Traveling Inspection Staff (CG-5P-TI)
Captain Robert C. Compher
202-372-1190
robert.c.compher@uscg.mil
Chief, Traveling Inspections Staff
Captain Compher assumed the duties as Chief Traveler in June of 2024. He leads a specialized staff of senior marine inspectors that provide professional commercial vessel knowledge, experience, and training to field commanders and commercial vessel inspectors to ensure safe, consistent application of requirements and to expand technical expertise throughout the program. The staff includes the Traveling Inspectors located at Coast Guard Headquarters, a Travelers Detachment in Texas City, TX, four National Centers of Expertise focused on the disciplines of Cruise Ships, Liquefied Gas Carriers, the Outer Continental Shelf, and Towing Vessels, and an Instructional Systems Specialist located at Training Center Yorktown, VA.
Captain Compher previously served as the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center, where he was the service’s lead technical authority for commercial vessel regulation and promoted marine safety and environmental protection through engineering review and approval of nearly 20,000 plans annually for the design, construction, and alteration of U.S. and foreign vessels, equipment, and offshore energy facilities. Captain Compher’s previous staff assignments include Chief of the Office of Design and Engineering Standards (CG-ENG). In this capacity, he led the development of safety and security standards for the commercial shipping industry and served as the U.S. Head of Delegation for the International Maritime Organization’s Ship Design and Construction Subcommittee. He also served under U.S. Northern Command where he led contingency planning and exercises for Department of Defense Joint and Interagency Arctic, Homeland Defense, Support to Civil Authorities, and Theater Security Cooperation missions.
Captain Compher’s first assignment was aboard the Cutter DAUNTLESS in 1997. His operational tours include service as a Marine Inspector, Port Operations Officer, and Senior Investigating Officer at Marine Safety Unit Galveston. From 2009 to 2012, he served as the Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles, leading the Coast Guard’s marine safety missions in the nation’s 11th largest port, and providing response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill for the parishes in Southwest Louisiana. He was assigned as Chief of Prevention at Coast Guard Sector Mobile from 2015 to 2018, where he was the Officer in Charge of Marine Inspections and oversaw commercial vessel inspections, investigations, waterways management, and aids to navigation in Mississippi, Alabama, and Northwest Florida.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the Coast Guard Academy, Master of Science degrees from the University of Michigan in Naval Architecture and Industrial Engineering, and graduate degrees from the Naval War College and Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. Captain Compher is a licensed Professional Engineer.
Captain Compher is the recipient of the Defense and Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Joint Service and Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and numerous other personal, unit, and service awards.
Captain Compher is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He and his wife Katy live in Maryland with their two children, Luke and Charlie.