Port Security Unit 301, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

COMMANDING OFFICER

Commander James Carmany

CDR James Carmany reports to PSU 301 from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) where he served as an Action Officer in the Southeast Asia Policy Division. In this role, he worked with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, and Embassy Country Teams to formulate policy and conduct strategic engagements and defense dialogues in support of United States strategic objectives in Southeast Asia.

CDR Carmany is a 2004 graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy where he earned an Unlimited Tonnage 3rd Mates license and received a commission in the United States Coast Guard. CDR Carmany’s initial assignment was as a Marine Inspector/Investigator specializing in safety and security inspections of vessels operating in United States waters and conducting investigations of marine casualties and mariner misconduct. CDR Carmany was then selected to stand up the Sector Miami Vessel Boarding and Security Team (VBST) where he led a team of 8 Active and 12 Reserve members conducting security and law enforcement boardings. CDR Carmany has held numerous leadership positions within the Response Operations and Boat Forces communities including serving as the Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security program manager for U.S. Coast Guard District 8 Headquarters, Senior Reserve Officer at MSD Peoria, Reserve Chief of Response at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi, Weapons Officer at Coastal Riverine Squadron Eight and as Operations and Executive Officer for Port Security Unit 309.  

In his civilian capacity, CDR Carmany is a Supervisory Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  He has served as a Special Agent at HSI Cedar Rapids and HSI Corpus Christi where he conducted investigations into transnational criminal organizations exploiting the United States border, customs, immigration, and financial laws. In 2016, he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent and served as the Section Chief for Armory Operations at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement National Armory where he oversaw a $40 million dollar acquisition of a new duty pistol for DHS components. In 2019, he transferred to HSI Kingston where he served the dual roles of HSI Country Attaché and DHS Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica, overseeing all DHS operations in country and the Jamaica Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, one of 14 HSI vetted foreign police units worldwide. In 2021, he was selected to join the HSI Congressional Liaison Program serving as an HSI Detailee to Ranking Member Senator Chuck Grassley on the Senate Judiciary Committee and currently serves as the lead HSI Congressional Liaison, overseeing HSI’s congressional engagement program and serving as an advisor to the HSI Executive Associate Director on congressional engagement and legislative strategy.  

CDR Carmany deployed in support of Operation FREEDOM’s SENTINEL as the Operations Officer for the Maritime Security Detachment, Joint Task Force Guantanamo in 2017 and to New Orleans with the USCG response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as the Operations Officer of the Wreck Removal and Salvage Group. 

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