Thad W. Allen
Born January 16, 1949 (1949-01-16) (age 60)
Place of birth	Tucson, Arizona
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Coast Guard
Years of service	1967 - present
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Commandant of the Coast Guard
Battles/wars	Vietnam War September 11 attacks
Awards	Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal (3) Transportation 9-11 Medal

Flag of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard

Admiral Thad William Allen, USCG (born January 16, 1949) is the 23rd Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Allen is most well known for his widely praised performance directing the federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region from September 2005 to January 2006.

[edit] Background

Allen was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of retired Coast Guard Chief Damage Controlman Clyde and Mrs. Wilma Allen. His father is a World War Two veteran. Allen is a 1967 graduate of Palo Verde High School in Tucson. His family moved frequently during his childhood with his father's assignments. He attended the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, where he was a standout football player, graduating in 1971.^[1] He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University and a Master's degree in Management (S.M.) from the MIT Sloan School of Management as a Sloan Fellow.^[2]

[edit] Operational assignments

In his four decades of service, Allen has held operational command both at sea and ashore, conducting missions to support the maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship interests of the nation. He served aboard cutters Androscoggin and Gallatin and commanded the Citrus. He wore a dual hat as Commanding Officer of Group Long Island Sound and Captain of the Port, and he commanded Group Atlantic City and Long-Range Aids to Navigation (LORAN) Station Lampang, Thailand.^[2]

[edit] Flag officer

Allen's first assignment as a flag officer was as Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, where he directed all operations in the Southeastern United States and Caribbean. Following that assignment he served as Commander, Atlantic Area and U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic. In this capacity he oversaw all Coast Guard operations on the U.S. East Coast, Gulf Coast, and Great Lakes in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Allen served as the Coast Guard's Chief of Staff from May 2002 until May 2006. As Chief of Staff, Allen was third in the Coast Guard's command structure, and was commanding officer of Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.^[2]

Allen is a member of the Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees. He was also the director of the bureaucratic transition of the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security.

[edit] Hurricane Katrina

On September 5, 2005, while serving as Coast Guard Chief of Staff, Allen was appointed deputy to Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael D. Brown by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, and placed in charge of Hurricane Katrina search-and-rescue and recovery efforts. Former colleagues interviewed after the announcement praised Allen as well-suited to the task.^[3]

On September 9, 2005, Allen was given full command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff elevated Allen following the removal of Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael D. Brown from that position. Allen announced on January 25 that he would be relieved of this responsibility on January 27, 2006.^[4]

[edit] Commandant

Allen assumed the duties of the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard on May 25, 2006. He was appointed to a four-year term by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate. He reports to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.^[5]

[edit] Personal

Allen resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife Pamela A. Hess, whom he married in October 1975. They have three children and two grandchildren.

[edit] Awards and decorations

In addition to his wearing the Advanced Boat Force Operations Insignia and Cutterman Officer Badge and Commandant Staff Badge, Allen has been awarded the following, along with numerous unit, service, and campaign awards:

	Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal
	Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal with two gold award stars
	Legion of Merit
	Meritorious Service Medal with two gold award stars
	Coast Guard Commendation Medal with 2 gold award stars and Operational Distinguishing Device
	Transportation 9-11 Medal
	Coast Guard Achievement Medal with gold award star and Operational Distinguishing Device
	Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon with gold award star

Allen's civilian awards include the 2006 Strategic Vision Award by the Global Strategy Institute (GSI) of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In 2009, he was awarded the Admiral Of The Ocean Sea Award (AOTOS) from the United Seaman's Service and the 2009 Business Achievement Award given by Beta Gamma Sigma, the academic honor society affiliated with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. He was nominated for this award by the United States Coast Guard Academy.^[6]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Admiral Allen's blog "iCommandant"
• Coast Guard chief takes over relief effort, CNN, September 9, 2005
• Thad Allen to lead Katrina recovery effort, Marine Log.com September 9, 2005
• President Bush announces his intention to nominate Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen to be the next Commandant of the Coast Guard, White House press release, January 9, 2006
• Coast Guard FAQ
• America's Best Leaders, US News & World Report, October, 2006

Portions of this biography were taken from the Coast Guard's biography of Allen.