SAME Charleston Monthly Meeting – September 2025
WHEN: Wednesday, 10 July 2025 | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
WHERE: Porter Room at Holy City Brewing, 1021 Aragon Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
WHAT: US Coast Guard Industry Day & Top Golf Evening Event
OVERVIEW – INDUSTRY DAY
The U.S. Coast Guard Base Charleston and the Facilities Design and Construction Center (FDCC) are excited to present to the Society of American Military Engineers – Charleston Post an in-depth overview of the Coast Guard’s operations and infrastructure initiatives in the Lowcountry region. The presentation will begin with an overview of the Coast Guard’s organizational structure and its 11 statutory missions, highlighting its critical role in maritime safety, security, and national defense. Attendees will learn about the force laydown in the Lowcountry region, including the strategic positioning of assets and personnel to support mission execution. The discussion will also cover current infrastructure projects, such as pier recapitalization efforts and the construction of a new administrative building, which are vital to enhancing operational capabilities. Finally, presenters will share future development plans for the new Base Charleston Campus, offering insights into long-term projects designed to support the Coast Guard’s evolving needs. This event provides a valuable opportunity for industry professionals to engage with Coast Guard leaders and explore collaboration opportunities in support of these initiatives.
OVERVIEW – TOP GOLF
Swing into a great night with SAME Charleston! Join us at Topgolf North Charleston (5000 Topgolf Way) from 6–9 PM for food, drinks, and plenty of tee time. Your ticket covers it all – so bring your A-game and let’s have some fun!
SPEAKERS
Captain Eric Jones
Commanding Officer
U.S. Coast Guard
Base Charleston
BIO
Captain (CAPT) Eric Jones assumed duties as Commanding Officer of Base Charleston in June 2023, serving as the mission support touchpoint for Coast Guard operations across northern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Integrating all facets of the new Base buildout – the future operational center of gravity. Base Charleston hosts numerous tenant commands and sub-units, providing depot-level maintenance in Naval and Electronics Engineering, along with Logistics, Administrative, Financial, Procurement, and Health Care services—Supporting People and Operations. Previously, CAPT Jones served as the Long Range Enforcer Product Line Manager at the Surface Forces Logistics Center, directing fleet-wide lifecycle support for Hull, Mechanical & Electrical (HM&E) and Weapons Systems. His portfolio included 9 National Security Cutters, Polar Star, Healy, and Alex Haley, all engaged in high-visibility global operations. Prior assignments include Senior Service School as a Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA. Executive Officer at Base Portsmouth, VA, overseeing support for more than 100 operational units, and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support at CG Headquarters, Washington, D.C., managing strategy, policy, and resources for the 15,000-member, $4B enterprise.
Following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1998, CAPT Jones’ first assignment was aboard Courageous (WMEC 622) in Panama City, FL. Subsequent roles included Mechanical Section Chief for the Great Lakes Ice Breaker project, where he collaborated with international ice-breaking experts to procure the Coast Guard’s first Azipod propulsion plant, and Port Engineer at Naval Engineering Support Unit Boston. He later served as Chief Engineer aboard Mellon (WHEC 717), leading engineering efforts during a Southeast Asia deployment, and Logistics Department Head at Sector Honolulu, overseeing operational readiness. CAPT Jones holds a Bachelor of Science from South Carolina State University and two Master of Science degrees: one in Engineering Management from George Washington University and another in System Design & Management from MIT, along with a Graduate Certificate in Technical Leadership from MIT. He is also a Project Management Professional (PMP). His personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (four), Coast Guard Commendation Medal (two), and numerous personal and unit commendations. In 2014, he received the Captain D. Jarvis Inspirational Leadership Award, and in 2022, he was the Coast Guard’s BEYA Stars and Stripes Award recipient. A native of Norway, SC, CAPT Jones is married to NeKeshia of Anderson, SC, and they have one adult son, Lawrence.
Laura Smolinski, PE
Construction Project Manager
U.S. Coast Guard
Facilities Design & Construction Center
BIO
Laura Smolinski is a Civil Engineer and Construction Project Manager with the U.S. Coast Guard Facilities Design and Construction Center (FDCC) headquartered out of Norfolk, Virginia. Ms. Smolinski is one of two engineers assigned to the Charleston area to plan and construct the Coast Guard’s new 64-acre campus located on the former Charleston Naval Complex. This $1-Billion effort will support the homeporting of ten major cutters and construct facilities necessary to operate and maintain these assets. Ms. Smolinski retired from the Coast Guard in 2023 after 22-years of service. She received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2001 and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2007. She is a 2010 recipient of the SAME Oren Medal. Originally from Casselberry, Florida, Ms. Smolinski currently resides on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with her fiancé Charles and their dog Diggado.