Biden nominee to lead Coast Guard would be first woman to head military service

President Biden on Tuesday nominated Adm. Linda Fagan to be the head of the Coast Guard and the first woman to lead a military branch.

The nomination was announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who said Fagan would become the 27th commandant of the Coast Guard.

“President Biden has made an exceptional choice by nominating Admiral Linda F. Fagan to serve as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Admiral Fagan is a tremendous leader, trailblazer, and respected public servant who will lead the Coast Guard across its critical missions with honor,” Mayorkas said. 

Before her nomination, Fagan had been in the Coast Guard for 36 years and formerly was the commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area.

She has served on seven continents and is the officer with the longest service record in the Marine Safety Field.

“Within the Coast Guard and across the Department of Homeland Security, Admiral Fagan is admired as a role model of the utmost integrity, and her historic nomination is sure to inspire the next generation of women who are considering careers in military service,” Mayorkas added.

Mayorkas also announced that Vice Adm. Steven Poulin was nominated for the second-highest position in the Coast Guard.

He will become vice commandant of the Coast Guard after serving as commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area.

“I urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Admiral Fagan and Vice Admiral Poulin to these critical roles,” Mayorkas said. 

The nominations come after research commissioned by the Coast Guard last year found a lack of diversity and women in its leadership.

Nelson Lim, the report’s lead author, said at the time that the “bottom line is that the Coast Guard needs to take much more decisive action to meet executive and congressional branch demands to improve diversity top-to-bottom.”