(This article originally appeared in the November 2026 issue of Military Officer magazine.)

Cmdr. Andrew Somplasky is the commanding officer of Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific, one of the Coast Guard’s premier deployable specialized forces. A 2007 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, his career has taken him around the world in support of national security and disaster response.

A Legacy of Service

“Like many of my peers, the events of 9/11 drove me to serve,” Somplasky said. “I also share a lineage of service through both grandparents, my father, and eventually both of my brothers.”

From the Field to the Future

“I am exceptionally fortunate to serve within the special missions forces community of the Coast Guard. I’ve deployed from the northernmost point in the U.S. to the Middle East, responded to Hurricane Maria, and worked at the Department of Homeland Security on Force Design 2028 initiatives to help advance the Coast Guard into the next generation.”

Lessons in Leadership

“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that you are responsible for everything that does or doesn’t happen. By accepting that fact, you remove the mindset that the problems you face are someone else’s to solve.

“I hope my continued service provides junior members the tools for success, just as the great leaders I served under did for me. Service teaches resilience. Whether you serve one enlistment or 30 years, you will be a different person when you hang up the uniform.”