Master Chief Frank Jennings
Reserve Command Master Chief
US Coast Guard Ninth District
Master Chief Francis T. Jennings, Jr. assumed the
duties of the Ninth Coast Guard District’s Reserve Command Master Chief,
April 10, 2007. His primary responsibility is to advise the Commander,
Ninth Coast Guard District, on issues pertaining to the Coast Guard
Reserve enlisted force.
Master Chief Jennings was born in Bronx, N.Y. and raised in Circleville, N.Y. Two years out of high school he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1984, completing basic training at the Coast Guard’s Training Center (TRACEN) in Cape May, N.J. Upon completion of boot camp, Master Chief Jennings was assigned to the TRACEN public affairs office. Over the next three years he served as staff photojournalist, editor of the TRACEN newspaper and served in a variety of temporary duty assignments, including onboard the Coast Guard Cutter POINT FRANKLIN, an 82-foot patrol boat.
Upon graduation from the Defense Information School in 1987, Master Chief Jennings advanced to Public Affairs Specialist Third Class. Subsequent tours of duty included the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the Ninth Coast Guard District office and U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. While on the staff of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Master Chief Jennings sailed in America’s Tall Ship, CGC Barque EAGLE, to northern Europe in support of cadet training and later, served on the coordination staffs in support of visits by Presidents Carter, Reagan and Bush.
Shortly after arriving for his first tour in Cleveland, he was detailed to Alaska for Exxon-Valdez clean-up operations; to northern Michigan for the response and salvage of the Coast Guard cutter MESQUITE and later, to Joint Task Force Guantanamo, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Haitian migrant interdiction and repatriation operations. During this tour, he was also engaged in supporting the deployments of the Coast Guard’s first Port Security Units to the Middle East, for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During his next tour at Coast Guard Headquarters and prior to his release from active duty in 1996, he served on the Coast Guard’s Cruise Ship Safety Task Force.
Master Chief Jennings’ military decorations include the Coast Guard Commendation Medal with Operational Distinguishing Device, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal (two awards), the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation (two awards), Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation, in addition to other individual and unit decorations and awards. Master Chief Jennings holds a Bachelor of Science degree, and is a graduate of the CPO Academy Reserve Class 23 and the Cleveland Federal Executive Board’s Community Leadership Institute.
His civilian occupation, Master Chief Jennings is the Ninth Coast Guard District’s Recreational Boating Specialist.