- Paul A. Yost, Jr.
Paul Alexander Yost, Jr. (born 1929), He served as the eighteenth Commandant of the
United States Coast Guard from 1986 to 1990. [http://www.uscg.mil/history/people/PAYostBio.asp United States Coast Guard Biography] ]He is a native of
St. Petersburg, Florida . He graduated from theUnited States Coast Guard Academy inNew London, Connecticut , and earned graduate degrees from theUniversity of Connecticut and The George Washington University. Prior to becoming Commandant, he served as apatrol boat commander during theVietnam War . He later served concurrently as Commander of the Atlantic Area Maritime Defense Zone and as Commander of theNew York City -based 3rd Coast Guard District, accepting those appointments in 1984. Prior to assuming those command posts, he served as Coast Guard Chief of Staff.He is remembered by most Coast Guard members for eliminating the longstanding tradition of beards at sea. Admiral Yost was also known for driving the Coast Guard toward a robust coastal defense mission, and a parallel initiative to dramatically increase the armament aboard Coast Guard cutters. Prior to his tenure Coast Guard cutters were outfitted with weapons systems designed to fight the
War on Drugs , and other law enforcement related missions. He added naval warfare systems to larger cutters, which included the Harpoon missile system,close-in weapon system s (CIWS), and other similar upgrades. Following his retirement, the systems were removed and the coastal defense mission was de-emphasised in favor of the more traditional missions ofsearch and rescue , law enforcement, marine safety and aids to navigation.Admiral Yost's focus on the coastal defense mission was often derided by Coast Guard members and Congress alike who referred to his era as the "Yost-Guard." Ironically in the post September 11, 2001 attacks world, coastal defense, now called
Homeland security , is arguably the most recognizable mission of the service.Since retiring from the Coast Guard, he has served as President of the
Washington, D.C. -based James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation. He is a member ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , [ [http://famousmormons.net/military.html Famous Mormons in the Military ] ] [ [http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=2e7971ec9b17b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Paul Yost: The Admiral's Anchor Is the Gospel] ] and serves on the church's Military Relations Committee.References
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