Coast Guard Launches Investigation After Hate Symbol Discovered at New Jersey Training Facility
Top leadership investigated and responded immediately to a hate symbol found in a lavatory at the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey.
Last Monday, officials spotted a swastika on a bathroom wall in one of the training facility’s buildings. The emblem was deleted quickly after its discovery Thursday. The incident has been referred to the Coast Guard Investigative Service.
The Cape May training center is the only USCG enlisted access point. About 900 recruits and staff work at the site.
Following the finding, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday went to the training center. Officials said he convened an obligatory all-hands meeting to address recruits and staff. In the discussion, he reinforced the service’s standards and stated that extreme ideology and hate symbols are not allowed.
Admiral Lunday strongly criticized the crime and said Coast Guard members who propagate hate-based ideology should not serve. He promised a strong response and stressed that the service will not be defined by single acts.
A Coast Guard official reaffirmed that the department has consistently rejected hate symbols and images linked with intimidation, hatred, and persecution. Officials said such behavior violates Coast Guard values.
The event follows internal hate symbol policies talks. Coast Guard regulation no longer called hate symbols “potentially divisive” in December. That modification followed public attention on proposed policy changes that would have allowed commanders to remove such symbols from public view without restricting private living places like family dwellings.
The Coast Guard openly said that it has zero tolerance for hate symbols, extreme ideology, and any activity that violates its standards. According to officials, statements to the contrary are false.
The investigation continues. Authorities have not disclosed who may have been responsible. Until the review is complete, Coast Guard officials have not signaled disciplinary action.
Federal agencies, especially uniformed forces, have strong codes of conduct to promote discipline, integrity, and respect. Hate symbol incidents are taken seriously since they might impact morale, trust, and the service’s goal.
Leadership has promised accountability and transparency during the review. The Coast Guard’s answer emphasizes its dedication to professional standards and swiftly addressing activity that violates its ideals.
Sources
United States Coast Guard
Coast Guard Investigative Service
