View source for Commandant of the Coast Guard

{{short description|Highest-ranking member of the United States Coast Guard}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                     = Commandant
| body                     = the Coast Guard
| insignia                 = File:US-CoastGuard-Seal.svg
| insigniasize             = 
| insigniacaption          = Seal of the Coast Guard
| flag                     = Flag of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.svg
| flagsize                 = 
| flagborder               = yes
| flagcaption              = Flag of the commandant
| image                    = ADM Kevin E. Lunday (3).jpg
| imagesize                = 
| alt                      = 
| imagecaption             =
| incumbent                = [[Admiral (United States)|ADM]]  [[Kevin Lunday|Kevin E. Lunday]]
| acting                   = yes
| incumbentsince           = 21 January 2025
| department               = [[United States Coast Guard]]
| style                    = 
| type                     = Service chief
| status                   = 
| abbreviation             = 
| member_of                = 
| reports_to               = [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]]
| residence                = 
| seat                     = [[Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building]], [[Washington, D.C.]]
| nominator                = 
| appointer                = The [[President of the United States|president]]
| appointer_qualified      = with [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[advice and consent]]
| termlength               = 4 years
| termlength_qualified     = Renewable
| constituting_instrument  = {{USC|14|302}}<br/>{{USC|14|504}}
| precursor                = 
| formation                = 14 December 1889
| first                    = [[Leonard G. Shepard]]
| last                     = 
| abolished                = 
| succession               = 
| unofficial_names         = 
| deputy                   = [[Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard]]
| salary                   = 
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.uscg.mil/seniorleadership/|www.uscg.mil}}
}}

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 (United States)|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 of the Coast Guard|vice commandant]], who is also an admiral, and two area commanders ([[Coast Guard Pacific Area|U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area]] and [[Coast Guard Atlantic Area|U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area]]) and two deputy commandants (deputy commandant for operations and deputy commandant for mission support), all of whom are [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]]s.

Though the [[United States Coast Guard]] is one of the six [[United States Armed Forces|military branches]] of the United States, unlike the other service chiefs, the commandant of the Coast Guard is not a member of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. The commandant is, however, entitled to the same supplemental pay as each member of the Joint Chiefs, per {{USCSub|37|414|a|5}} ($4,000 per annum in 2009), and is accorded [[Floor privileges of the United States Senate|privilege of the floor]] under Senate Rule XXIII(1) as a ''de facto'' Joint Chiefs of Staff member during presidential addresses.

The commandant maintains operational command over the Coast Guard, unlike the chiefs of the other services, who serve only administrative roles.  Thus, while the operational [[command hierarchy|chain of command]] for the other services (per the [[Goldwater–Nichols Act]]) goes from the [[President of the United States|president]] through the [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]] to the combatant commanders of the [[unified combatant command]]s, [[command and control]] of the Coast Guard goes from the president through the [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|secretary of homeland security]] (or [[United States Secretary of Defense|secretary of defense]], when the Coast Guard is acting as a service in the [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]]) through the commandant.  Prior to the creation of the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]] in 2003, the [[United States Coast Guard]] or its predecessor, the [[United States Revenue Cutter Service|Revenue Cutter Service]] operated under and the commandant reported to the [[United States Secretary of Transportation|secretary of transportation]] from 1966 to 2003, and the [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|secretary of the treasury]] from 1790 until 1966.

As of 21 January 2025, the acting commandant is Admiral [[Kevin Lunday]]. 

==History==
The title of commandant dates to a 1923 act that distributed the commissioned line and engineer officers of the U.S. 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 (naval)|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, Ross's predecessor, Captain [[Charles F. Shoemaker]], was elevated to the rank of captain-commandant. Shoemaker's predecessor, 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<ref name=Noble24>Noble, p 24</ref>
*Captain Richard Evans, USRM, 1848–1849<ref name=Noble21>Noble, p 21</ref>

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 28 commandants of the Coast Guard since the office of chief of the Revenue-Marine Bureau was transferred to a military billet.<ref name=CGHO>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/browse-by-topic/notable-people/commandants/ |title=U.S. Coast Guard Commandants |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |date=2019-07-21 |website=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |access-date=2021-02-20}}</ref> 

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
!#
!class="unsortable"|Picture
!Name
!Rank
!Start of tenure
!End of tenure
!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
| 1
|[[File:LeonardShepard.jpg|75px]]
|[[Leonard G. Shepard]]
|rowspan="2" | [[Captain (naval)|Captain]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|14 December 1889}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|14 March 1895}}}}
|Shepard became the first military Chief of the "Revenue-Marine Division" of the Treasury Department and is considered to be the first Commandant.<ref name=Shepard>Captain Leonard G. Shepard, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office, https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762441/captain-leonard-g-shepard/</ref> 
|-
| 2
|[[File:CharlesShoemaker.jpg|75px]]
|[[Charles Frederick Shoemaker|Charles F. Shoemaker]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|19 March 1895}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|27 March 1905}}}}
|On 8 May 1908, Shoemaker was promoted to the rank of Captain-Commandant on the Retired List by Act of Congress.
|-
| 3
|[[File:Worth Ross.jpg|75px]]
|[[Worth G. Ross]]
|[[Captain-commandant]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|25 April 1905}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 April 1911}}}}
|Ross was instrumental in the establishment of what was to become the [[U.S. Coast Guard Academy]] in New London, Connecticut.
|-
| 4
|[[File:US Coast Guard Capt Commandant Ellsworth P. Bertholf.jpg|75px]]
|[[Ellsworth P. Bertholf]]
|[[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|19 June 1911}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 June 1919}}}}
|Served during the merger of the [[U.S. Revenue Cutter Service]] with the [[US Life-Saving Service|U.S. Life-Saving Service]] to form the U.S. Coast Guard.  Was the first Coast Guard officer to achieve flag rank.{{refn|Bertholf was reappointed Captain-Commandant on 19 June 1915 following the merger of the Revenue Cutter Service into the newly formed Coast Guard<ref name=Kroll107-108>Kroll, pp 107&ndash;108</ref>|group=Note}} 
|-
| 5
|[[File:Admiral William Reynolds.jpg|75px]]
|[[William E. Reynolds]]
|rowspan="3" | [[Rear admiral (United States)|Rear admiral]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|2 October 1919}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|11 January 1924}}}}
|Reynolds was the first Coast Guard officer to be promoted to the rank of rear admiral.
|-
| 6
|[[File:Frederick C Billard.jpg|75px]]
|[[Frederick C. Billard]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|11 January 1924}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|17 May 1932}}}}
|Billard was appointed to three consecutive terms as Commandant and died in office 17 May 1932, serving through the [[Prohibition Era]] and reorganization of the academy.
|-
| 7
|[[File:HarryGHamlet.jpg|75px]]
|[[Harry G. Hamlet]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|14 June 1932}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|14 June 1936}}}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762602/rear-admiral-harry-g-hamlet/ |title=Rear Admiral Harry G. Hamlet |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |date=2019-03-01 |website=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |access-date=2021-02-20}}</ref>
|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
|[[File:Russell R Waesche.jpg|75px]]
|[[Russell R. Waesche]]
|rowspan="2" | [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|14 June 1936}}}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762609/admiral-russell-r-waesche/ |title=Admiral Russell R. Waesche |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |date=2019-02-28 |website=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |access-date=2021-02-20}}</ref>
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 January 1946}}}}
|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]].{{refn|Appointed Commandant as rear admiral. Appointed admiral 4 April 1945. First officer to attain ranks of vice admiral and admiral.|group=Note}}

|-
| 9
|[[File:John F Farley.jpg|75px]]
|[[Joseph F. Farley]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 January 1946}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 January 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
|[[File:Admiral Merlin O'Neill.jpg|75px]]
|[[Merlin O'Neill]]
|[[Vice admiral (United States)|Vice admiral]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 January 1950}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1954}}}}
|O'Neill directed the increase in port security activities required by the passage of the [[Title 46 of the United States Code|Magnuson Act]] and revitalized the Coast Guard Reserve program emphasizing its defense mission during wartime.{{refn|O'Neill retired from the Coast Guard on 1 June 1954 with the rank of admiral.<ref name=O'Neill>Vice Admiral Merlin O'Neill, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office, https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762639/vice-admiral-merlin-oneill/</ref>|group=Note}}
|-
| 11
|[[File:Alfred C Richmond.jpg|75px]]
|[[Alfred C. Richmond]]
|rowspan="18"|[[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1954}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1962}}}}
|Richmond served two full terms as Commandant and was the United States delegate to many international maritime conferences during his tenure.{{refn|Appointed as a vice admiral and received promotion to admiral on 1 June 1960 by Public Law 86-474, under which all Coast Guard commandants thereafter are appointed to the rank of admiral.|group=Note}}
|-
| 12
|[[File:Edwin J Roland.jpg|75px]]
|[[Edwin J. Roland]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1962}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 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
|[[File:Smith, Willard J., Adm., USCG.jpg|75px]]
|[[Willard J. Smith]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1966}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1970}}}}
|Smith was the Commandant of the Coast Guard when the service was transferred from the [[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]] to the newly formed [[United States Department of Transportation|Department of Transportation]].
|-
| 14
|[[File:ADM Chester R. Bender 190301-G-G0000-2020.jpg|75px]]
|[[Chester R. Bender]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1970}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 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
|[[File:Owen W Siler.jpg|75px]]
|[[Owen W. Siler]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1974}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1978}}}}
|Several changes in environmental duties occurred during Siler's tenure as well as a step-up in drug interdiction activities. Under his tenure, the replacement of aging cutters was given budget priority, and the first women entered the Coast Guard Academy. 
|-
| 16
|[[File:ADM J B Hayes USCG.jpg|75px]]
|[[John B. Hayes]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1978}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|28 May 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
|[[File:Gracey-190614-G-G0000-2004.jpeg|75px]]
|[[James S. Gracey]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|28 May 1982}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 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
|[[File:Yost-190731-G-G0000-2003.jpeg|75px]]
|[[Paul A. Yost Jr.]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 1986}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|31 May 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
|[[File:J William Kime.jpg|75px]]
|[[J. William Kime]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|31 May 1990}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1994}}}}
|Kime led the service during the end of the Cold War, collapse of the Soviet Union, the Persian Gulf War's Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as increasing operations in drug interdiction and environmental law enforcement.
|-
| 20
|[[File:KramekRobertPortrait300.jpg|75px]]
|[[Robert E. Kramek]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 1994}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 1998}}}}
|During his tenure as Commandant, he successfully led the service through difficult budget battles each year and directed the "streamlining" plan that was mandated by the National Performance Review and "Mandate for Change."
|-
| 21
|[[File:Admiral Loy.jpg|75px]]
|[[James Loy]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 1998}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 2002}}}}
|As the USCG Commandant, Loy reacted to the September 11 attacks of 2001. In the short term, he supervised the resumption of sea-borne trade throughout the U.S., after the USCG had shut down most major ports after the attacks. In the long term, Loy led the U.S. delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and was instrumental in ensuring that the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code was approved and implemented in 2002. The code came into effect in 2004.
|-
| 22
|[[File:Admiral Collins.jpg|75px]]
|[[Thomas H. Collins]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 2002}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|25 May 2006}}}}
|Collins guided the U.S. Coast Guard in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks of 2001. As part of this effort to tighten maritime security, Collins encouraged people involved in the maritime industry and the recreational boating industry to report suspicious activity to the National Response Center. This program was extended and formalized as America's Waterway Watch in 2005.
|-
| 23
|[[File:Thad W. Allen.jpg|75px]]
|[[Thad W. Allen]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|25 May 2006}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|25 May 2010}}}}
|Allen led the effort to reform and modernize all aspects of the Coast Guard, improving and sustaining Mission Execution. Admiral Allen continually stated his ultimate aim was to make the Coast Guard a "change-centric" organization capable of quickly and efficiently adapting to meet the growing and ever-changing demands of the future. Additionally he was the first high-ranking member of the Federal government to embrace social media, pioneering the effort to connect to his audience through all manners of digital technology. During his final months in office he led the Coast Guard's exemplary response to the earthquake in Haiti and then, first as Commandant and concurrently as the National Incident Commander, he led the nation's response to the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill]], holding the latter post well after his tenure as Commandant had come to a close.
|-
| 24
|[[File:Cmdt Papp 2010.jpg|75px]]
|[[Robert J. Papp Jr.]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|25 May 2010}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 2014}}}}
|
|-
| 25
|[[File:Zukunft June 2014.jpg|75px]]
|[[Paul F. Zukunft]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|30 May 2014}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 2018}}}}
|
|-
| 26
|[[File:Adm. Karl L. Schultz.jpg|75px]]
|[[Karl L. Schultz]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 2018}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 2022}}}}
|
|-
| 27
|[[File:Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Coast Guard Vice Commandant.jpg|75px]]
|[[Linda L. Fagan]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|1 June 2022}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{dts|21 January 2025}}}}
|Fagan is the first woman to serve as Coast Guard Commandant, and simultaneously the first woman to lead a [[United States Armed Forces|military branch]] in the [[United States]], as well as being the first Coast Guard Commandant to be relieved for cause.
|-
|- style=background:#e6e6aa;
| Acting
|[[File:ADM Kevin E. Lunday (3).jpg|75px]]
|[[Kevin Lunday|Kevin E. Lunday]]
|{{nowrap|{{dts|21 January 2025}}}}
|''Incumbent''
|
|}

===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:1140 height:auto barincrement:10
PlotArea  = top:10 bottom:50 right:270 left:20
AlignBars = late

DateFormat = yyyy
Period     = from:1888 till:2028
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:1890

Define $now = {{CURRENTYEAR}}

Colors     =
  id:csa value:darkblue legend: Commandant_of_the_Coast_Guard
  id:vcsa value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) legend: Assistant/Vice_Commandant_of_the_Coast_Guard
  id:time value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)

Legend     = orientation:vertical position:right

LineData =
  layer:back
  width:0.1
  color:time
  at:1890
  at:1900
  at:1910
  at:1920
  at:1930
  at:1940
  at:1950
  at:1960
  at:1970
  at:1980
  at:1990
  at:2000
  at:2010
  at:2020

BarData =
 barset:PM
 bar:shepard
 bar:shoemaker
 bar:ross
 bar:bertholf
 bar:reynolds
 bar:billard
 bar:hamlet
 bar:waesche
 bar:farley
 bar:o'neill
 bar:richmond
 bar:roland
 bar:smith
 bar:bender
 bar:siler
 bar:hayes
 bar:gracey
 bar:yost
 bar:kime
 bar:kramek
 bar:loy
 bar:collins
 bar:allen
 bar:papp
 bar:zukunft
 bar:schultz
 bar:fagan

PlotData=
  width:6 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
  barset:PM
  bar:shepard from:1889 till:1895 color:csa text:"[[Leonard G. Shepard|Shepard]]"
  bar:shoemaker from:1895 till:1905 color:csa text:"[[Charles F. Shoemaker|Shoemaker]]"
  bar:ross from:1905 till:1911 color:csa text:"[[Worth G. Ross|Ross]]"
  bar:bertholf from:1911 till:1919 color:csa text:"[[Ellsworth P. Bertholf|Bertholf]]"
  bar:reynolds from:1919 till:1924 color:csa text:"[[William E. Reynolds|Reynolds]]"
  bar:billard from:1924 till:1932 color:csa text:"[[Frederick C. Billard|Billard]]"
  bar:hamlet from:1932 till:1936 color:csa text:"[[Harry G. Hamlet|Hamlet]]"
  bar:waesche from:1936 till:1946 color:csa text:"[[Russell R. Waesche|Waesche]]"
  bar:farley from:1946 till:1950 color:csa text:"[[Joseph F. Farley|Farley]]"
  bar:o'neill from:1946 till:1950 color:vcsa
  bar:o'neill from:1950 till:1954 color:csa text:"[[Merlin O'Neill|O'Neill]]"
  bar:richmond from:1950 till:1954 color:vcsa
  bar:richmond from:1954 till:1962 color:csa text:"[[Alfred C. Richmond|Richmond]]"
  bar:roland from:1962 till:1966 color:csa text:"[[Edwin J. Roland|Roland]]"
  bar:smith from:1966 till:1970 color:csa text:"[[Willard J. Smith|Smith]]"
  bar:bender from:1970 till:1974 color:csa text:"[[Chester R. Bender|Bender]]"
  bar:siler from:1974 till:1978 color:csa text:"[[Owen W. Siler|Siler]]"
  bar:hayes from:1978 till:1982 color:csa text:"[[John B. Hayes|Hayes]]"
  bar:gracey from:1982 till:1986 color:csa text:"[[James S. Gracey|Gracey]]"
  bar:yost from:1986 till:1990 color:csa text:"[[Paul A. Yost Jr.|Yost]]"
  bar:kime from:1990 till:1994 color:csa text:"[[J. William Kime|Kime]]"
  bar:kramek from:1994 till:1998 color:csa text:"[[Robert E. Kramek|Kramek]]"
  bar:loy from:1998 till:2002 color:csa text:"[[James Loy|Loy]]"
  bar:collins from:2000 till:2002 color:vcsa
  bar:collins from:2002 till:2006 color:csa text:"[[Thomas H. Collins|Collins]]"
  bar:allen from:2006 till:2010 color:csa text:"[[Thad Allen|Allen]]"
  bar:papp from:2010 till:2014 color:csa text:"[[Robert J. Papp Jr.|Papp]]"
  bar:zukunft from:2014 till:2018 color:csa text:"[[Paul F. Zukunft|Zukunft]]"
  bar:schultz from:2018 till:2022 color:csa text:"[[Karl L. Schultz|Schultz]]"
  bar:fagan from:2021 till:2022 color:vcsa
  bar:fagan from:2022 till:$now color:csa text:"[[Linda L. Fagan|Fagan]]"
}}

==See also==
*[[Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard]]
*[[Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard]]

==Notes==
===Footnotes===
{{reflist|group=Note}}

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===References cited===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web |title=Captain Leonard G. Shepard |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762441/captain-leonard-g-shepard/ |website=U.S. Coast Guard Notable People |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |access-date=12 July 2020}}
* {{cite web |title=Commandants |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/browse-by-topic/notable-people/commandants/ |website=U.S. Coast Guard Notable People |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office |access-date=12 July 2020}}
* {{cite web |title=Vice Admiral Merlin O'Neill |url=https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/All/Article/1762639/vice-admiral-merlin-oneill/ |website=U.S. Coast Guard Notable People |publisher=U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office|access-date=12 July 2020}}
* {{cite book|last=Kroll|first=C. Douglas|title=Commodore Ellsworth P. Bertholf: First Commandant of the Coast Guard|year=2002|publisher=Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-55750-474-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Noble|first=Dennis L.|title=Historical Register U.S. Revenue Cutter Service Officers, 1790–1914|year=1990|publisher=Coast Guard Historian's Office, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[http://www.uscg.mil/seniorleadership/ Commandant's official website]

{{US Coast Guard navbox}}
{{United States Armed Forces}}
{{Highest Military Ranks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Commandant Of The Coast Guard}}
[[Category:Commandants of the United States Coast Guard| ]]
[[Category:United States Coast Guard job titles]]