Sun Coast Thanks are Veterans, most especially Capt. Holme

"Heroe Living Among Us"

Today Sun Coast Swim Team wants to thank all our great U.S. Veterans for the great freedoms we are blessed to have in our country! We would like to especially thanks to all the parents, families, and friends who are Veterans who protected our freedoms. We would like to most especially thank our team's founder and coach Capt. Thomas Holme. Not many know all about our Capt. Holme so let us take a moment to share about Sun Coast's own American hero!

In one’s life it is important to have real life heroes. Heroes inspire us to be more and go further than we think we can. In my world in Citrus County I am blessed that my family, and even more importantly my son and daughter, have two such Heroes in our lives. These two men are Captain Thomas Holme, US Navy (Ret.) and Captain Richard Tangmen, US Navy (Ret.). Both men are swim coaches with the Citrus County Parks and Recreation Sun Coast Swim Team, but they are far more than “just” swim coaches. Both Captains had inspirational collegiate careers and are highly decorated Naval Officers. Both Captains, after retiring from the Navy, became teachers at Crystal River High School and both have spent more than a decade as swim coaches in Citrus County, even after retiring from a second and third career. Each of these men has dedicated their lives each day to being great citizens in Citrus County, not simply as coaches in the water, but in life in general. It is one of the many reasons why that from their small swim program here in Citrus county which generally has only two or three high school seniors each year over the last 17 years since it began, with the work and influence of these to men, they have had over 22 young people that have gone on to swim collegiately at NCAA Division I, II, and III, including: FSU, US Naval Academy, Norwich University, Indian River, Florida Southern, VMI and others. In addition two of their swimmers have become Navy Seals. What makes these Captains such an inspiration and such impressive coaches may well have to do with their own life experiences. These men are teachers of the ideals of honesty, integrity, fair play and sportsmanship in addition to the life skills and values of hard work and dedication to oneself, family, community and country. Captain Thomas Holme, US Navy (Ret.)

Captain Holme, who is known to most of us as merely “Captain”, entered the US Navy in 1963 from the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Regular Program after graduating from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Later, in 1971, Captain Holme received a Master of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland. He was elected to Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society while at the University of Maryland.

Captain is a qualified submariner and a proven sub specialist in both Intelligence and Political/Military Strategic Planning. He attended Submarine School, Defense Intelligence School, and the Foreign Service Institute of the US Department of State. Captain Holme completed the nine-month Postgraduate Intelligence Program at the Defense Intelligence School in 1969 and returned in 1984 to pursue Attaché training.

Captain Holme has held a variety of assignments at sea and ashore. Captain Holme was Assistant Intelligence Officer for Commander Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet. He was commander of USS WATERFORD (ARD-5), from 1977 to 1979, served as Technical Advisor for the development of the first Docking Officer Curriculum ever written. Later, from 1980 to 1982, Captain Holme served first as Executive Officer of USS HOWARD W. GILMORE (AS-16), and the USS HOLLAND (AS-32). In 1982 Captain Holme returned to Commander Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Special Security and Special Operations

Following these assignment, Captain Holme served as Naval Attaché in Moscow in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. In October 1986, Captain Holme was declared "persona non grata" (e.g. "an unwelcome person”) by the Soviet Government and was expelled with his family in an act of political reciprocity. From 1986 to 1989, Captain Holme was assigned as Assistant National Intelligence Officer for General Purpose Forces on the staff of The National Intelligence Council. For his work there, the Director, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) awarded him the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement.

Captain Holme spent his last two years on active duty as Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Command, Orlando, Florida. During this assignment he became familiar with the Naval Junior ROTC Program by hosting units on their frequent orientation visits to the Navy's only coed boot camp.

Following retirement from the Navy, Captain Holme was not ready to simply retire and he became the Senior Naval Science Instructor at Crystal River High School for the Naval Junior ROTC Program. After over 10 years of services as the SNSI, Captain Holme became the Political Science teacher at CRHS and retired in 2007. During his time at CRHS he initiated the varsity swimming and diving programs at CRHS and served as Head Coach until the 2005 season, having coached to win more than a dozen FHSAA District Titles. In 1995 Captain Holme founded the Sun Coast Swim Team which has established itself as the source of many of Citrus County’s very best competitive athletes.

Captain Holme's personal decorations include: the Legion of Merit with gold star; the Defense Meritorious Service Medal; the Meritorious Service Medal; the Joint Service Commendation Medal; and the Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars.

Captains was a teachers to many of Citrus County’s finest individuals, including Coch Cliff Dyer and current Crystal River Mayor and former Citrus County Commissioner Joe Meek and his wife, Amy.  Former students and former colleagues often share their feelings about the impact Captain has had on their lives. Their work continues.  Often you will Captain at the Bicentennial Pool in Crystal River, Florida on the pool deck working with the young people of our community.  It doesn’t stop at the pool's edge either.  If a student is looking to plan for their college future, Holme is right there. If help is needed by a young person they are coaching or have coached or maybe someone who just stops by you can count on Captain to play a vital positive role in that person’s life.  As oa former swim parent once said to me about him “We all should be blessed enough to have a Captain in our lives’”.  We are blessed to have ours!