Paul Zukunft
25th Commandant of the Coast Guard
In office
30 May 2014 – 1 June 2018
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
DeputyPeter V. Neffenger
Charles D. Michel
Charles W. Ray
Preceded byRobert J. Papp Jr.
Succeeded byKarl L. Schultz
Personal details
Born (1955-01-30) 30 January 1955
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Alma materU.S. Coast Guard Academy
Webster University
Naval War College
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Coast Guard
Years of service1977–2018
RankAdmiral
CommandsCommandant of the Coast Guard
Coast Guard Pacific Area
Eleventh Coast Guard District
Joint Interagency Task Force West
USCGC Rush
USCGC Harriet Lane
USCGC Cape Upright
Battles/warsGlobal War on Terrorism
AwardsCutterman Insignia
Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Coast Guard Commendation Medal
Coast Guard Achievement Medal

Paul Frederick Zukunft (born 30 January 1955) is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 25th commandant. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of admiral, in May 2014 and relieved Robert J. Papp Jr. as commandant on 30 May 2014.[1] Prior to his selection as Commandant, he served as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area.[2] In this position, Zukunft was the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within the half of the world that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. He concurrently served as Commander, Defense Force West and provided U.S. Coast Guard mission support to the U.S. Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.

Previous flag assignments include The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship; Director of Response Policy, Assistant Commandant for Capability; Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; and Director, Joint Interagency Task Force West; Federal Onscene Deepwater Horizon Unified Command, and the Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area.

Zukunft wears the permanent Cutterman Insignia and is a certified NIMS ICS Type I Incident Commander. His personal awards include the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit, and five Meritorious Service Medals with "O" device among others.[3]

Early life and education

Zukunft was born on 30 January 1955 in New Haven[4] and is a native of North Branford, Connecticut. He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Government. He attended Webster University in 1988 where he received his Master of Arts degree in Management, and the U.S. Naval War College in 1997 graduating with a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies Executive Seminar and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government National Preparedness Leadership Initiative course.[3]

Career

U.S. Coast Guard

Zukunft was promoted to flag rank in 2006. His six previous flag assignments also include The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship; Director of Response Policy, Assistant Commandant for Capability; Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District[5] and Director, Joint Interagency Task Force West. Additionally, Zukunft served as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Deepwater Horizon Spill of National Significance in 2010, and directed more than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessels and 120 aircraft during one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history.[6]

Zukunft addresses the media during a press conference at the emergency operations center in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sept. 25, 2017.

Zukunft has served at sea, commanding USCGC Rush, USCGC Harriet Lane, and USCGC Cape Upright. Zukunft's senior staff assignments include Chief of Operations, Coast Guard Pacific Area and Chief of Operations Oversight, Coast Guard Atlantic Area where he directly supervised all major cutter operations in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in Honolulu.[7]

Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard

On 28 February 2014, United States Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced that U.S. President Barack Obama intended to nominate Zukunft for the position of Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, succeeding Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr.[8] He was confirmed by the Senate on 15 May 2014, and frocked to full Admiral the same day. He assumed the office of Commandant on 30 May 2014.

Awards and decorations

Gold star
Gold star
Gold star
Bronze star
Badge Cutterman Officer Insignia[3]
1st row Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal with one gold award star[3]
2nd row Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal[3] Defense Superior Service Medal[3] Legion of Merit with two award stars[3]
3rd row Meritorious Service Medal with four gold award stars and "O" device[3] Coast Guard Commendation Medal with one gold award star[3] Coast Guard Achievement Medal with gold award star and "O" device[3]
4th row Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation with "hurricane symbol"[3] Joint Meritorious Unit Award[3] Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award[3]
5th row Coast Guard Unit Commendation with one award star and "O" device[3] Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with silver and gold award star and "O" device[3] Coast Guard "E" Ribbon with award star[3]
6th row Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation[3] National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars[3] Global War on Terrorism Service Medal[3]
7th row Humanitarian Service Medal with two service stars[3] Transportation 9-11 Ribbon[3] Special Operations Service Ribbon with one service star[3]
8th row Sea Service Ribbon with three service stars[3] Rifle Marksmanship Medal with silver expert device[3] Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon[3]
Badges Command Afloat Pin Command Ashore Pin

References

  1. ↑ "Zukunft Confirmed as 25th Coast Guard Commandant". military.com. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "United States Coast Guard (USCG) - Pacific Area".
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Vice Admiral Paul F. Zukunft United States Coast Guard Commander, Pacific Area Commander, Coast Guard Defense Force West" (PDF). United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  4. ↑ "Nominations to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Consumer Product Safety Commission" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  5. ↑ http://www.uscg.mil/d11
  6. ↑ "AFP: 100 days in, Gulf spill leaves ugly questions unanswered". Archived from the original on 31 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "District Fourteen".
  8. ↑ Lagan, Christopher. "President Obama intends to nominate Vice Adm. Paul F. Zukunft as the 25th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
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