Captain McCabe currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Coast Guard Oceania District where he oversees the District staff and four subordinate commands, comprising over 1200 personnel stretching from the Main Hawaiian Islands to Guam and Japan. Captain McCabe most recently served as the Chief of Response for Coast Guard Arctic District overseeing operations across the North Pacific, Bering Sea and Arctic. Chief Melleby assumed the duties as Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Oceania District on May 15, 2025. As the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, he provides enlisted perspective to the Commander on all workforce matters and Coast Guard missions throughout Oceania, including Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and activities in Singapore and Japan.

Captain McCabe has over 13 years of sea time, including past tours as Commanding Officer-USCGC MIDGETT (WMSL 757) in Honolulu, HI, Commanding Officer-USCGC SENECA (WMEC 906) in Boston, MA, Executive Officer- USCGC THETIS (WMEC 910) in Key West, Fl, Commanding Officer-USCGC SANIBEL (WPB 1312) in Woods Hole, MA, Executive Officer-USCGC ROANOKE ISLAND (WPB 1346) in Homer, AK, Deck Watch Officer and First Lieutenant- USCGC ACUSHNET (WMEC 167) in Ketchikan, AK and Seaman-USCGC MIDGETT (WHEC 726) in Seattle, WA.

Captain McCabe’s assignments ashore include serving as the Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the United States Senate, the Coast Guard Liaison Officer to Commander Naval Forces Europe Africa and Commander Sixth Fleet in Naples, Italy, the Executive Assistant to the Director of Operational Policy at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. and the Fishery Enforcement Policy Officer and Admiral’s Aide at Arctic District in Juneau, Alaska.

Captain McCabe is a 1994 graduate of Montana State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1997 and graduated from Officer Candidate School in 1998. He earned a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island in 2003. Captain McCabe was selected as an International Fellow to the Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy administered through the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2010. Captain McCabe graduated with a Masters of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2014 with a focus in operational planning through the Maritime Advanced Warfighting School.

His awards include five Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal along with various unit awards.

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Master Chief Melleby assumed the duties as Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Oceania District on May 15, 2025. As the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, he provides enlisted perspective to the Commander on all workforce matters and Coast Guard missions throughout Oceania, including Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and activities in Singapore and Japan.  

Most recently, Master Chief Melleby served as a Faculty Advisor at the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, Rhode Island from 2021-2025.

Master Chief Melleby previously served as a Silver Badge Command Senior Enlisted Leader for Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England in Woods Hole, MA and Coast Guard Sector Boston in Boston, MA. His additional assignments include Pacific Area/District 11 Command Center, Alameda, CA; Leadership and Management School Instructor, Petaluma, CA; USCGC MUNRO (WHEC-724) Alameda, CA; Coast Guard Headquarters Office of Defense Operations (G-OPD) Washington, DC; and Communication Station Kodiak (NOJ), Kodiak, AK. In addition to these assignments, Master Chief Melleby deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with U.S. Naval Forces Expeditionary Strike Group-Five - USS BONHOME RICHARD.

Master Chief Melleby is a graduate of the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy Class 136 and Coast Guard Senior Enlisted Leader Course Class 36. Additionally Master Chief Melleby is a proud graduate from several Department of War Senior Enlisted Leader Institutions to include the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy Class 197-Blue, U.S. Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy Class 20-B, U.S. Navy Command Master Chief / Chief of the Boat Course, and the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy Class 57. Master Chief Melleby is also a graduate of the National Defense University Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education Course Class 1302-B. 

Master Chief Melleby is a native of Erial, New Jersey and enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in February 2001 as a member of boot camp company J-159. Prior to enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard, Master Chief Melleby also served in the U.S. Army from 1997-2000, serving as a combat arms solider for the “Big Red One,” Charlie Battery 4th Battalion 3rd Air Defense Artillery, Fort Riley, KS.

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Commander Pon Chanthaphon reported as U.S. Coast Guard’s Oceania District Chaplain in Honolulu, Hawaii in May 2023 where he is responsible for the religious ministry provision for over 3,800 Coast Guard military personnel, family members, auxiliarists, and civilian workers across the largest Coast Guard AOR including the Hawaiian Islands, Guam, Japan, Singapore, and American Samoa.

From 2020-2023, Chaplain Chanthaphon served as Supervisory Chaplain at 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and deployed with the IWOARG in 2021 in support of Operation RESOLUTE SUPPORT ending the War in Afghanistan with a Non-Combat Evacuation Operation (NEO).

During the 2019-2020 academic year, Chaplain Chanthaphon attended Command and Staff College at Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia where he completed his resident-JPME Phase One. He was also a Joint Qualified Officer.

From 2016-2019, Chaplain Chanthaphon was assigned to COMNAVSURFRON-14, CNSL Operational Ministry Center (OMC) Mayport as Tactical Chaplain from which he deployed on USS HUÉ CITY (CG-66) in 2017 as part of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) TWO in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. Then, upon his return from the deployment, he assumed duty as Staff Chaplain as Deputy Director of the OMC, as Command Chaplain of USS ROOSEVELT (DDG-80) and USS THOMAS HUDNER (DDG-116), and as Staff Chaplain of three Coastal Patrol Crafts (PC): USS ZEPHYR (PC-8), USS TORNADO (PC-14), and USS SHAMAL (PC-13). Additionally, he served as Liaison Chaplain for USNAVSO/C4F. He completed Navy Chaplain Intermediate Leadership Course in 2018.

From 2012-2016, Chaplain Chanthaphon reported to 3D Marine Division FMF PAC, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan where he served as Tactical Chaplain of 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion from December 2012 to January 2016. With a new challenge arose at the Base Chapel after a struggling seven-month gap, he was permanently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3D Marine Division FMF PAC, III Marine Expeditionary Force in February 2016 from which he assumed duty as the Base Chaplain of the USMC Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan until June 2016.

Following his graduation from the Navy Chaplain Basic Course, Chaplain Chanthaphon reported to Naval Hospital Lemoore, Naval Air Station, in Lemoore, California where he served as Command Chaplain from November 2009 to November 2012.

In 2009, Chaplain Chanthaphon completed Officer Development School at Newport, Rhode Island and graduated from the Naval Chaplaincy School and Center in Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

In July of 2006, Chaplain Chanthaphon was ordained in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). He was installed as sole pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stockton, California and served there from July 2006 to August 2008. He was direct commissioned in June of 2009 as Lieutenant Junior Grade.

From 2001-2006, Chaplain Chanthaphon attended Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis, Missouri where he graduated with a Master of Divinity Degree (M.Div).

From 1995-2000, Chaplain Chanthaphon attended college at Concordia University in Saint Paul, Minnesota where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree with emphases in Lutheran Theology and Christian Outreach. Then, he worked at U.S. Bank as personal banker and sales associate at Herberger’s Department Store for one year in St. Paul, MN.

His personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4 awards) and Coast Guard Achievement Medal with Operational Device.

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