Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson assumed Command of Coast Guard Pacific Area in Alameda, California on July 8th 2022. He serves as the operational commander responsible for all Coast Guard missions westward from the Rocky Mountains across the Indo-Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic regions, to the coast of eastern Africa. He concurrently serves as Commander, Defense Force West and provides Coast Guard operational support to the Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.
Vice Admiral Tiongson previously served as the Director of Operations, United States Southern Command from June 2020 – June 2022 in Doral, Florida. There he oversaw and was responsible for the planning, synchronization, and execution of all current and future operations, activities, and investments within U.S. Southern Command’s Area of Responsibility. In previous flag assignments Vice Admiral Tiongson served as Commander of the First Coast Guard District headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and he and served as Assistant Commandant for Resources and Chief Financial Officer for the U.S. Coast Guard.
Vice Admiral Tiongson is a career Cutterman whose time at sea spans five Coast Guard cutters and one U.S. Navy ship. His afloat career began in 1989 aboard USCGC ESCANABA (WMEC 907). While serving aboard USS NORMANDY (CG-60) as part of the U.S. Coast Guard - U.S. Navy exchange program, he deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm. He has served in four command cadre positions afloat: Executive Officer aboard USCGC MOHAWK (WMEC 913) and Commanding Officer of USCGC NANTUCKET (WPB 1316), USCGC LEGARE (WMEC 912) and USCGC JAMES (WMSL 754).
Vice Admiral Tiongson has served in a variety of key staff positions, serving two different tours in the Office of Budget and Programs as a Budget Coordinator/Program Reviewer and the Office Chief. He also served in the Office of Congressional Affairs as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on domestic and international drug issues. Vice Admiral Tiongson served as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard where he supported the Commandant and Vice Commandant on strategic policy and budget matters. Vice Admiral Tiongson is a 1989 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He holds two master’s degrees from The George Washington University: Mechanical Engineering and Environmental and Energy Management.
He was also a System Design and Management Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he earned a Master of Science in Engineering and Management, a joint degree from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and Engineering School. He also completed MIT’s one-year Seminar XXI program on foreign politics, international relations, and the national interest.