Organization of the United States Coast Guard

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This article covers the organization of the United States Coast Guard.

Table of Organization of the Coast Guard

The headquarters of the Coast Guard is on 2100 Second Street, SW, in Washington, DC. In 2005, the Coast Guard announced tentative plans to relocate to the grounds of the former St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington. That project is currently on hold due to environmental, historical, and congressional concerns. As of July 2006, there are several possible locations being considered, including the current headquarters location.

1 Senior officers
2 Other commissioned officers
3 Warrant officers
4 Chief Petty Officers
5 Regional responsibilities
6 Coast Guard Air Stations
7 External links

[edit] Senior officers

[edit] Admirals

The Commandant of the Coast Guard is the Coast Guard's senior officer, who, by law, holds the rank of Admiral. The Commandant is selected for a 4-year term, which may be renewed for additional 4-year periods. The current incumbent is Admiral Thad Allen, who assumed command on May 25, 2006.

[edit] Vice Admirals

The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea.

The Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.. He also serves as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Headquarters. VADM Papp previously served as Commanding Officer of the Tall Ship USCGC EAGLE.

The Commander of the Atlantic Area and Maritime Homeland Defense area Atlantic is Vice Admiral D. Brian Peterman, who assumed the command on May 9, 2006. The Commander of the Pacific Area and Coast Guard Defense Forces West is Vice Admiral Charles D. Wurster.

Several retired Coast Guard Admirals currently hold senior civilian positions in the Bush Administration:

In early April 2006, VADM Harvey Johnson, Jr. was nominated by President Bush to become the Deputy Director of FEMA, following his retirement from the Coast Guard.

In July 2006, VADM Roger Rufe Jr. (ret.) was named Director of Operations for the Department of Homeland Security. VADM Rufe most recently served as President and CEO of the Ocean Conservancy.

In January 2006, VADM Thomas Barrett (ret.) was appointed by President Bush as the first Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

[edit] Rear Admirals

The Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy is Rear Admiral (Upper Half) (RADM) James C. Van Sice. The Director of Reserve and Training is RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara. In addition, each District is commanded by a Rear Admiral. Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner serves as the Judge Advocate General.

[edit] Commodores

The rank of Commodore is no longer used in the regular Coast Guard. The equivalent rank is Rear Admiral (Lower Half) (RDML). The chief elected officers of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are called Commodores (COMO). This is not a military rank, however.

The title of Commodore is occasionally granted to senior officers (typically of pay grade 0-6, which is a Captain) who are placed in command of a group or squadron of cutters. It is not a flag rank, but rather a title used to signify command of multiple units afloat.

[edit] Captains

Coast Guard Captains, like their Navy counterparts, rank immediately below Rear Admiral (Lower Half). Coast Guard Captains command most large operational units -- sectors, large cutters, large air stations, integrated support commands, training centers and large headquarters units. Captains also direct most headquarters, area and district staff elements. Most captains have served in the Coast Guard for 21 to 30 years.

By maritime tradition, the commanding officer of a ship is also called "captain," regardless of actual rank held. Thus, a young Lieutenant commanding a patrol boat is properly called "captain" even if his or her actual rank is Lieutenant, or Lieutenant (Junior Grade). This tradition has also carried over to many shore units. Occasionally, terms like "old man" and "skipper" are also used, though not usually in the presence of the "captain." However, in current usage, the person in charge of a Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary boat is the "coxswain" (pronounced cok-sun).

[edit] Other commissioned officers

The other commissioned officer ranks are (from most senior to least senior)

Commander
Lieutenant Commander (LCDR)
Lieutenant (LT)
Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG)
Ensign

[edit] Warrant officers

The old Warrant Officers (WO1) held their commission from the Secretary rather than the President. Chief Warrant Officers are commissioned by the President. Currently there are three Warrant Officer ranks in the Coast Guard. Almost all Warrant Officers are promoted from enlisted ranks. The three ranks are (from most senior to least senior)

Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4)
Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CWO3)
Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CWO2)

A Chief Warrant Officer is not addressed as "Chief" a title that is normally reserved for the enlisted rank of Chief Petty Officer (E-7). The proper way to address a Chief Warrant Officer is to refer to their title (CWO, CWO3) or to address them as "Mr." or "Ms."

[edit] Chief Petty Officers

The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is the senior enlisted person of the Coast Guard and serves as an advisor to the Commandant. Like the Commandant, the MCPOCG serves a four-year term. The current MCPOCG is Charles (Skip) W. Bowen, who assumed this position on June 14th, 2006. The Master Chief of the Coast Guard Reserve is MCPO Jeff Smith.

Chief Petty Officers, often called "the Chief", are one of the leadership backbones of the Coast Guard. Chiefs are well versed in most areas of service, and the old adage of "go ask the Chief" holds true today. Chiefs are Officers-in-Charge of Motor Lifeboat Stations, act as Executive Petty Officers on Patrol Boats, and keep larger Coast Guard cutters on a true head bearing as Deck Watch Officers.

[edit] Regional responsibilities

The Coast Guard is divided into two Areas, the Atlantic and the Pacific, each of which is commanded by a vice admiral, with each being designated Maritime Homeland Defence Areas.

The Coast Guard is then organized into districts, each responsible for a portion of the nation's coastline.

**U.S. Coast Guard Districts**
District	Region	District Office	Area of Responsibility
First District	Atlantic	Boston, Massachusetts	New England states, eastern New York, and northern New Jersey
Fifth District	Atlantic	Portsmouth, Virginia	Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina
Seventh District	Atlantic	Miami, Florida	South Carolina, Georgia, eastern Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Eighth District	Atlantic	New Orleans, Louisiana	Inland waters of the U.S. & the Gulf of Mexico
Ninth District	Atlantic	Cleveland, Ohio	Great Lakes
Eleventh District	Pacific	Alameda, California	California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah
Thirteenth District	Pacific	Seattle, Washington	Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana
Fourteenth District	Pacific	Honolulu, Hawaii	Hawaii and Pacific territories
Seventeenth District	Pacific	Juneau, Alaska	Alaska

In each district, large operational centers known as Groups are being merged with Marine Safety Offices and being re-designated Sectors. Smaller boat stations are Stations, while aircraft fly from Coast Guard Air Stations. Stations report to Sectors, while Sectors and Coast Guard Air Stations report to District offices.

An example of this is Sector Baltimore, which is located at Curtis Bay, Maryland. Sector Baltimore is responsible for the waters from the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal Canal north of Baltimore to the south shore of the Potomac River. [1] In this sector there are seven stations, including Coast Guard Station Annapolis, located near the United States Naval Academy, Coast Guard Station Washington, D.C., located on Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., Coast Guard Station St. Inigoes, Maryland, and Coast Guard Station Quantico, Virginia, among others. Sector Baltimore also has the Baltimore Marine Safety Office, a regional exam center, three aids to navigation teams and two cutters. The Coast Guard yard is also in the same geographical area. To the south of Sector Baltimore is Sector Hampton Roads, Virginia; to the north is Sector Delaware Bay. Sector Baltimore has no air station under its operational control, but helicopters from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and Auxiliary aircraft overfly the area on patrol.