Rear Admiral Andy Sugimoto assumed the duties of Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area in Alameda, California, in July 2024. He is responsible for helping lead Coast Guard forces and missions which includes the Rocky Mountains, Indo-Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic regions, and the coast of eastern Africa. He concurrently serves as Commander, Coast Guard Task Force-Arctic, and as Deputy Commander, Defense Force West.
Rear Admiral Sugimoto previously served as Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard District in Alameda, California from June 2022 until July 2024. There he oversaw the Coast Guard’s safety, security, law enforcement and environmental stewardship operations from the California-Oregon border to Peru including Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. His prior Flag Officer assignment included the Assistant Commandant for Intelligence. During this time, he also served as Director, Coast Guard Investigative Service.
His afloat assignments include serving as the Commanding Officer of USCGC STRATTON homeported in Alameda, CA. STRATTON conducted operations in support of OP ARCTIC SHIELD north of Alaska and counter-narcotics patrols in the Eastern Pacific. Other afloat assignments included serving as Commanding Officer, CGC ACUSHNET, Ketchikan, AK; and CGC TYBEE, San Diego, CA. Rear Admiral Sugimoto served as Executive Officer on CGC CHASE, San Diego, CA, CGC MONOMOY, Woods Hole, MA as well as Deck Watch Officer on CGC SHERMAN, Alameda, CA. He has served more than 12 years at sea and is a proud Cutterman.
Additional staff and ashore assignments include his roles as Chief of Staff of the Eighth Coast Guard District, overseeing USCG operations spanning 26 states including the Gulf coastline from Florida to Mexico and the adjacent inland and offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Chief of the Response Division at the First Coast Guard District, conducting operations from the Canadian border to Northern New Jersey including security and defense of New York City and Boston harbors.
He also worked as the Incident Management Branch Chief of the Ninth Coast Guard District, which spans the five Great Lakes, Saint Lawrence Seaway and parts of the surrounding states, including 1,500 miles of international border. He was responsible for safely prosecuting Search and Rescue cases and responding to all operational incidents which occur within the area of responsibility.
He served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the Ninth Coast Guard District, Cleveland, OH; practiced Operational Law, Military Justice and Legal Assistance for the Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific, Alameda, CA and stood watch as Command Duty Officer for the Eleventh Coast Guard District in Long Beach, CA and the PACAREA Command Center in Alameda, CA.
A native of California, Rear Admiral Sugimoto graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Government. He graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2002 and was conferred a Juris Doctorate.