A 1991 graduate of Dolores High School, Chief Petty Officer Jason Nowlin recently retired from the U.S. Coast Guard after 20 years of service.

Upon his graduation from boot camp in Cape May, N.J. and Gunners Mate “A” school, he was first assigned to the 14th District Armory in Honolulu, Hawaii, as a small arms instructor until assigned in 1994 to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis as weapons systems captain and boarding team member.

In 1996, Nowlin was assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus, with primary duties as weapons and law enforcement petty officer. Their main missions were search and rescue and fisheries patrol off the coast of New Jersey, with deployments south to the Caribbean involving counter narcotics and AMIO operations.

In 1998, he reported to MSO Portland, Maine, where his primary duties included facility inspections supervisor, pollution investigator, federal on-scene coordinators representative, explosives handling supervisor, port state control boarding officer and harbor safety officer. In 2001 he reported to MSD Massena, N.Y. where his primary duties were weapons and law enforcement petty officer, ballast water examiner, and small arms instructor, training District 9 Units in law enforcement and weapons tactics, working with local, state and federal agencies on counter narcotics and AMIO missions.

In 2005 Nowlin reported to Sector New York, where his primary duties included container inspections supervisor, explosives handling supervisor and port state control officer, until assigned as a team leader for tactical operations. As law enforcement chief for the unit and on-scene commander for Governors Island, he was involved in several major operations during high-profile events including UNGA, July Fourth, New Years Eve, and World Series Celebrations, and several presidential visits, with his team conducting several major drug interdictions and environmental crimes cases.

In July 2010, he reported to Sector Northern New England, where he served until his retirement in July 2011.

Chief Petty Officer Jason Nowlin (ret.) is the son of Steve and Kathy Nowlin of Dolores, and the grandson of Les and Alta Phillips, Betty Nowlin, and Lee and Corky Nowlin of Cortez.