Snohomish County women connect in Coast Guard
Published 1:30 am Saturday, June 3, 2017
Ensign Savanna Fordham, a 2013 Monroe High School graduate, and 1st Class Cadet Megan Rice, a 2011 Snohomish High School graduate, connected this past year at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.
Both women studied naval architecture and marine engineering.
Fordham finished a year-long senior ship design. She received her commission as an ensign at a May 17 ceremony, where she was congratulated by President Donald Trump. She now reports to Kodiak, Alaska, to serve on board the Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Munro as a student engineer.
Rice is a member of the Academy’s class of 2018. In the fall, she will be executive officer of Bravo Company, making her second in command of one of eight cadet companies. This summer, she will train on board the Cutter Legare and work as a naval engineering intern.
“The reason I joined the Coast Guard was because of my lifestyle growing up,” Fordham told The Herald. “My dad is a commercial mariner, and I grew up on and around the water. I always saw the Coast Guard presence, knowing that they would keep him safe if something were to happen.
“I have always felt that I wanted to join the military, but I really liked the humanitarian aspect of the Coast Guard, with a larger focus on helping people than engaging in combat,” she said.
“Megan wanted to design ships, but for something bigger than a business. She felt the Coast Guard was more important, and that she could make more of a difference in a smaller service,” Fordham added. “She also thought our cutters were really awesome.”
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