After leaving the Seventh District. thenLieutenant Commander Howe was assigned as Executive Officer aboard USCGC Northland. homeported in Portsmouth. Virginia. Due to his indepth understanding and mastery of naval operations. he was then detailed as the Coast Guard Liaison to the Naval Doctrine Command in Norfolk. Virginia. where he conceived and wrote from scratch the Coast Guards first ever tactical manual for counter drug and migrant interdiction operations. Next. Commander Howe earned command of the 270foot cutter Tampa. homeported in Portsmouth. Virginia. leading his crew to several notable drug seizures and receiving the highest readiness evaluation ever achieved for a likesized cutter.