Vice Admiral A. Bruce Beran assumed duties as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area on June 30, 1990. He was selected for that position while serving as Chief of Staff, United States Coast Guard and Commanding Officer, United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
With his area of responsibility comprising the entire Pacific Basin, he has authority over four Coast Guard Districts and the Maintenance and Logistics Command. Vice Admiral Veran is also Commander, U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Pacific, also known as Task Force 16, under Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In this capacity, Vice Admiral Beran leads a Navy command which is responsible for the coastal defense of the U.S. in the Pacific, including Alaska and the Hawaiian Archipelago. Both Navy and Coast Guard regular and reserve forces are assigned to that organization. As the Secretary of Transportation's Emergency Transportation Coordinator for Federal Region IX (Arizona, Nevada, California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Pacific Islands, and U.S. Trust Territories), he is also responsible for coordinating Federal transportation activities during peace and wartime emergencies.
A native of Niantic, Connecticut, he is a 1957 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy. Early career assignments included duty afloat in both operations and engineering on board Coast Guard Cutter Owasco and Executive Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Yeaton. He also commanded Coast Guard Loran Station Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands.
Vice Admiral Beran earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1962 and subsequently served in several civil engineering assignments including duty in Alaska, Europe, and the Republic of Vietnam. He is a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Vice Admiral Beran received a Master of Science in Administration Degree from George Washington University in 1971 and was the first Coast Guard graduate of the Army War College in 1977.
The next four years were spent at Coast Guard Headquarters as Special Assistant and Executive Assistant to the Commandant. This was followed by a two-year tour of duty as Commander, Greater Antilles Section with responsibility for Coast Guard operations in the Eastern Caribbean. In 1984, during a two-year tour of duty as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Coast Guard, he was selected for promotion to Rear Admiral (lower half). From 1985 to 1988 he served as commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; Commander, Central California Sector of the U.S. Maritime Defense zone, Pacific; and coordinator of the Pacific Region of the National Narcotics Border Interdiction System.
His military awards include the Distinguished Service medal, two Legions of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Commendation Medals, Commandant's Letter of Commendation, Combat Action Ribbon, and various unit, service, and Republic of Vietnam campaign ribbons.
Vice Admiral Beran married Caroyln (Connie) T. of Norwich, Connecticut in June 1957. The Berans have four sons: twins Mark and Bruce, Craig, and Thomas.