Meet the Commanding Officer

Captain Matthew Chong

Captain Matt Chong assumed Command of Training Center Petaluma in June of 2022. His previous tour was a one-year special assignment as Team Leader for the Coast Guard’s Personnel Readiness Task Force. This five-person team is charged with helping the Coast Guard retain critical skills and identifying and tackling service issues that disproportionately impact the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities.

Originally from Aiea, Hawaii, Captain Chong is a 2000 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He later earned a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Technology from San Diego State University in 2010. Captain Chong became a Certified Performance Technologist through the International Society for Performance Improvement in 2015.

Captain Chong is a career Cutterman with nearly 12 years of service at sea, starting his afloat career as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC ALERT in Astoria, Oregon. His other operational assignments include: Executive Officer of USCGC NAUSHON in Ketchikan, Alaska; Commanding Officer of USCG Patrol Forces Southwest Asia Relief Crew where he commanded USCGCs BARANOF, AQUIDNECK, WRANGELL, MONOMOY, and MAUI in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; Commanding Officer of USCGC KISKA in Hilo, Hawaii; Executive Officer of USCGC VALIANT in Mayport, Florida; and Commanding Officer of USCGC VENTUROUS in St. Petersburg, Florida.

With a secondary specialty in Human Performance Technology and training, Captain Chong’s staff assignments include: Senior Training Liaison and Assistant Coast Guard Liaison Officer at the U.S. Navy’s Afloat Training Group Mayport, Florida; Branch Chief in the Training Division at Coast Guard Training Center Petaluma, California; Detachment Supervisor and Lead Operational and Training Advisor for the Maritime Infrastructure Protection Force Training and Advisory Group (MIPF-TAG) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Mission Support Branch Chief in the Training Division of Force Readiness Command in Washington, D.C.