Galveston resident named future captain of USTS General Rudder

Galveston resident Capt. Scott Putty has been named future captain of the USTS General Rudder.

Rear Admiral Robert Smith III, president and CEO of TAMUG and superintendent of the Texas Maritime Academy, announced that Putty will assume the duties of captain and master at a future date, according to a press release.

Capt. Jack Smith will conduct a transition with Putty as well as continue to serve on the faculty.

When Robert Smith made the announcement, he praised the service of Jack Smith, who was a member of the first class of TMA graduates.

"TMA cadets have received invaluable experience under Capt. Smith's tutelage aboard the General Rudder and will continue to benefit from his experience in the classroom," Robert Smith said in the release.

Putty graduated from Texas A&M at Galveston in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in marine transportation. He has been at sea since graduation and has been a master since 1991. He is also a lecturer at TAMUG.

"Capt. Putty is uniquely qualified to assume the leadership and mentoring roles as captain of the General Rudder," Robert Smith said in the release. "We are most fortunate that Scott has accepted this position."

Texas A&M University at Galveston is the maritime and marine-based branch campus of Texas A&M University. The special-purpose institution offers academic programs, research and service in marine and maritime studies.

TAMUG is home to the Texas Maritime Academy, the only maritime academy located on the Gulf Coast. TAMUG students are known as Sea Aggies and, like their College Station counter-parts, receive the Aggie Ring and a Texas A&M University diploma.