Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard

Second-in-command of the United States Coast Guard

Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard

Seal of the Coast Guard

Flag of the Vice Commandant

Incumbent
ADM Steven D. Poulin
since May 31, 2022

United States Coast Guard
Type| Service vice chief
Reports to| Commandant of the Coast Guard
Seat| Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building, Washington, D.C.
Appointer| The President
with Senate advice and consent
Constituting instrument| 14 U.S.C. § 304
Formation| 1929
First holder| Benjamin M. Chiswell
Website| www.uscg.mil

The vice commandant of the Coast Guard serves as the second-in-command of the United States Coast Guard, behind only the commandant of the Coast Guard.

Since 1929, 31 officers have served as Vice Commandant, or, as the position was referred to before 1972, Assistant Commandant. The title of the position was changed effective October 2, 1972, pursuant to Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 92–451. This position has been historically held by a vice admiral until the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 elevated the statutory rank for the position to admiral.

The current vice commandant is Admiral Steven D. Poulin, who assumed office on May 31, 2022.

## Vice commandants of the Coast Guard[edit]

Adm. Karl L. Schultz, commandant of the Coast Guard, congratulates Adm. Steven D. Poulin, incoming vice commandant, in a ceremony on May 31, 2022. No. | Rank | Photo | Tenure

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1 | CAPT Benjamin M. Chiswell |  | 1929–1931
2 | RADM Leon C. Covell |  | 1931–1941
3 | RADM Lloyd T. Chalker |  | 1941–1946
4 | VADM Merlin O'Neill |  | 1946–1949
5 | RADM Alfred C. Richmond |  | 1949–1954
6 | VADM James Hirshfield |  | 1954–1962
7 | VADM Edwin J. Roland |  | 1962–1962
8 | VADM Donald M. Morrison |  | 1962–1964
9 | VADM William D. Shields |  | 1964–1966
10 | VADM Paul E. Trimble |  | 1966–1970
11 | VADM Thomas R. Sargent III |  | 1970–1974
12 | VADM Ellis L. Perry |  | 1974–1978
13 | VADM Robert H. Scarborough |  | 1978–1982
14 | VADM Benedict L. Stabile |  | 1982–1986
15 | VADM James C. Irwin |  | 1986–1988
16 | VADM Clyde T. Lusk |  | 1988–1990
17 | VADM Martin H. Daniell |  | 1990–1992
18 | VADM Robert T. Nelson |  | 1992–1994
19 | VADM Arthur E. Henn |  | 1994–1996
20 | VADM Richard D. Herr |  | 1996–1998
21 | VADM James C. Card |  | 1998–2000
22 | VADM Thomas H. Collins |  | 2000–2002
23 | VADM Thomas J. Barrett |  | 2002–2004
24 | VADM Terry M. Cross |  | 2004–2006
25 | VADM Vivien Crea |  | 2006–2009
26 | VADM David Pekoske |  | 2009–2010
27 | VADM Sally Brice-O'Hara |  | 2010–2012
28 | VADM John Currier |  | 2012–2014
29 | VADM Peter Neffenger |  | 2014–2015
30 | ADM Charles D. Michel[1][2] |  | 2015–2018
31 | ADM Charles W. Ray |  | 2018–2021
32 | ADM Linda L. Fagan |  | 2021–2022
33 | ADM Steven D. Poulin |  | 2022–present

## See also[edit]

* Commandant of the Coast Guard
* Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
* Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
* Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Vice Chief of Naval Operations
* Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force
* Vice Chief of Space Operations

## References[edit]

1. ^ 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 vice commandant's rank to admiral.
2. ^ Eckstein, Megan (2016-06-02). "USCG Adm. Michel Promoted; Vice Comm. Now A 4-Star Job". USNI News. Retrieved 2022-12-27.

* Vice Commandants of the Coast Guard
* [1]

## External links[edit]

* Vice Commandant's official website

* v
* t
* e

United States Coast Guard

* Category:United States Coast Guard

Leadership|

* Secretary of Homeland Security
* Commandant of the Coast Guard
* Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard
* Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

Organization|

* Missions
* Reserve
* Intelligence
* Investigative Service
* Legal Division
* Police

Areas
* Districts
* Sectors
* Stations
* Air Stations
* Radio stations
* Shipbuilding Yard
* National Ice Center
* Research and Development Center
* Coast Guard Auxiliary

Personnel and training|

* Personnel
* Officer ranks
* Enlisted ranks
* Ratings
* Coast Guard Academy
* Training Center Cape May
* Training Center Petaluma
* Training Center Yorktown
* Maritime Law Enforcement Academy
* Joint Maritime Training Center
* Aviation Association
* Chaplain of the Coast Guard
* Four-star admirals
* Three-star admirals

Uniforms and equipment|

* Uniforms
* Awards
* Badges
* Cutters
* List of cutters
* Ship commissioning
* Ship decommissioning
* Equipment

History and traditions|

* History
* Coast Guard Act
* Coast Guard City
* Life-Saving Service
* Revenue Cutter Service
* Lighthouse Service
* Steamboat Inspection Service
* Bureau of Navigation
* "Semper Paratus"
* Flag
* Ensign
* Racing Stripe
* United States Coast Guard Band
* United States Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard
* United States Coast Guard Pipe Band
* Fleet Week
* Coast Guard service numbers
* Coast Guardsman's Creed
* United States Coast Guard Cutters
* Coast Guard Bears
* SPARS

Battles and operations|

* Quasi-War
* War of 1812
* West Indies anti-piracy operations
* Capture of the schooner Bravo
* Ingham Incident
* Amistad Incident
* Great Lakes Patrol
* Mexican–American War
* American Civil War
* Battle of Fort Sumter
* Battle of Pig Point
* Battle of Galveston Harbor
* Battle of Portland Harbor
* Overland Relief Expedition
* Spanish–American War
* Battle of Manila Bay
* Battle of Cárdenas
* Ice Patrol
* World War I
* 1st Battle of the Atlantic
* Great Mississippi Flood
* Rum Patrol
* World War II
* 2nd Battle of the Atlantic
* Battle of Guam
* Operation Overlord
* Korean War
* Vietnam War
* Coast Guard Squadron One
* Operation Market Time
* Operation Sealords
* Action of 1 March 1968
* Persian Gulf War
* War on terror
* Afghanistan War
* Iraq War
* Operation Enduring Freedom HOA

*[Pub. L.]: Public Law (United States)
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