGC DOUGLAS MUNRO on 24 May 2019. He previously served as the Fourteenth Coast Guard District Enforcement Branch Chief. In that role he was directly responsible for Coast Guard day-to-day enforcement operations throughout Oceania, an area spanning more than 12.2 million square miles. Sustaining and forging international partnerships, he bolstered maritime governance, promoted rules-based order, and adherence to international standards with regards to maritime safety and security.

Captain Gatewood enlisted in St. Charles, Missouri in 1985. Subsequent enlisted assignments included the Second Coast Guard District in St. Louis, Missouri, Integrated Support Command Kodiak, and Air Station Kodiak, Alaska. In 1996 he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School at Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Virginia.

Following graduation and commissioning, Captain Gatewood started his afloat career as a Deck Watch Officer, Navigator, and Operations Officer aboard USCGC FIREBUSH a sea-going buoy tender in Kodiak, Alaska. Follow-on afloat assignments include Officer-In-Charge of Law Enforcement Detachment 201 for Tactical Law Enforcement Team North in Portsmouth, Virginia; Operations Officer and Navigator aboard USCGC STORIS in Kodiak, Alaska; Commanding Officer, USCGC MONHEGAN, a patrol boat in Key West, Florida; Commanding Officer, USCGC CYPRESS, a sea-going buoy tender in Mobile, Alabama; and Commanding Officer, USCGC VIGILANT in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Captain Gatewood’s shore assignments include the U. S. Coast Guard Academy as a Nautical Science Instructor; the First Coast Guard District in Boston, Massachusetts where he served as the Operational Planning & Readiness Chief; and as Deputy Commodore, Patrol Forces Southwest Asia in Bahrain supporting Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet, and regional partners throughout the Middle East.

Captain Gatewood is a permanent cutterman having served 13-years at sea. He has been awarded six Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Navy/Marine Corp Achievement Medal, two Commandant’s Letter of Commendations, and many other unit, team, and service awards.

Captain Gatewood is married 30 years to the former Karen Jackson. A true Coast Guard family; their son, Nicholas, and daughter-in-law, Brittney, both serving active duty, are stationed at Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma, California, and their youngest son Zachary is currently serving at Coast Guard Base Charleston, South Carolina.