The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, non-military volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coast Guard Reserve. On February 19, 1941, the entity was renamed the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. The Auxiliary's purpose is to bolster all USCG undertakings both at sea and in the sky, with the exception of tasks necessitating "direct" law enforcement or military actions. As of 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary boasted around 21,000 members.
John William Kime was an admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 19th commandant from 1990 to 1994.
Edwin John Roland, was a United States Coast Guard admiral and served as the twelfth Commandant of the Coast Guard from 1962 to 1966. During his tenure, Roland oversaw the replacement of many World War II era cutters under fleet modernization programs. He also assisted the U.S. Navy with operations in Vietnam by supplying crews and cutters for Operation Market Time. Roland was noted for his support in efforts to bring international safety standards to merchant shipping. Although Roland was already retired when the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of Treasury to the newly formed Department of Transportation in 1967, he was largely responsible for the planning for the move and the Coast Guard retaining its military responsibilities along with its transportation related functions.
Russell Randolph Waesche, Sr. served as the eighth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1936 to 1946, overseeing the service during World War II. He was the U.S. Coast Guard's longest serving commandant, having served ten years in that post. In addition, he was the first officer to hold the ranks of vice admiral and admiral within the Coast Guard.
Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. Born and raised in Indian Territory and a member of the Cherokee Nation, in 1917 he became the first Native American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. Clark preferred to be called "J. J." or by the nickname "Jocko" instead of his full name.
Gary Thomas Blore is a retired Rear Admiral of the United States Coast Guard. He retired as the Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District in 2011. As of February 2017, he was serving as Director of Operations, Readiness and Exercises for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
Admiral Robert Joseph Papp Jr. is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 24th commandant from 2010 to 2014. 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 Shawn 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.
Rear Admiral John Scott Burhoe was the 39th Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut from 2007 to 2011. His previous position was Assistant Commandant for Governmental and Public Affairs at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He earned his commission after graduating from Officer Candidate School in 1977. He is the first non-Academy graduate to lead the school in at least one hundred years.
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.
Daniel B. Lloyd is a retired United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral. His last tour of duty in 2011, was as the Director of Joint Interagency Task Force South. Lloyd assumed the duties of Military Advisor to the Secretary, United States Department of Homeland Security, in June 2006. In this role, he was responsible for advising the Secretary on matters involving coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and all branches of the military.
The Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal is a military decoration of the Department of Homeland Security, which is presented to United States Armed Forces service members for exceptionally meritorious service. The current version of the medal was established in February 2003, retroactive to March 1, 2002.
Ronald James 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.
Paul Frederick Zukunft is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 25th commandant. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of admiral, in May 2014 and relieved 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.
Richard Dennis Herr is a retired vice admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as the 20th Vice Commandant from 1996 to 1998. He was previously Commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area and U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Pacific, Resource Director, Comptroller, Coast Guard Chief Financial Officer, Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard District, Commander of Joint Task Force Five, Commander of Coast Guard Air Station and Commander of Coast Guard Aviation Training Center. He is an alumnus of the United States Coast Guard Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and National War College.
Phillip 'Endel' Lee Jr. is a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy Reserve.
Donna L. Cottrell is a retired United States Coast Guard rear admiral who last served as the Coast Guard District 9 Commander. In this role, she served as the senior Commander for the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway, an area that covers eight states. The Area of Operations for the command accumulates over 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of international shoreline with Canada. In addition, she previously oversaw the service level command, Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) out of Jacksonville, FL.
Laura M. Dickey is a US Coast Guard Rear Admiral who most recently served as the deputy commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area. She is a former Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District.
United States Navy