The United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), located in New London, Connecticut, is the U.S. service academy specifically for the United States Coast Guard. Founded in 1876, the academy provides education to future Coast Guard officers in one of nine major fields of study.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a United States service academy in Kings Point, New York. It trains its midshipmen to serve as officers in the United States Merchant Marine, branches of the United States Armed Forces, and the transportation industry. Midshipmen are trained in marine engineering, navigation, ship's administration, maritime law, personnel management, international law, customs, and other subjects important to the task of running a large ship.
The United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation. MARAD administers financial programs to develop, promote, and operate the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Merchant Marine. In addition, it conducts research and development activities in the maritime field; regulates the transfer of U.S. documented vessels to foreign registries; maintains equipment, shipyard facilities, and reserve fleets of Government-owned ships essential for national defense. MARAD also maintains the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies and logistically supporting the military when needed.
The commandant of the 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.
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.
Joseph D. Stewart, also known as "Joey D," was a United States Marine Corps major general, who after his retirement from the Marine Corps, was appointed as superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) on August 1, 1998. He retired from the U.S. Maritime Service with the rank of vice admiral on September 30, 2008.
The United States Maritime Service (USMS) was established in 1938 under the provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 as voluntary training organization to train individuals to become officers and crewmembers on merchant ships that form the United States Merchant Marine per 46 U.S.C. § 51701. Heavily utilized during World War II, the USMS was largely dissolved in 1954, and its resources were absorbed into other federal departments. However, while the service is no longer structurally organized, remnants of the service still exist today and the service still actively commission officers to function as administrators and instructors at the United States Merchant Marine Academy and the state maritime academies.
This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.
Vice admiral is a three-star commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, with the pay grade of O-9. Vice admiral ranks above rear admiral and below admiral. Vice admiral is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant general in the other uniformed services.
James Conrad Card is a retired vice admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as Vice Commandant from 1998 to 2000.
Linda Lee Fagan is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard. Previously, in 2021 she became the 32nd Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard’s first female four-star admiral. Before that, she was the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area with prior terms as Coast Guard Deputy for Operations, Policy, and Capabilities, commander, First Coast Guard District, and commander, Coast Guard Sector New York. Fagan is also the Coast Guard's first Gold Ancient Trident, the officer with the longest service record in the Marine Safety Field. In April 2021, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced her nomination as the next Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard, succeeding Charles W. Ray. She was confirmed on June 17, 2021, and assumed office on June 18.
Nathan A. Moore is a United States Coast Guard vice admiral and commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area. He previously served as deputy commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area and as commander of the Seventeenth Coast Guard District.
Joachim J. "Jack" Buono retired as Vice Admiral in the United States Maritime Service who last served as the thirteenth superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). He took command of the Academy on November 9, 2018.
'Leopoldo "Leo" Velarde Laroya' is a Filipino Admiral who served as the 28th Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard. Prior to his promotion as commandant, he also served as the Deputy Commandant for Operations, and led three commands: the Maritime Safety Services Command, the Coast Guard Education, Training and Doctrine Command and the Maritime Security and Law Enforcement Command.
Peter Williams Gautier is a United States Coast Guard vice admiral who serves as the deputy commandant for operations. He previously served as the deputy commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area.
Kevin Eugene Lunday is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the vice commandant of the Coast Guard. He previously served as commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area from 2022 to 2024.
