After graduating from the Coast Guard Academy, LT Adam Stanek served two tours on law enforcement cutters at sea, after which he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He now serves as a Finance Officer in Internal Controls and Financial Reporting at the Coast Guard Finance Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.

On his current assignment

“At the USCG Finance Center, I make monthly accounting adjustments to ensure the accuracy of the Coast Guard’s financial statements, as well as internally audit the processes we use to collect money, make payments, account for property, and report to our stakeholders. Overall, my job is to continually improve the efficient and effective management of government resources.”

On his studies at the Academy

“What I enjoyed most about the studying at the Academy was the camaraderie with my classmates. Having only 300 classmates allowed us to get to know each other well. From cadet life in the barracks to working as a team on the athletic field, to training up the younger classes, we truly developed life-long friends. Additionally, the small class-size and relatively small group of students in the management major made for a tight-knit learning environment that was fun and personal.”

On close faculty relationships

“The relationships I developed with Management faculty made a huge difference in my Academy experience. Professors made themselves available not only for academic help, but also to help with military and leadership challenges. I still reach out to my previous instructors for career and leadership advice.”

On lessons in leadership

“There are few places you can study that will prepare you to be a future leader. While in the Coast Guard or wherever you might work during your career, you need to know how to be a leader. The Academy and follow-on Coast Guard assignments provide rigorous leadership training that you cannot get anywhere else.”