Family, friends, shipmates, and dignitaries gathered June 5 to honor Commander Karima A. Hantal, United States Coast Guard, at a formal retirement ceremony recognizing more than 21 years of exemplary service to the Nation. The ceremony celebrated Commander Hantal’s groundbreaking career as a Coast Guard officer and proud native of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
The program opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Araceli “Chelly” Bachner, followed by the arrival of the official party, the National Anthem, and a blessing delivered by Deacon Orien Donovan. Captain Carrie A. Wolfe, United States Coast Guard, offered presiding official remarks and led the presentation of awards and certificates, highlighting Commander Hantal’s leadership and impact across the Service.
A central moment of the ceremony was the reading of “The Watch,” the traditional poem marking the end of a service member’s watch and the passing of duties to the next generation of Coast Guard men and women. Commander Stephanie Washington delivered the reading, honoring Commander Hantal’s more than two decades of standing the watch so that others could “sleep soundly in safety.” Commander Hantal then provided her own remarks, reflecting on her career, her family, and the shipmates and mentors who shaped her journey. The program also featured an interpretive dance by Ms. Desiya Samuel and Ms. Demiya Henley, followed by the Coast Guard’s service song, “Semper Paratus,” the departure of the official party, and a reception in honor of Commander Hantal and her family.
Commander Hantal currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Commandant for Workforce and Family Services at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she advises on national policy and work-life programs that support more than 80,000 active-duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary personnel and their families. Over her career, she has specialized in prevention operations ashore, serving as a Marine Inspector at Sector New Orleans, Inspections Division Chief at Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, and Prevention Department Head and later Executive Officer at Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, Texas.
Her staff assignments have included Program Manager in the Office of Design and Engineering Standards, Flag State Control Administrator in the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance, and Ethnic Policy Advisor in the Office of Employee Engagement and Culture at Coast Guard Headquarters. She previously served in Naval Engineering roles as a Damage Control Assistant aboard USCGC DAUNTLESS (WMEC‑624) and as a Type Desk Manager and Program Depot Manager at Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic and the Surface Forces Logistics Center in Norfolk, Virginia.
Commander Hantal holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Her personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, and multiple unit and team awards. In a citation accompanying the award of a Gold Star in lieu of a second Meritorious Service Medal, Commander Hantal was recognized for her leadership as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Commandant for Workforce and Family Services and as Policy Advisor in the Office of Employee Engagement and Culture from June 2024 to September 2026. She was commended for single‑handedly executing a multi‑year, Congressionally mandated, holistic study on sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Service, coordinating over 120 expert interviews, compiling extensive policy documentation, and gathering a decade of accountability data to support an independent evaluation of Coast Guard climate and prevention programs. She also initiated a policy change that added more than 85 grooming products across Coast Guard Exchanges to better serve a diverse workforce, particularly at high‑density training and accession centers.
In a message from Government House, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. congratulated Commander Hantal on behalf of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, recognizing her as the first female Virgin Islander to graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the first Virgin Islands woman to attain the rank of Commander. He noted that a Virgin Islands flag was flown at Government House in her honor, citing her as a source of pride and inspiration who has “broken barriers and paved the way for future generations of Virgin Islanders.”
A native of St. Thomas and a graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, Commander Hantal is married to tech entrepreneur Ali C. Hantal of Istanbul, Türkiye; together, they enjoy traveling, skiing, boating, and spending time with family and friends. As she transitions from active duty service, Commander Hantal and Ali will relocate to the Virgin Islands in a few weeks and leave a legacy of operational excellence, policy leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the Coast Guard’s core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty.
