Vice Admiral David P. Pekoske assumed his duties as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard on August 7, 2009. As second in command and Chief Operating Officer, Vice Admiral Pekoske executes the Commandant's strategic intent, manages internal organizational governance and serves as the Component Acquisition Executive.
Prior to this assignment, Vice Admiral Pekoske served as Commander, Pacific Area/Coast Guard Defense Forces West in Alameda, CA. He oversaw the operation of units performing missions in marine safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security and national defense in an Area of Operations encompassing over 73 million square miles throughout the Pacific Basin and Far East. Previous Flag assignments include Assistant Commandant for Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters and Commander of the First Coast Guard District/Maritime Defense Command One headquartered in Boston, MA.
Vice Admiral Pekoske was promoted to Flag rank in 2004 while serving as the Executive Assistant to the Commandant, a position he held from 2001 to 2004. From 1999 to 2001, he commanded Coast Guard Group/Marine Safety Office (now Sector) Long Island Sound, based in New Haven, CT.
His 32-plus year career has included a variety of operational and staff assignments and command of six Coast Guard operational units. He has served on the west, gulf and east coasts of the United States and on the Great Lakes. Vice Admiral Pekoske’s operational expertise is in the operations ashore community. His staff expertise is in strategic planning, program analysis and budget development.
Commissioned in 1977, Vice Admiral Pekoske has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ocean Engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. He is a 1989 graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University with a Masters Degree in Public Administration. Vice Admiral Pekoske graduated from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master of Business Administration Degree in 1997. He served as a member of the United States Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees from 2006-2008.
His personal decorations include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (2), the Legion of Merit (2), the Meritorious Service Medal (5), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (2), the Coast Guard Achievement Medal (4) and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation.