President Joe Biden on Monday nominated Vice Adm. Linda Fagan to be the Coast Guard’s next vice commandant and to be the service’s first female four-star admiral.
Fagan is currently the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area, in charge of the service’s missions from the Rocky Mountains to the East Coast of Africa. She is also commander of Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard support to the Defense Department and its combatant commanders.
If confirmed by the Senate, Fagan would relieve Adm. Charles Ray, the current second in command of the Coast Guard, on June 18. The vice commandant oversees the Coast Guard’s senior operational and mission support commanders and headquarters staff.
“Vice Adm. Fagan is an outstanding leader with 36 years of Coast Guard operations, policymaking, joint service, and interagency experience,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz said in a statement. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has been a top performer and a trailblazer. As the Coast Guard’s first female four-star admiral, and President Biden’s nominee as the Coast Guard’s 32nd vice commandant, Adm. Fagan will be instrumental in moving the service forward at a critical juncture in our history.”
Prior to leading Coast Guard’s Pacific operations, Fagan was the deputy commandant for Operations, Policy, & Capabilities, which put her in charge of operational strategy, policy, capability and resources. She has also served as commander of the First Coast Guard District and deputy director of Operations for U.S. Northern Command.
Some of her earlier assignments include command of Sector New York, duty aboard the heavy icebreaker Polar Star, and a Marine Inspector.
Fagan graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Science.
Biden last Friday also nominated Vice Adm. Michael McAllister to be the next commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area. He is currently deputy commandant for Mission Support at Coast Guard headquarters. Rear Adm. Paul Thomas has been nominated to be vice admiral and serve as deputy commandant for Mission Support. Thomas is currently deputy commandant for Mission Support Deputy for Personnel Readiness.