The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its duties. It operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to the U.S. Department of the Navy under the Department of Defense by the U.S. President at any time, or by the U.S. Congress during times of war. Prior to its transfer to Homeland Security, it operated under the Department of Transportation from 1967 to 2003 and the Department of the Treasury from its inception until 1967. A congressional authority transfer has only happened once: in 1917, during World War I. When the U.S. entered World War II in December 1941, the Coast Guard had already been transferred by Franklin Roosevelt in November.
The commandant of the United States Coast Guard is the service chief and highest-ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The commandant is an admiral, appointed for a four-year term by the president of the United States upon confirmation by the United States Senate. The commandant is assisted by a vice commandant, who is also an admiral, and two area commanders and two deputy commandants, all of whom are vice admirals.
Franklin A. Welch was the ninth Master Chief Petty Officer of the United States Coast Guard. Welch entered the Coast Guard in 1980 after graduating from Shades Valley High School Class of 1978, in Birmingham, Alabama. A former Master Chief Quartermaster, he served in office from October 10, 2002 to June 14, 2006, and served in the Coast Guard for over 26 years.
Vivien S. Crea was the 25th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard under Admiral Thad W. Allen. Crea held the second highest position in the Coast Guard, and she is the first woman to do so. She is the former Commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and was confirmed by the Senate to her historic post in June 2006. Crea retired on August 7, 2009, and was replaced by VADM David Pekoske.
James C. Van Sice is a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Coast Guard. He was the 38th Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, succeeding Rear Admiral Robert C. Olsen. He was succeeded by Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe. Rear Admiral Van Sice retired from the Coast Guard in 2007..
Terry M. Cross is a retired United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral who served as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from July 2004 until June 2006. He served as the Coast Guard's second in command and was the Agency Acquisition Executive.
This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.
Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr. is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral and served as the 24th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He led the largest component of the United States Department of Homeland Security, with 42,000 active duty, 8,200 Reserve, 8,000 civilian, and 31,000 Auxiliary personnel.
Timothy S. Sullivan is a retired rear admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as the Deputy Commander, Pacific Area Coast Guard Defense Forces West. He was assigned as Commander of the Pacific Maintenance and Logistics Command, but was detached from those duties while serving as Deputy PACAREA. He has also served as the First Coast Guard District Commander and Commander, Maritime Defense Command One as well as the Senior Military Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security serving as the primary coordinator between the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security as well as operational advisor to the Secretary during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Charles D. Wurster is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Coast Guard who last served as the Commander, Pacific Area and Commander, Defense Force West. He is now retired from the Coast Guard, is the President/CEO of the Port of San Diego, and serves as national commodore of the Sea Scouting division of the BSA.
Ronald J. Rábago is a retired United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral who in 2006 became the first person of Hispanic American descent to be promoted to flag rank in the United States Coast Guard. He retired as the Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics and the United States Coast Guard's Chief Engineer in 2014.
Cari Batson Thomas is a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Coast Guard and a 1984 graduate of the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. On Friday January 22, 2010 Thomas was ceremoniously advanced to Rear Admiral and became the third recent female commander of the training center to be advanced to a flag officer. Her final assignment was Assistant Commandant for Human Resources at the Coast Guard Academy.
David Peter Pekoske is an American government official and retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral who currently serves as the seventh Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. He also served as acting Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security from April to November 2019. He concluded his 33 years of active military service in 2010 as the 26th Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Paul Frederick Zukunft is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 25th Commandant of the Coast Guard. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of Admiral, in May 2014 and relieved Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr. as Commandant on 30 May 2014. Prior to his selection as Commandant, he served as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area. In this position, Zukunft was the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within the half of the world that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. He concurrently served as Commander, Defense Force West and provided U.S. Coast Guard mission support to the U.S. Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.
Captain Charley L. Diaz is a 30-year United States Coast Guard veteran who served on Active Duty from 1982 to 2012. Diaz is best known for leading the crew of the USCGC Sherman (WHEC-720) in the seizure of the Panamanian freighter GATUN off the coast of Panama in March 2007, which netted nearly 20 tons of cocaine worth an estimated $600 million. It was the largest maritime drug bust in US history.
In the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, captain is the senior-most commissioned officer rank below that of flag officer. The equivalent rank is colonel in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
Vice Admiral Robert C. Parker is a retired officer of the United States Coast Guard.
Steven W. Cantrell previously served as the 12th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. He was relieved, and retired from active duty on May 17, 2018 after nearly 35 years of service. Prior to being named the 12th MCPOCG, he was Command Master Chief of the Coast Guard's Atlantic Area, based in Portsmouth, Virginia. Cantrell was also the Coast Guard's 12th Silver Ancient Mariner, an honor bestowed upon the enlisted member holding the enlisted cutterman qualification the earliest. Cantrell was succeeded by MCPOCG Jason M. Vanderhaden.
Karl Leo Schultz is a United States Coast Guard admiral and the 26th Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Charles W. Ray is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard starting May 24, 2018. He previously served as the Coast Guard's Deputy Commandant for Operations.
