Fagan relieved Adm. Charles Ray in the ceremony at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington. On Wednesday in Alameda, Calif., Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier relieved Fagan as the acting Pacific Area air force officer in a ceremony presided over by Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz .
Fagan was nominated by President Joe Biden to the No. 2 function at USCG on April 19. The Senate confirmed her Thursday .
“ Thank you Adm. Ray for your service and your extraordinary leadership. You have made a frightful, and durable impact on our great service and we will strive to build upon your extraordinary bring, ” Schultz said. “ Adm. Fagan, it is an honor to welcome you as the first charwoman to serve as a four-star admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard, and I congratulate you as you assume the duties as our 32nd Vice Commandant. I am proud to be part of this historic moment and look fore to leading the Coast Guard alongside of you. ”
Fagan is a 1985 calibrate of the Coast Guard Academy and is the Coast Guard ’ s first-ever Gold Ancient Trident, the officeholder with the longest service record in marine safety .
Biden noted Fagan ’ second nomination in his May 19 beginning remarks at the Coast Guard Academy, stressing that “ we need to see more women at the highest levels of command. ”
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“ We have to make certain that women have the prospect to succeed and thrive throughout their careers, ” he said. “ There ’ s a saying that we use in a different context — a chinese saying that says, ‘ Women hold up half the world. ’ It ’ s an absolutely stupid put not to make certain they represent at least one-half of what we do. ”
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Ray retired after 40 years of Coast Guard service, with numerous awards including the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, five host of Merit Medals, one Bronze Star Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, one Coast Guard Air Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas presented him with the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal at his retirement .
Ray had served as vice commanding officer since May 2018, and previously served as deputy commanding officer for operations beginning in August 2016. He is a 1981 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and served at six Coast Guard Air Stations from Alaska to the Caribbean. As vice commanding officer, he led recapitalization of the Coast Guard fleet .
“ I am extremely proud of the commitment and resilience I have seen throughout our service and throughout my career, ” said Ray. “ It has been an award to serve with the men and women of the Coast Guard and it is my privilege to pass the predominate of frailty commanding officer to Adm. Fagan, a true pioneer and inspiration to therefore many. ”
