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'''Benjamin F. Strickland II''', is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander (CDR) who specializes in maritime operations, national security strategy, and naval weapons systems capabilities.

'''Benjamin F. Strickland II''', is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander (CDR) who specializes in maritime operations, national security strategy, and naval weapons systems capabilities. He is known as a [[Whistleblower statute|whistleblower]] regarding [[sexual assault]] in the Coast Guard.

==Early life and education==

==Early life and education==

CDR Strickland was born in 1972 and is a native of Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 1995 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nautical Science. He attended the U.S. Naval War College in 2009 graduating with a Masters of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (MAWS) and is a qualified Joint Operational Planner. <ref>[This story was written U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs. "Helgen to Take the Helm of Coast Guard Cutter Roanoke Island". http://coastguardnews.com.]</ref>

CDR Strickland was born in 1972 and is a native of Seattle, Washington. He graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 1995 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nautical Science. He attended the U.S. Naval War College in 2009 graduating with a Masters of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School (MAWS) and is a qualified Joint Operational Planner. <ref>[This story was written by U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs. "Helgen to Take the Helm of Coast Guard Cutter Roanoke Island". http://coastguardnews.com.]</ref>

==Career==

==Career==

In 2002, CDR Strickland was assigned as Coast Guard Liaison Officer at Afloat Training Group Pacific Northwest in Everett, Washington. There he qualified as an Afloat Training Specialist, managing the training, assessment and certification for three different classes of cutters as the Pacific Area Commander’s direct representative. From 2004 to 2006, he served as Operations Officer in USCGC Midgett (WHEC-726) at Seattle, Washington, coordinating Homeland Security, Search and Rescue, Fisheries and Counter-Drug missions throughout the Pacific in support of Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ARCTIC SAFEGUARD, BERING SHIELD and CAPER FOCUS.<ref>[http://homernews.com/stories/071206/news_2a001.shtml]</ref> CDR Strickland commanded USCGC Roanoke Island (WPB-1346) (WPB-1346) at Homer, Alaska from 2006 to 2008 before attending the College of Command and Staff and Maritime Advanced Warfighting School at Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.<ref>[http://homernews.com/stories/061808/news_2_001.shtml]</ref> CDR Strickland then performed a three month operational warfare assignment comprising contingency, adaptive and collaborative planning in the development of a formal Concept Plan (CONPLAN) for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=48193]</ref>

In 2002, CDR Strickland was assigned as Coast Guard Liaison Officer at Afloat Training Group Pacific Northwest in Everett, Washington. There he qualified as an Afloat Training Specialist, managing the training, assessment and certification for three different classes of cutters as the Pacific Area Commander’s direct representative. From 2004 to 2006, he served as Operations Officer in USCGC Midgett (WHEC-726) at Seattle, Washington, coordinating Homeland Security, Search and Rescue, Fisheries and Counter-Drug missions throughout the Pacific in support of Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ARCTIC SAFEGUARD, BERING SHIELD and CAPER FOCUS.<ref>[http://homernews.com/stories/071206/news_2a001.shtml]</ref> CDR Strickland commanded USCGC Roanoke Island (WPB-1346) (WPB-1346) at Homer, Alaska from 2006 to 2008 before attending the College of Command and Staff and Maritime Advanced Warfighting School at Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.<ref>[http://homernews.com/stories/061808/news_2_001.shtml]</ref> CDR Strickland then performed a three month operational warfare assignment comprising contingency, adaptive and collaborative planning in the development of a formal Concept Plan (CONPLAN) for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.<ref>[http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=48193]</ref>

From 2009 to 2011, he was assigned as a Strategic Planner in the Office of Defense Operations (CG-532) at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC where he executed responsibility for Coast Guard input into National Defense strategy documents, plans and policy, coordination of service chief-level staff talks, resourcing of Joint Staff global force management requests, and also served as the Desk Officer for all U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command issues. CDR Strickland returned to sea as Operations Officer in USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752) at Alameda, California from July 2011 to June 2012 before assuming duties as Executive Officer in USCGC Munro (WHEC-724) at Kodiak, Alaska in July 2012. a. After his whistleblowing complaints, in 2014 he was reassigned to Coast Guard Headquarters as the Support Division Chief in the Office of Counterterrorism and Defense Operations (CG-ODO-3). He retired from active duty in 2015.<ref>Steverson, London (2015). The Case of CDR Benjamin Strickland: Unrestricted Coast Guard Chronicles (UCGC) Volume 01 Number 01 (Volume 1) Paperback – July 10, 2015. 1514682737. 978-1514682739. http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Strickland-Unrestricted-Coast-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B011B9YLIK</ref>

From 2009 to 2011, he was assigned as a Strategic Planner in the Office of Defense Operations (CG-532) at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC where he executed responsibility for Coast Guard input into National Defense strategy documents, plans and policy, coordination of service chief-level staff talks, resourcing of Joint Staff global force management requests, and also served as the Desk Officer for all U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command issues. CDR Strickland returned to sea as Operations Officer in USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752) at Alameda, California from July 2011 to June 2012 before assuming duties as Executive Officer in USCGC Munro (WHEC-724) at Kodiak, Alaska in July 2012. After his whistleblowing complaints, in 2014 he was reassigned to Coast Guard Headquarters as the Support Division Chief in the Office of Counterterrorism and Defense Operations (CG-ODO-3). He retired from active duty in 2015.<ref>Steverson, London (2015). The Case of CDR Benjamin Strickland: Unrestricted Coast Guard Chronicles (UCGC) Volume 01 Number 01 (Volume 1) Paperback – July 10, 2015. 1514682737. 978-1514682739. http://www.amazon.com/Benjamin-Strickland-Unrestricted-Coast-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B011B9YLIK</ref>

===Post Retirement===  

===Post Retirement===