This article features Chief Boatswain’s Mate Travis Mills, USCG, Ret
Pitch black… it was almost midnight during winter in 2010. Most would have been sleeping soundly in their beds. Chief Mills was instead, driving a 47ft vessel into a severe storm to train how to save lives in extreme conditions. This was one night in a career that spanned 21 years and numerous stations around the world.
Chief Mills was born back in the 1900’s in Havre De Grace, MD. His father was a career Air Force Pilot and Officer for 32 years which began the foundation for Chief’s love of the military and sense of service. He enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 2002 and reported to boot camp. After graduation he was stationed on the USCGC Beluga, an 87ft patrol boat, at Little Creek, Virginia from 2002-2005 earning advancement to E-4. His primary duties included at sea boardings, navigation, damage control, and shipboard operations. As the war in Iraq was in full swing, Chief Mills volunteered to take his skill set to the Middle East and was given the green light.
Chief’s first tour in Iraq began in the summer of 2005 and ended the following summer. His duties included multinational security of marine critical infrastructure, at sea boardings, shipboard operations, and insurgency deterrence. After his one-year tour, Chief Mills received his new assignment to USCGC Block Island, a 110ft patrol boat homeported in Atlantic Beach, NC. This would be home from 2006-2008 and where he would advance to E-5. During a routine offshore patrol, his ship was diverted for a search and rescue case. A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier had lost a plane during takeoff. Once on scene, the Block Island launched assets, including Chief Mills, to assist with recovery efforts. During this evolution, another aircraft carrier arrived on scene to assist. To see both of these giant steel beasts underway and that close in proximity to one another, was one of the most awe-inspiring sights that few have ever seen. With the war in Iraq still ongoing, Chief Mills once again volunteered to take his skill set to the Middle East.
Touchdown came in winter 2008 with a transfer to USCGC Monomoy. One of six 110ft Coast Guard patrol boats operating in Iraq under the U.S. Navy at the time. His duties included multinational marine critical infrastructure security, at sea boardings, deterrence of Iranian military incursions, insurgency deterrence, and shipboard operations. During a port call in Bahrain, a small island off the coast of Saudi Arabia, Chief Mills met his future wife and mother to their three children. After returning from the war, Chief was transferred to USCG Station Rehoboth Beach, DE.
Life at a Coast Guard Station is very different from living on a ship. 48/72-hour shifts, daily underway evolutions, and significantly more search and rescue cases.
During this tour from 2009-2014, Chief Mills earned a unique certification as a Heavy Weather Coxswain and advancement to E-6. This certification allowed him to operate the 47ft motor lifeboat in seas up to 20ft to ensure safe and prompt response times during severe weather. The 47ft motor lifeboat is capable of capsizing and re-righting itself, making it a robust asset in storm or surf operations. As summer 2014 approached, the Mills family would be on the move again.
This time, the move would be international to Puerto Rico with two kids and two dogs. They were heading to the USCGC Richard Dixon and Chief was getting back on a ship as a plank owner (first crew of a ship). The Dixon was a brand new, state of the art, 154ft Fast Response Cutter. Operations included counter drug and alien migrant interdiction operations. During his time in the Caribbean Chief Mills was certified as a Pursuit Mission Commander. This certification allowed him to lead a team for direct drug interdiction operations. Along with his pursuit crew, they were responsible for seizing over $150 million dollars in illicit narcotics from smugglers of multiple nations. Despite a great life in the Caribbean from 2014-2106, Chief would soon be on the move again. This time the Mills Family would moving to Crescent City, CA with a transfer to the USCGC Dorado. The Dorado was an 87ft patrol boat.
Reporting during the summer of 2016, Chief Mills would become the Operations Officer on the ship, responsible for weapons, navigation, logistics, at sea boardings, and shipboard operations. While on the Dorado, he would operate from Washington state down to San Diego conducting search and rescue, counter drug, and security operations and earned advancement to E-7. In 2018 the call came, and the Mills family was on the move again. This time they would be headed back East to Maryland for the final tour.
In July of 2018, Chief Mills reported to Sector Maryland-NCR as the Ready for Operations Team Lead. This role would allow him to utilize the past 16 years of experience to conduct operational evaluations on units under the Sector Maryland-NCR AOR. Responsible for evaluations of 11 units, Chief Mills was able to leverage his operational experience to ensure the highest standards of operational readiness and safety. In July of 2023, Chief Mills retired from active duty after 21 years of faithful service.
Today Chief lives quietly in Cecil County Maryland with is wife of 15 years, three children, and two pups. He is the owner of Fully Promoted Aberdeen, a branded apparel and promotional products business located in Aberdeen, MD.
Read more articles from VOM Magazine here: www.veteransoutreachministries.org/vom-magazine
