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 United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) is a service academy of the United States Coast Guard in New London, Connecticut. Founded in 1876, it is the smallest of the five U.S. service academies and provides education to future Coast Guard officers in one of nine major fields of study. Unlike the other service academies, the Coast Guard Academy does not require a congressional nomination for admission.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains cadets to serve as officers in the United States Merchant Marine, branches of the military, and the transportation industry. Midshipmen are trained in different fields such as marine engineering, navigation, ship's administration, maritime law, personnel management, international law, customs, and many other subjects important to the task of running a large ship.
The Naval War College is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associated roles and missions, supports combat readiness, and strengthens global maritime partnerships.
Alfred Carroll Richmond was a United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 11th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1954 to 1962, the second longest tenure of any U.S. Coast Guard Commandant following Russell R. Waesche who served from 1936 to 1946.
The University of San Francisco School of Law is the American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school of the private University of San Francisco. Established in 1912, it received ABA approval in 1935 and joined the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) in 1937.
Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law is a law school of the Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
The Coast Guard Judge Advocate General oversees the delivery of legal services to the United States Coast Guard, through the Office of the Judge Advocate General in Washington, the Legal Service Command, offices in the Atlantic and Pacific Areas, nine Coast Guard Districts, the Coast Guard Academy, three training centers, and a number of other activities and commands. Legal services are delivered by Coast Guard judge advocates and civilian counsel in ten legal practice areas: criminal law/military justice, operations, international activities, civil advocacy, environmental law, procurement law, internal organizational law, regulations and administrative law, legislative support and legal assistance.
This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.
William Dale Baumgartner was a United States Coast Guard rear admiral who served as the Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District. He was also the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard. In this capacity, he was the Coast Guard's senior legal advisor and is responsible for all aspects of the service's legal program.
A rear admiral in the U.S. uniformed services is either of two different ranks of commissioned officers: one-star flag officers and two-star flag officers. By contrast, in most nations, the term "rear admiral" refers to an officer of two-star rank.
James Edwin McPherson is an American government official and retired United States Navy rear admiral. He serves as the General Counsel of the Army since January 2, 2018. He served as the United States Under Secretary of the Army from March 25, 2020 to January 20, 2021 and in acting capacity from July 23, 2019 to March 25, 2020. He served as Acting United States Secretary of the Navy from April 7, 2020 to May 29, 2020, following the resignation of Thomas Modly.
Hispanics and Latinos in the United States Coast Guard can trace their tradition of service to the early 19th century, when they initially performed duties at light house stations as keepers and assistant keepers in its predecessor services. Hispanic is an ethnic term employed to categorize any citizen or resident of the United States, of any racial background, of any country, and of any religion, who has at least one ancestor from the people of Spain or is of non-Hispanic origin, but has an ancestor from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central or South America, or some other Hispanic origin. The three largest Hispanic groups in the United States are the Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans.
The Naval Order of the United States was established in 1890 as a hereditary organization in the United States for members of the American sea services. Its primary mission is to encourage research and writing on naval and maritime subjects and preserve documents, portraits, and other records of prominent figures, deeds and memories of American naval and maritime history.
Richard Robert McNulty, Rear admiral United States Navy, Vice admiral USMS, was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts on April 20, 1899 and died in Boston, Massachusetts on November 1, 1980. The United States Merchant Marine Academy community considers Vice Admiral McNulty, a World War II veteran, who had long advocated for the Academy's creation, its "Father". The Academy's McNulty Campus is named for the Vice Admiral. He served as the Academy's 3rd superintendent. Vice Admiral McNulty was, too, a professor emeritus at Georgetown University.
Charles David Michel is a former United States Coast Guard Admiral who last served as the 30th Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He is the first Vice Commandant to hold the rank of Admiral while in office. Originally a Vice Admiral when he assumed office on August 6, 2015, Michel was promoted to Admiral on May 24, 2016 when the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 elevated the statutory rank for the position to admiral. Michel is also the first career judge advocate in any of the Armed Forces to achieve four-star rank. Michel retired from the Coast Guard on May 24, 2018 after over 33 years of service.
Melissa Bert serves as the Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard. Rear Admiral (RADM) Bert is the first woman to serve in this position. Prior flag assignments held by RADM Bert include the U.S. Coast Guard’s Director of Governmental and Public Affairs and Deputy Director of Operations for U.S. Northern Command.
Darse Earle Crandall Jr. is a United States Navy vice admiral who serves as the 45th Judge Advocate General of the Navy since August 18, 2021. He most recently served as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Navy and Commander of the Naval Legal Service Command from September 12, 2018 to August 18, 2021.
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United States Coast Guard 
Rear admiral