Deputy National Commodores
The Auxiliary has four Deputy National Commodores (DNACO) who report to the Vice National Commodore. Three are elected, and one is appointed (*).
Each DNACO has a specific set of operational areas he or she is responsible for, with one or more of the appointed Assistant National Commodores (staff officers) reporting in. Additionally, each of the three elected DNACOs (O, RBS, and MS) are the reporting point for approximately one third of the 16 District Commodores, grouped by geographical area, who are elected every two years to lead their local membership.
We invite you to review the content below and find out more about the Deputy National Commodores.
Deputy National Commodore, Recreational Boating Safety & Atlantic East
Commodore John Krogmann
Commodore John C. Krogmann, from Catawba, Virginia joined the Auxiliary in 2002. He has served in various elected and appointed positions at the flotilla, division and district levels, most recently as District Commodore of the Fifth District Southern Region. Commodore Krogmann graduated from Bridgewater College and currently works in the Petroleum Industry and serves as the President of Catawba Energy, Inc.
Deputy National Commodore, Mission Support & Atlantic West
Commodore Sonny Thatch
Commodore Sonny Thatch joined the Auxiliary in 2003 and has served in every elected position, most recently serving as District Commodore of District Ninth Western Region from 2023 through 2024. In his professional career, Commodore Thatch serves as Managing Attorney with Chicagoland’s largest human services not-for-profit. He received his Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University.
Deputy National Commodore, Operations & Pacific Area
Commodore Michael Bozarth
Commodore Michael “Boz” Bozarth is a lifetime waterman with a SAR and Wilderness First Responder background. Most recently, he served as District Commodore of Eleven Southern Region from 2022-2024. In addition to his leadership roles, he is an “Operational Auxiliarist, Coxswain, and Instructor. He recently retired from his business career as a hands-on executive with a history of success in and out of the boardroom.
Deputy National Commodore – Information Technology & Planning
Commodore Linda Merryman
Commodore Linda Merryman, from Pahrump, Nevada, joined the Auxiliary in 1981. She served in many positions at all levels, most recently as Deputy National Commodore Information Technology and Planning from 2016 through 2024. She has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Maryland and is retired from the field of Information Technology, where she specialized in project management and strategic coordination.