The Coast Guard Unit Commendation is the highest peacetime unit award that may be awarded to military commands of the United States Coast Guard. The decoration was first created in 1963 and is presented to members of any Coast Guard unit that distinguishes itself by valorous or extremely meritorious service,not involving combat,but in support of Coast Guard operations.
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.
Merlin O'Neill served as the tenth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1 January 1950 to 1 June 1954.
Thad William Allen is a former admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 23rd commandant from 2006 to 2010. Allen is best known for his performance directing the federal response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region from September 2005 to January 2006,and for his role as National Incident Commander of the Unified Command for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Robert J. Papp Jr. succeeded him as Commandant on 25 May 2010.
Vice Admiral John P. Currier was the 28th Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. He assumed the position from Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara on May 18,2012 and was relieved on May 20,2014 by Vice Admiral Peter Neffenger.
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..
This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.
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.
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.
Rear Admiral Larry L. Hereth was the Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District of the United States Coast Guard. He has also acted as director of port security and Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety,Security and Environmental Protection. He retired in 2007,after 34 years of service.
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.
Sandra Leigh Stosz is a retired United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral whose final active duty assignment was as Deputy Commandant for Mission Support. Previously,she was chosen by the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard,ADM Robert J. Papp to become the superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy in 2011. As such,she is the first woman to lead a United States service academy. At the time of her appointment to head the Coast Guard Academy,she was the Coast Guard's director of Reserve and leadership. Stosz was confirmed as a vice admiral in May 2015.
Charles W. Ray is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the vice commandant of the Coast Guard from May 24,2018 to June 18,2021. He previously served as the Coast Guard's deputy commandant for operations.
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.
Steven D. Poulin is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the 33rd Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard since May 31,2022. He most recently served as commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area and Coast Guard Defense Force East from 2020 to 2022. As Atlantic Area commander,he had operational control over Coast Guard missions covering the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf,covering 5 Coast Guard districts and 40 states. He previously served as director of operations for the United States Southern Command,commander of the Coast Guard First District,and Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard.
Andrew Joseph Tiongson is a United States Coast Guard vice admiral. Vice Admiral Tiongson has served concurrently as Commander,Pacific Area and Commander,Defense Force West since July 8,2022. He most recently served as the Director of Operations (J3) at the United States Southern Command and was previously Commander of the Coast Guard First District. In his first flag assignment,he served as the Coast Guard's Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Commandant for Resources.
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.
