Activities Far East

Captain Suffern currently serves as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Activities Far East. In this capacity, he directs Prevention missions in more than 40 Indo-Pacific nations and territories spanning 40% of the earth’s circumference, ranging from Madagascar to French Polynesia. As the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection he ensures U.S. commercial ships’ safety, security and environmental compliance as they traverse the world’s busiest shipping lanes. He also leads a contingent of International Port Security Liaison Officers who promote the effective implementation of globally accepted-maritime security measures in foreign ports. Activities Far East, based in Japan, oversees a subordinate command, Marine Inspection Unit Singapore.

Prior assignments include serving as Executive Officer of Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, Texas, home of the nation’s third busiest commercial port, the third largest petrochemical complex and busiest Strategic Port of Military Cargo embarkation. He served as the senior Coast Guard representative to the Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet in Manama Bahrain where he played a crucial role in the development of the international security naval coalition, whose mission safeguarded maritime operations in the troubled waters of the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. He served at Coast Guard Headquarters in the Office of Defense Operations as lead for CG Global Force Management (GFM) where he coordinated DoD/CG interaction and managed USCG senior leadership decision making process for defense contingency planning and force distribution. He served as Chief of Investigations at Activities Europe in Brunssum, Netherlands, overseeing the USCG's most unique international cases including the grounding and sinking of the MV COSTA CONCORDIA. He was the officer in charge of the Redeployment Assistance and Inspection (RAID) Team at Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) where he worked with the U.S. Army's 595th Transportation Brigade and directed 26 members throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait. CAPT Suffern served as an International Port Security Liaison Officer (IPSLO) at Activities Europe in Rotterdam, Netherlands, conducting international port security visits in ports throughout Europe, Africa and Middle East. He served as a vessel inspector and Chief of Planning and Waterways Management at Coast Guard's Sector Miami, where he managed all modifications, compliance, exercise, and evaluation for the area contingency and maritime security plans and the restructuring of the commercial vessel anchorage in Port Everglades, Florida. He started his Coast Guard career in New Orleans, with tours at Marine Safety Office New Orleans as a casualty investigator and with the Heartland District (formerly District 8), as a Pollution Fund Administrator and a Response and Advisory Team (DRAT) member.

CAPT Suffern holds two masters degrees, one from the Marine Corps University, Command and Staff College in Military Studies, and a second from the University of New Orleans in Finance and Business Administration. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in Finance. He is an October 1999 graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Officer Candidate School in New London, Connecticut.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, CAPT Suffern has received the Bronze Star Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and various unit awards. 

Printable Bio | Photo

Commander Moody currently serves as the Executive Officer of Activities Far East, the Coast Guard’s largest area of responsibility, spanning 43 countries from the Hawaiian Islands to the India/Pakistan border, southeast Africa, and as far south as New Zealand. In this role, she is the principal advisor to the Commanding Officer and Designated Alternate in executing a wide range of federal authorities to include Officer in Charge, Marine Inspections.

Prior to reporting to Activities Far East, she served as the Chief, Prevention Department at Sector Puget Sound, Seattle, Washington. There, she was responsible for a staff of 160 active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, ensuring the safety and security of the marine transportation system, commercial vessels, and regulated facilities across 3,500 square miles of navigable waterways in Northern Washington, Northern Idaho, and Montana.

Her diverse career also includes tours as the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Coordinator in the Office of Budget and Programs at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she coordinated all facets of the multi-year Federal budget process, including formulation and justification of the Coast Guard’s $13 billion annual budget; Chief, Investigations Division at Sector Puget Sound, Seattle, Washington; Investigating Officer at Sector Mobile, Mobile, Alabama; Officer Workforce Analyst at Coast Guard Headquarters in the Office of Workforce Forecasting and Analysis; and Waterways Management Representative and Apprentice Marine Inspector at Sector Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida.

Her awards include two Meritorious Service Medals, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, Marine Safety Insignia, and various service, unit, and team awards.

Hailing from Reading, Pennsylvania, she graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Operations Research and Computer Analysis in 2005. She also holds a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida.

CDR Moody is married to her husband Lee, and they have two sons, Abrahm and Emmet.