Commandant of the Coast Guard

Commandant of the United States Coast Guard
Incumbent: Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr. since: May 25, 2010
First	Leonard G. Shepard
Formation	December 14, 1889
Website	Official Website

The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard is the highest ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The Commandant is normally the only four-star Admiral in the Coast Guard and is 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, two Assistant Commandants/Area Commanders and a Chief of Staff, all of whom are three-star Vice Admirals.

Unlike the chiefs of the other branches of the United States Armed Forces, the Commandant of the Coast Guard is not a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; he is, however, entitled to the same supplemental pay as the Joint Chiefs, per 37 U.S.C § 414(a)(5) ($4,000 per annum in 2009), and is accorded privilege of the floor under Senate Rule XXIII(1) as a de facto JCS member during Presidential addresses. Furthermore, in contrast to the Joint Chiefs who are not in the military's operational chain of command, the Commandant of the Coast Guard commands his service. He reports to the President, via the Secretary of Homeland Security. Prior to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the Commandant reported to the Secretary of Transportation from 1966 to 2003. Until the creation of the Department of Transportation in 1966, the Commandant and the earlier counterparts had reported to the Secretary of the Treasury since 1790.

Evolution of the rank and title

The title of Commandant dates to a 1923 act that distributed the commissioned line and engineer officers of the Coast Guard in grades. Before 1923, the rank and title of the head of the Coast Guard was "captain-commandant." The rank "captain-commandant" originated in the Revenue Cutter Service in 1908. The original holder of that rank was the Chief of the Revenue Cutter Service (also known as the Revenue Marine). The Coast Guard traces the lineage of Commandants back to Captain Leonard G. Shepard, chief of the Revenue Marine Bureau, even though he never officially received the title of Captain-Commandant. The Captain-Commandant position was created in 1908 when Captain Worth G. Ross was the first to actually hold the position. Although he was retired, Captain Charles F. Shoemaker was elevated to the rank of Captain-Commandant. Captain Shepard had already died and was not elevated to the rank.

Chiefs of the Revenue Marine Bureau

Chiefs exercised centralized control over the Revenue Marine Bureau.

• Captain Alexander V. Fraser, USRM, 1843–1848

• Captain Richard Evans, USRM, 1848–1849

In 1849 the Revenue Marine Bureau was dissolved, and the Revenue Marine fell under the control the Commissioner of Customs until the Revenue Marine Bureau was again established in 1869.

• N. Broughton Devereux, 1869–1871

• Sumner I. Kimball, 1871–1878

• Ezra Clark, 1878–1885

• Peter Bonnett, 1885–1889

List of Commandants

There have been 24 Commandants of the Coast Guard since the office of Chief of the Revenue Marine Bureau was transferred to a military billet including Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., the current Commandant.^[1]

#	Picture	Name	Rank	Start of tenure	End of tenure	Notes
1		ShepardLeonard G. Shepard	O-04 Captain	01889-12-14 December 14, 1889	01895-03-14 March 14, 1895	Shepard became the first military Chief of the "Revenue Marine Division" of the Treasury Department and is considered to be the first Commandant.[2]
2		ShoemakerCharles F. Shoemaker	O-05 Captain	01895-03-19 March 19, 1895	01905-03-27 March 27, 1905	On May 8, 1908, Shoemaker was promoted to the rank of Captain-Commandant on the Retired List by Act of Congress.
3		RossWorth G. Ross	O-05 Captain-Commandant	01905-04-25 April 25, 1905	01911-04-30 April 30, 1911	Ross was instrumental in the establishment of what was to become the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.
4		BertholfEllsworth P. Bertholf	O-05 Commodore	01911-06-19 June 19, 1911	01919-06-30 June 30, 1919	Served during the merger of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to form the U.S. Coast Guard. Was the first Coast Guard officer the achieve flag rank.)[3]
5		ReynoldsWilliam E. Reynolds	O-05 Rear Admiral	01919-10-02 October 2, 1919	01924-01-11 January 11, 1924	Reynolds was the first Coast Guard officer to be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
6		BillardFrederick C. Billard	O-05 Rear Admiral	01924-01-11 January 11, 1924	01932-05-17 May 17, 1932	Billard was appointed to three consecutive terms as Commandant and died in office May 17, 1932, serving through the Prohibition Era and reorganization of the Academy.
7		HamletHarry G. Hamlet	O-05 Rear Admiral	01932-06-14 June 14, 1932	01936-01-01 January 1, 1936	Hamlet persuaded Congress to dismiss efforts to merge the Coast Guard with the U.S. Navy. Continued serving after term as Commandant was over and eventually retired as a Vice Admiral by act of Congress.
8		WaescheRussell R. Waesche	O-05 Admiral	01936-01-01 January 1, 1936	01946-01-01 January 1, 1946	Longest serving Commandant, first Commandant to be promoted to Vice Admiral and Admiral. Commandant during World War II and helped the Coast Guard remain a separate distinct service while it was assigned to the U.S Navy. Oversaw the largest manpower buildup in Coast Guard history and was instrumental in the formation of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.[4]
9		FarleyJoseph F. Farley	O-05 Admiral	01946-01-01 January 1, 1946	01950-01-01 January 1, 1950	Farley served during the difficult Post-World War II era when additional statutory responsibilities were being added to the Coast Guard's mission structure and personnel allowances were being reduced.
10		O'NeillMerlin O'Neill	O-05 Vice Admiral	01950-01-01 January 1, 1950	01954-06-01 June 1, 1954	O'Neill directed the increase in port security activities required by the passage of the Magnuson Act and revitalized the Coast Guard Reserve program emphasizing it's defense mission during wartime.
11		RichmondAlfred C. Richmond	O-05 Admiral	01954-06-01 June 1, 1954	01962-06-01 June 1, 1962	Richmond served two full terms as Commandant and was the U.S. delegate to many international maritime conferences during his tenure.[5]
12		RolandEdwin J. Roland	O-05 Admiral	01962-06-01 June 1, 1962	01966-06-01 June 1, 1966	Roland oversaw the replacement of many World War II era cutters under fleet modernization programs during his tenure. He assisted the U.S. Navy with operations in Vietnam by supplying crews and cutters for Operation Market Time.
13		SmithWillard J. Smith	O-05 Admiral	01966-06-01 June 1, 1966	01970-06-01 June 1, 1970	Smith was Commandant when the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the newly formed Department of Transportation.
14		BenderChester R. Bender	O-05 Admiral	01970-06-01 June 1, 1970	01974-06-01 June 1, 1974	The Coast Guard undertook new statutory responsibilities in the areas of marine safety, environmental protection and law enforcement during his tenure, however Bender is best known for his changes in the dress uniform worn by Coast Guardsmen; sometimes referred to as "Bender's Blues".
15		SilerOwen W. Siler	O-05 Admiral	01974-06-01 June 1, 1974	01978-06-01 June 1, 1978	Several changes in environmental duties occurred during Siler's tenure as well as a step-up in drug interdiction activities. Replacement of aging cutters was given budget priority. First women entered the Coast Guard Academy.
16		HayesJohn B. Hayes	O-05 Admiral	01978-06-01 June 1, 1978	01982-05-28 May 28, 1982	Hayes experienced severe budget problems during his tenure while fending off a move in Congress to transfer the Coast Guard to the Navy. Drug interdiction was increased and several high profile search and rescue cases occurred during his watch which helped keep the Coast Guard in the public eye.
17		GraceyJames S. Gracey	O-05 Admiral	01982-05-28 May 28, 1982	01986-05-30 May 30, 1986	Gracey faced tight budgets at the same time he was successful at replacing aging cutters. Increasing the Coast Guard's role in the defense of coastal waters was accomplished.
18		YostPaul A. Yost, Jr.	O-05 Admiral	01986-05-30 May 30, 1986	01990-05-31 May 31, 1990	Yost successfully maintained the service through difficult budget battles each year. In doing so, he also emphasized three 'primary mission areas": maritime law enforcement, maritime safety, and defense readiness. There was an increased emphasis on military/naval capabilities of the service.
19		KimeJ. William Kime	O-05 Admiral	01990-05-31 May 31, 1990	01994-06-01 June 1, 1994
20		KramekRobert E. Kramek	O-05 Admiral	01994-06-01 June 1, 1994	01998-05-30 May 30, 1998
21		LoyJames Loy	O-05 Admiral	01998-05-30 May 30, 1998	02002-05-30 May 30, 2002
22		CollinsThomas H. Collins	O-05 Admiral	02002-05-30 May 30, 2002	02006-05-25 May 25, 2006
23		AllenThad W. Allen	O-05 Admiral	02006-05-25 May 25, 2006	02010-05-25 May 25, 2010
24		PappRobert J. Papp, Jr.	O-05 Admiral	02010-05-25 May 25, 2010	Incumbent

References

1. ^ "Commandants of the U.S. Coast Guard & Chiefs of the Revenue Marine Division". http://www.uscg.mil/history/FAQS/comm.asp. Retrieved 2011-02-10. 
2. ^ "United States Coast Guard History". http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/Traditions.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-28. 
3. ^ Bertholf was reappointed Commandant following the merger of the Revenue Cutter Service into the newly formed Coast Guard
4. ^ Appointed Commandant as Rear Admiral. Appointed Full Admiral April 4, 1945. First officer to attain ranks of Vice Admiral and Admiral.
5. ^ Appointed as a Vice Admiral; Received his fourth star on June 1, 1960 by act of Public Law 86-474, under which all Coast Guard Commandants thereafter are appointed to the grade of Admiral.

External links

United States Coast Guard portal

• Commandant's official website