First female Coast Guard Officer certified as ‘Officer of the Watch’

HISTORY WAS MADE in the St Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard Service (SVGCG) when Petty Officer, (PO) 780 Sasha Martin, became the first female to be certified as an Officer of the Watch.

PO Martin achieved this milestone after graduating from the Caribbean Military Academy in Jamaica, completing the Bridge Watchkeeping Course (BWKC) 01/2025 with an academic average of 89%, a release from the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVFPF) stats.

The training, which began on January 13, 2025, brought together officers from six nations- Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

To be able to take part in the course, PO Martin was temporarily promoted to the rank of Sub-Lieutenant.

The BWKC is designed to strengthen the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of participants, which are essential for effective watchkeeping duties aboard vessels, in alignment with international maritime standards. The course was delivered in four phases:

1. Theoretical Training – Core maritime subjects including First Aid, Navigation Fundamentals,Tides, Astronomy, Meteorology, Relative Velocity, and International Collision Regulations (COLREGs).

2. Officer of the Watch – Developing advanced competencies in navigation and vessel command.

3. Simulator Exercises – Full-mission bridge simulations under varied operational conditions, such as reduced visibility, traffic separation schemes, port approaches, and emergency responses, and 4. STCW Programme – International Standards for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping.