Flour Bluff Independent School District has announced that U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan will serve as commencement speaker for its upcoming graduation ceremony.
Ruskan serves as a helicopter rescue swimmer at Air Station Corpus Christi, where he trains for and conducts search and rescue missions ranging from offshore medical evacuations to flood rescues. He is a trained Aviation Survival Technician with certifications in swift water rescue, urban search and rescue and aviation survival techniques.
The announcement comes after Ruskan was thrust into national headlines when he helped save more than 169 lives during the Fourth of July weekend flooding that devastated Texas’ Hill Country.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas A&M Task Force 1 requested federal assistance once the scale of the flooding became apparent. Two units were dispatched from Sector Corpus Christi — a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter — and a second helicopter was sent from Houston.
Ruskan told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in July that his Sector Corpus Christi team included Lt. Blair Ogujiofor, AMT3 Seth Reeves and Lt. Ian Hopper. What was expected to be a one-hour flight stretched to seven or eight hours before the crew could reach the rescue zone.
“I was inspired to get in there and help the victims out after seeing them experience one of the worst days of their lives,” Ruskan told GMA.
Ruskan began his Coast Guard career after earning recognition during boot camp, later advancing through rigorous technical training to become an Aviation Survival Technician. He noted that Coast Guard rescue swimmers receive some of the highest-level training available. Despite widespread recognition for his role in the rescues, Ruskan said the true heroes were the children on the ground.
His service has been recognized with multiple awards for operational excellence and heroism.
Flour Bluff ISD said it is honored to have Ruskan address the Class of 2026 as they prepare for commencement and their next chapter.