Military Spotlight: CDR Heidi Koski
Women in the military exemplify strength, leadership, and dedication, inspiring future generations and breaking barriers along the way. One remarkable example is CDR Heidi Koski, the Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City. Her story celebrates the legacy of female leadership and the importance of empowering girls to reach their fullest potential in any field they choose.
Originally from Mocksville, North Carolina, this Girl Scout alum now calls Chesapeake, Virginia, home. Koski’s most memorable Girl Scout achievements included earning the Girl Scout Silver Award and the Girl Scout Gold Award while a member of the then Tarheel Triad Girl Scout Council in central North Carolina. Her journey to become a Commanding Officer with the U.S. Coast Guard began when she graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2004 where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Upon receiving her commission as an officer, she reported to the CGC Vigilant in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as Student Engineer. Two years later, she reported to Naval Engineering Support Unit in Portsmouth, Virginia, where she served as Port Engineer. She then attended the University of Maryland where she earned her Master’s of Science in Reliability Engineering. Her career journey included serving as Patrol Boat Systems Manager, Surface Forces Logistics Center Patrol Board Product Line Programmed Depot Maintenance Branch Chief and an assignment to Strategic Resource Branch, the Coast Guard Atlantic Area responsible for budget planning and capability initiatives.
Koski was recognized along with five other female leaders by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast on May 1, 2025, at the d’Art Center in Norfolk, during the 2025 Famous Formers event, a celebration of Girl Scouting and its legacy of leadership. The Famous Formers award honors female entrepreneurs, visionaries, and business leaders who were Girl Scouts in their youth, and who have made a difference through high levels of achievement in their professional activities and volunteer efforts.
At the celebration, Koski shared some of the ways that Girl Scouts impacted her professional experiences, “My Girl Scouting experience has really been a lifelong one. Girl Scouts set me up for success in my decision in joining the military. My most favorite memories include summer camp, where I learned independence and how to be on my own from a young age, and how to interact with others from all walks of life. Learning that independence set me on my way to know who I was as a person, what my values were, and how to stand up for myself and what I believed in. That has absolutely served me well in my career in the military.”
As we look to the future, let’s continue supporting and inspiring girls to reach their fullest potential in any field they choose, knowing they can make a lasting impact just like CDR Heidi Koski and many others before her. Gold Award Girl Scouts, like Koski, enter the military one rank higher. Our council footprint includes some of the largest military installations in the country, and we're at the ready with tried-and-true programming and a supportive network that allows girls, and adult volunteers, to continue their unique leadership journeys.
