CDR Matthew J. Press
Commanding Officer, CGC VALIANT
Commander (CDR) Matthew J. Press currently serves as the Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) Valiant.
CDR Press' undergraduate studies include Military Science, Theology, and Mechanical Engineering. CDR Press’ postgraduate degrees include Astronautical Engineering, Military Arts and Science, and Engineering Management. CDR Press is a licensed pilot, certified diver, and an avid Washington Capitals hockey fan.
Prior to joining the U.S. Coast Guard, he taught English in Papua New Guinea, worked for Raytheon's Chemical Weapon Demilitarization program at Johnston Atoll, designed products for U.S. Filter Blastrac, and conducted flight testing as a civil servant for the U. S. Air Force.
CDR Press' U.S. Coast Guard assignments include service on the 27th Commandant’s staff providing advice to advance policy, strategy, and outreach to the workforce, partner-agencies, and the public. As a Base Commanding Officer, he led 435 personnel to provide U.S. Coast Guard mission support for the Eastern Caribbean from Cuba to Curaçao. As Executive Officer, he guided CGC Hamilton through five deployments including the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and into the Black Sea during the restart of Russian aggression against Ukraine. As the Executive Assistant to the Coast Guard’s Senior Reserve Officer, he facilitated policy for six thousand reservists. CDR Press also served on the Joint Staff where he advised the 25th and 26th Commandants on Department of Defense operations. As Engineer Officer of CGC Dauntless, CDR Press led two major dry docks, seven dockside availabilities, and nine patrols. As U.S. Coast Guard Sector Guam’s Commanding Officer of Military Personnel, Logistics Department Head, and Command Duty Officer, CDR Press oversaw the U.S. Coast Guard’s response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. CDR Press served onboard CGC Bertholf as Assistant Engineer Officer during the cutter’s construction and initial voyage; and subsequently as Assistant Operations Officer coordinating weapons and helicopter testing, and as the navigator during the first two operational deployments.
Matthew Press is happily married to the former Ginger L. Pruitt of San Antonio, Texas with three children: Joshua, Benjamin, and Lily-Anne.