NCGMA Newsletter 2025 (Fall)

FALL 2025
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Beaming with Excitement
Why We Give
What is Smart Giving
Commemorative Group
Paver Program
STORIES
THAT
MATTER
FALL 2025
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PRESIDENT OF THE
NATIONAL COAST GUARD
MUSEUM ASSOCIATION
With 2025 rapidly drawing to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on what has been a truly
tremendous year for the National Coast Guard Museum. Together, we have reached remarkable
milestones—each made possible through your generosity, enthusiasm, and steadfast belief in this
historic project.
Indeed, as this publication goes to print, we are achieving yet another major milestone: the placement
of the final steel beam atop the Museum structure. This symbolic moment represents not just the
progress of construction, but the enduring strength and unity of the entire Coast Guard family and
our supporters nationwide.
As we move into the New England winter months, our work continues. Our dedicated teams remain
focused on advancing every aspect of the project—from interior systems to exhibit preparation—
ensuring steady momentum toward opening day.
Looking ahead to 2026, excitement continues to build as we prepare for one of the most anticipated
installations in the Museum: the Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter that will take center stage in
the atrium. In partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, we are carefully planning the transport and
installation of this remarkable macro artifact within an active construction environment—a complex
and thrilling undertaking that will truly bring the Museum to life.
Beyond that, our sights are firmly set on the next great moment: the commissioning of the Museum
building in 2026. This will mark the formal completion of construction and the official turnover of the
building to the U.S. Coast Guard—a proud and historic day for all of us.
At this season of thanks, I want to reiterate once again my heartfelt appreciation for all of you. Thank
you for continuing to stand with us. Your support ensures that the stories, service, and sacrifice of
those who have served will soon have the home they so richly deserve.
CAPT Wes Pulver, USCG (Ret.)
President, National Coast Guard Museum Association
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

Steel beam installation is currently underway as a critical phase in the structural
construction of the National Coast Guard Museum. These beams form the
framework that will support the museum’s multi-level design and withstand the
environmental demands of its coastal location. Photo was taken on September 7.
FALL 2025
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

BEAMING WITH EXCITEMENT
The architectural renderings created by Payette present a striking vision of what the National Coast Guard Museum will become. The
photographs taken during the current steel-beam construction phase reveal how that vision is taking shape: the foundation is complete,
and the structural framework is steadily rising. Although the polished exterior finishes shown in the renderings have not yet been added,
the core geometry, scale, and orientation of the building are already evident, allowing viewers to clearly imagine the finished design. These
photos were captured in mid-September, and by the time this publication reaches our supporters, the full five-story steel structure is expected
to be complete.
FALL 2025
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

The National Coast Guard Museum
is more than a building—it is the
embodiment of honor, sacrifice, and
service. It will stand as a permanent tribute
to the men and women of the United States
Coast Guard who have safeguarded our
Nation’s waters and people for generations.
This year, two remarkable Coast Guard
veterans—Captain Kenneth D. Appleton,
USCGR (Ret.) and BMC Todd Rule, USCG
(Ret.)—are serving as year-end matching gift
donors. Both men believe so profoundly in this
mission that they are challenging others to join
them in ensuring the Coast Guard’s story is
preserved for generations to come.
KENNETH D.
APPLETON,
USCGR (RET.):
GIVING BACK TO THE
SERVICE THAT GAVE
HIM EVERYTHING
For Kenneth Appleton, the Coast Guard was
more than a career—it was a calling that
shaped his life across 26 years of service.
Entering during the draft era, he began
as Assistant Director of the Coast Guard
Auxiliary in the 7th District and went on to
hold critical leadership positions across the
the continental U.S. and Hawaii, culminating
as Chief of the Readiness Division at Coast
Guard Headquarters. His work spanned
reserve mobilization, readiness, war and
contingency planning, and even a recall to
active duty after retirement to serve as liaison
to the Department of Defense.
“The Coast Guard provided me with the most
rewarding career I could imagine,” Appleton
reflects. “It is my turn to give something back.”
For Appleton, supporting the Museum is both
THE U.S. COAST
GUARD IS THE LAST
OF THE LEGACY
ARMED SERVICES
TO HAVE ITS
OWN MUSEUM
DEDICATED AS A
MEMORIAL TO ALL
WHO SERVED.
—KENNETH D.
APPLETON,
USCGR (RET.)
deeply personal and profoundly historic. He
emphasizes that the Coast Guard remains the
only branch of the legacy Armed Services
without a national museum dedicated to
preserving its legacy.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is the last of the legacy
Armed Services to have its own museum
dedicated as a memorial to all who served,”
he says. “This Museum will finally give our
Service the recognition it deserves.”
Appleton also gives in memory of his father,
who served aboard the cutter Taney during
World War II. His father’s quiet bravery—
once describing a kamikaze attack that
nearly struck his ship as simply being “kind
of busy that day”—left a lasting impression
of duty, humility, and sacrifice.
“I don’t want our heroes ever to be forgotten,”
Appleton explains. “Everyone who has
served in the Coast Guard already knows our
rich and proud history. Now it’s time to make
sure the rest of the world does too.”
BMC TODD RULE,
USCG (RET.)
A CHIEF’S
CHALLENGE TO THE
NEXT GENERATION:
For Boatswain’s Mate Chief Todd Rule, pride
in service is etched into every memory of his
22-year Coast Guard career. From cutters
like the Acushnet and Dependable to posts
FALL 2025
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MY WORST DAY IN THE COAST GUARD WAS
GREAT. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WERE NO
BAD DAYS IN THE COAST GUARD.
—BMC TODD RULE, USCG (RET.)
in New Orleans and Gulfport, Rule lived
the Coast Guard’s missions—saving lives,
protecting property, and serving alongside
shipmates who became lifelong friends.
“The Coast Guard shaped my adult life,”
Rule says. “I grew in ways I never knew were
possible. My worst day in the Coast Guard
was great. In other words, there were no bad
days in the Coast Guard.”
One of his proudest moments was achieving
the rank of Chief Petty Officer, a responsibility
he carries with immense pride. To this day,
his unique CCTI hat box remains a personal
symbol of that achievement and the
camaraderie of the Chief’s community.
“Making Chief was my proudest moment,”
Rule recalls. “That achievement represented
not just my career, but the bond I share with
every Chief in this great service.”
Now retired, Rule continues to live by the
Chief’s creed of leadership, mentorship, and
service. That’s why he’s stepping forward as
a matching gift donor and issuing a personal
challenge:
“I wish to challenge all Chiefs to give to
our National Coast Guard Museum,” Rule
says, “where our legacy will be forged for
eternity—for the world to see on display, the
fi nest sea-going service in the world.”
A CALL TO ACTION
Both CAPT Appleton and BMC Rule believe in the transformative power of this
Museum. It will be a place of education, inspiration and remembrance—a home where
Coast Guard families, veterans, and future generations can come to understand the proud
history of the Service.
By serving as matching gift donors this year, they are multiplying the impact of every contribution. Their generosity
doubles the power of giving, ensuring that the Coast Guard’s story is told with the dignity, honor, and permanence
it deserves.
As the year comes to a close, they ask you to join them. Step forward. Give back. And help open the doors to a
Museum that will preserve the legacy of the Coast Guard for centuries to come.
Because when we give, we ensure that no hero is ever forgotten.
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

the
NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION'S
MATCHING CHALLENGE
DOUBLE YOUR
IMPACT
FREE TOTE
WITH GIFT
OF $60 OR
MORE
$100,000 Matching Gift Challenge
From now until December 31, 2025, BMC Todd Rule, USCG (Ret.)
and CAPT Kenneth D. Appleton, USCGR (Ret.) will match all gifts
from supporters like you up to a total of $100,000!
Make your contribution today to ensure your gift will be
doubled in value!
cgmuseumassociation.org/year-end
FALL 2025
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

WHAT IS
SMART GIVING?
Also referred to as non-cash giving, these gifts offer significantly more
tax savings for donors and are powerful ways to support our mission
in real-time without dipping into cash reserves. If you own stock or
cryptocurrency or have an IRA or a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), explore how
you can support the National Coast Guard Museum Association with these
tax-savvy giving vehicles.
QUALIFIED CHARITABLE
DISTRIBUTION (QCD)
If you are 70.5 or older with a traditional IRA, you’re eligible
to participate in one of the most tax-savvy ways to support our
organization: donating directly from your IRA. This is also called
a qualified charitable distribution, or an IRA charitable rollover.
QCDs can only be taken out of an IRA. 401(k)s do not qualify and
are subject to regular taxes. Gifts are always tax-free, regardless
of whether you itemize on your return. This is one of the only ways
to make a donation without dipping into your taxable income.
Beginning in 2025, you can give up to $108,000 per year out
of your IRA tax-free.
STOCKS &
SECURITIES
By donating stock directly rather than selling it and donating the
cash proceeds, there’s no capital gains tax to pay. Generally
speaking, capital gains tax is a tax on the profit you make from
selling your stock. The federal capital gains tax rate can be as
high as 20% on stock held for more than one year, and some
states have their own method of taxing capital gains as well. If
you donate stock you’ve held for more than one year and itemize
deductions, you can generally deduct the full fair market value of
the stock.
DONOR-ADVISED FUND
(DAF)
With more than $72B being held in Donor-Advised Funds
nationwide, the potential for change is enormous. When you
recommend a grant from your DAF today, you enable our
organization to tap into these resources and immediately advance
our mission. If you have a DAF, now is the perfect time to make an
impact. More donors are using DAFs to help us achieve our mission
without dipping into their cash reserves.
CRYPTOCURRENCY
Cryptocurrency is digital currency existing on the blockchain
(a way to store transactional data that is decentralized and
distributed). Crypto is virtual currency, which is considered to be
property by the IRS. Crypto is increasingly being used as a way
to buy goods and services, as well as investment vehicles for long
and short-term gains, similar to property or stocks. About 41 million
adults, or 16% of the U.S. population, owns cryptocurrency, and
cryptocurrency donations surpassed $500M in 2021.
When donors give crypto directly to charity instead of selling it
and giving cash, they don’t have to pay capital gains taxes. They
also may receive a federal tax deduction against their income
tax for the full value of the gift. Many donors choose to pass on
these savings to the nonprofit they’re giving to, which allows for
larger gifts.
Donating through any of these options doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful, and our partnerships with The
Giving Block and FreeWill make it painless and fast. You will be guided through the donation process in under 10 minutes, no
sensitive information required. Please visit our website to learn more and make your Smart gift today!
cgmuseumassociation.org/how-to-make-a-gift
Any of the gifts noted above will need to be processed by our organization before December 31st to be counted for 2025, therefore
completing your gift before the end of the calendar year also ensures it counts for the current tax year.
FALL 2025
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YOUR STORIES. YOUR MUSEUM.
COMMEMORATING COAST GUARD HISTORY
BRICK BY BRICK
From honoring personal journeys to those who we have lost too soon, the commemorative paver program of the
National Coast Guard Museum is a testament to those who have dedicated their lives to serve our Nation. We
are humbled by your Service and your stories.
Honoring Service and Ancestry
The paver inscription is written in Ōlelo Hawaiʻi
(Hawaiian language), which translates to:
Honor, Respect, Devotion to Duty.
The scripture references Ioane (John) 15:13,
which states, “Greater love has no one than
this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
The paver honors the service members of the
U.S. Coast Guard, who our family worked and
served with for 30 years on land, at sea, and in
the air and recognizes our family’s Hawaiian
ancestry.
—Charles Peraro
A Career Dedicated to Local Service
This paver is to honor father/husband, Willis “Paul” Miller, who served
23 years from 1954 to 1977. He started his career aboard “Old
Mother” FIR (WLM-212) out of Seattle; moved on to the CG Station
Point Adams at the mouth of the Columbia River, where he served during
a dreadful night in 1961 when five of his fellow crew members were
lost attempting to save two fishermen. He went on to serve as Officer
in Charge at Light Station Slip Point, WA; XPO at STA Cape ‘D’, Recruit
Trainer at Alameda; Plank Owner aboard CGC Boutwell (WHEC-719);
1st LT aboard Laurel (WLB-291); CO of Lightship Relief (WLV – 605);
Deputy at Group Coos Bay, OR; XO at Station Grays Harbor; and
finally as CO of CGC White Lupine (WLM – 546).
His last assignment ended too early, retiring with terminal cancer, and
passed away only a month later. He was only 42 years old.
—Dan Miller
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

A Family Legacy of Service
My name is MST1 Mario H. Nacinovich. I entered the USCG in November of 1983 and did my boot camp at Cape May. I served on two cutters
in the Pacific and the Atlantic and was discharged as an EM3 into the active reserves and finally retired as an MST1. I give all my credit to entering
the best service in the world to my dear father Mario who was a port security reserve senior chief. He was formerly active Army, and he liked it but
really loved the Coast Guard. When he entered, I was 8 years old. I grew
up with the Coast Guard. I was on Governor’s Island for the Bicentennial
celebration and the parade of tall ships including our flagship Eagle. When
it came time for me to enter the service, I was going to join the Army—in
my father’s footsteps. He reminded me that he was drafted into the Army
before his enlistment in the Coast Guard. If given the choice, he would have
selected the Coast Guard. God bless him. He was a great Coastie, chief,
father and best friend. He is sorely missed.
— Mario Nacinovich
Proud To Serve My Country
Born in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico, I immigrated to
the United States as a child. I obtained a green card through
President Reagan’s Immigration Reform and Control Act
(IRCA-1986), which paved the way for citizenship. Armed
with a resolute determination to succeed, I enlisted in the
United States Coast Guard in 1992.
My service commenced onboard CGC Active (WMEC-210)
in Port Angeles, Washington, where I rapidly developed
essential skills and earned my temporary Cutterman’s Pin.
I advanced swiftly through the enlisted ranks and was
accepted to Officer Candidate School in 1999. As a
commissioned officer, I held command positions on CGC
Ocracoke, CGC Sapelo, and CGC Decisive. Additionally,
I had the distinction of commanding the Health, Safety,
and Work-Life (HSWL) Service Center and serving as the
Commander - Coast Guard Military Treatment Facility (MTF)
from 2022 to 2024.
I take immense pride in my journey from Seaman Apprentice
to Captain. I am proud to have commanded the same class
of Coast Guard cutter where I began my career as an
enlisted member.
—Jose Martis
FALL 2025
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COMMEMORATIVE
GROUP PAVER
PROGRAM:
LEAVING A COLLECTIVE
LEGACY ON THE ARGUS
PROMENADE
Right: Architectural render of the Revenue
Cutter Argus Promenade.
Below: Rendering of how the Coast Guard
Combat Veterans Association group paver
layout might look.
When the National Coast Guard
Museum opens its doors, visitors
will be welcomed by the Argus
Promenade—a sweeping waterfront walkway
built not just from stone, but from stories. Among
the most powerful of these stories will be those
told through the special group paver arrays:
markers that honor organizations, associations,
and communities whose collective spirit has
shaped the Coast Guard and supported its
people.
WHAT IS THE COMMEMORATIVE
GROUP PAVER PROGRAM?
Group pavers provide an opportunity for
chapter organizations, associations, informal
networks, and civic organizations to join forces
and be remembered or show their solidarity
together.
GROUPS LEADING THE WAY
The Coast Guard Aviation Association (CGAA),
Coast Guard Combat Veterans Association
(CGCVA) and the Benevolent Order of the Elks,
Connecticut Chapters are already showing how
this program can amplify impact.
As organizations representing specialized
Coast Guard communities, the CGAA and
CGCVA have ensured their organizations are
represented and the service of their members is
honored as part of the national story.
The CGAA decided to purchase an initial
number of pavers to recognize key members of
their Hall of Honor ensuring these Coast Guard
aviation trailblazers are commemorated at the
Museum. The CGCVA took a different approach
and engaged its individual members, enlisting
support to purchase pavers representing units,
ships, or groups’ service in conflicts, to be
included in their group array and memorialized
on the Argus Promenade.
As a civic organization outside the Coast
Guard family but deeply committed to veterans’
causes, the Connecticut Elks show how nonmilitary
groups can stand in solidarity and be
recognized for their support. Individual chapters
within the state of Connecticut will show their
pride in our Coast Guard and their communities
on each paver.
WHY GROUP PAVERS MATTER
Every name etched into the promenade tells
a story of commitment. For these groups, the
pavers show the power of collective legacy:
shipmates, colleagues, and communities
standing together to honor their service
and the Coast Guard. They also create a
powerful rallying point—mobilizing members,
strengthening networks, and leaving a visible
tribute that future generations will walk across
with pride.
JOIN THE PATHWAY OF LEGACY
The Argus Promenade will be a living tribute, and
your organization can be part of it. Whether you
are a Coast Guard chapter, a veterans’ group,
or a civic organization, a group array ensures
your community’s story will be remembered
alongside those who have served.
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION

GROUP PAVER INSTALLATION DESIGN
There are four group installation designs. Depending on
the size of your group at the time of initial purchase, a
design will be selected and oriented within the Argus
Promenade by the museum’s architectural design experts.
Final review of design and layout will be confi rmed with
each group prior to installation. Custom inscriptions for
each individual paver will be inscribed according to
paver specifi cations.
10-20 pavers
30-50 pavers
20-40 pavers
50-76 pavers
Center Paver
Engraved
Future Expansion
Blank
NOW IS THE TIME TO COME
TOGETHER, SECURE YOUR
PLACE, AND BUILD A PATHWAY
OF LEGACY AT THE NATIONAL
COAST GUARD MUSEUM.
For more information, contact the
National Coast Guard Museum Association
860-443-4200 or
info@coastguardmuseum.org
FALL 2025
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National Coast Guard Museum Association
125 Eugene O’Neill Drive, Suite 300
New London, CT 06320
The National Coast Guard Museum Association is recognized as a top-rated
charity with a Gold Seal of Transparency by Candid (formerly Guidestar),
an organization that helps individuals make informed giving decisions.
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NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ASSOCIATION