COMMAND
COMMANDING OFFICER
Captain Dorothy J. Hernaez
CAPT Hernaez assumed command of CGC STRATTON in July of 2025. During previous afloat assignments, she served as the Commanding Officer of CGC HARRIET LANE, a medium endurance cutter, Operations Officer of CGC WAESCHE, a national security cutter, Operations Officer of CGC KUKUI, a seagoing buoy tender, and Deck Watch Officer aboard the CGC VIGILANT, a medium endurance cutter. Her sea service has included homeland security operations, defense operations, multi-ton narcotics seizures, migrant interdiction operations, search and rescue, maritime operations with partner nations, and maintaining aids to navigation within U.S. ports and waterways.
CAPT Hernaez is an attorney and has served in numerous legal assignments ashore. Prior to being assigned to CGC STRATTON, CAPT Hernaez served as Chief of the Office of Information and Intelligence Law (CG-LII), where she oversaw legal support to the Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Intelligence (CG-2), Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Information Technology (CG-6), Office of Privacy Management, Office of Data and Analytics, and Office of Cyberspace Forces. She previously served at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command as the of Chief of Operations Law, leading a team of attorneys that advised the Department of Defense Combatant Commander on every facet of U.S. military operations in the Indo-Pacific. Additionally, she served tours as a staff attorney for the Coast Guard Pacific Area Command, at Coast Guard Headquarters as the Legal Advisor to the Office of Law Enforcement, and within the Coast Guard Office of Maritime and International Law, Response Law Division. CAPT Hernaez also served in the Coast Guard Office of Congressional Affairs as the Coast Guard’s Liaison to the House of Representatives. In this capacity she led a team of service members who interacted daily with members of Congress, Congressional Committees, and their staffs, advancing Coast Guard interests and budget requests through the legislative process.
CAPT Hernaez is a 2002 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree as the top graduate in the Civil Engineering major. She received her Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from Georgetown University, where she also served as the managing editor of the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy. In 2023, CAPT Hernaez completed the MIT Seminar XXI National Security Studies and Foreign Policy fellowship program.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Commander Jonathan M. Wolstenholme
Commander Wolstenholme relieved as Executive Officer of CGC STRATTON in July 2024. He currently leads the crew of 26 officers and 116 enlisted in the execution of Coast Guard maritime missions throughout the Pacific Ocean including Search and Rescue, Fisheries Enforcement, Defense Readiness and National Security. In this capacity, he is responsible for organization, administration, good order & discipline, morale, financial management, training and readiness of the 418 foot cutter while protecting United States Maritime Transportation System.
Commander Wolstenholme, a native of Bourne, MA, graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and from University of Florida in 2014 with a Masters of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering.
Commander Wolstenholme has served eight years afloat assigned as Deck Watch Officer on USCGC SPENCER (WMEC 905) homeported in Boston, MA, Executive Officer aboard USCGC KEY BISCAYNE (WPB 1339) based in Key West, FL, Operations Officer of USCGC STEADFAST (WMEC 623) homeported in Astoria, OR, and most recently Commanding Officer of USCGC RAYMOND EVANS (WPC 1110) in Key West, FL. During his career he has conducted maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, illegal immigration interdiction, and counter-narcotic operations throughout the Caribbean Sea, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
While not at sea, CDR Wolstenholme has served in the Civil Engineering community as the Facility Engineer at Base Elizabeth City, North Carolina and Air Station Clearwater, Florida ensuring the operations and maintenance of two of the Coast Guard’s largest air stations including the aviation fleet maintenance facility, enlisted aviation training center, and two remote aviation deployment sites in the Bahamas. Additionally, he served as the Chief of Construction and most recently the Executive Officer at Civil Engineering Unit Providence managing approximately $30M in major maintenance and repair to shore infrastructure throughout New England.
Commander Wolstenholme maintains a Civil Engineering Professional Engineer (PE) license in the state of Florida. His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, three Achievement Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, an Armed Forces Service Medal, the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation ribbon, three Coast Guard Sea Service ribbons as well as various unit, team, and service awards and a permanent Coast Guard cutterman insignia.
COMMAND SENIOR ENLISTED LEADER
ETC John Vargas
Chief Petty Officer Vargas is from Virginia Beach, VA. He assumed the duties of Command Senior Enlisted Leader on USCGC Stratton summer of 2024. CPO Vargas enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in January 2009. His previous units include USCGC Boutwell homeported in Alameda, CA, Electronics Technician “A” School in Petaluma, CA, Electronics Systems Support Detachment Charleston, SC, Training Center Yorktown - MK-92 FCS School, USCGC Northland (MK92 Technician) homeported in Portsmouth, VA, Electronics Systems Support Detachment Corpus Christi, TX, Electronics Systems Support Detachment Kodiak, AK and Close In Weapon System School at Naval Base San Diego, CA.
CPO Vargas is a Permanent Cutterman. In his career, he has earned two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, three Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbons, one Coast Guard Unit Commendation, one Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation, one Artic Service Medal, one Armed Forces Service Medal, two Humanitarian Service Medals, and six Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendations. Some of his qualifications earned include Boarding Team member, Helicopter Tie Down, Non-Compliant Vessel Pursuit Crew Member, MTR/2M Technician, and CIWS Operator. CPO Vargas completed Chiefs Call to Initiation Fall of 2023 and is a graduate of Chief Petty Officer Academy Class CCCV.