Rear Admiral Wayne Justice assumed command of the Fifth Coast Guard District in June 2009. In this capacity, he has overall responsibility for the full range of Coast Guard maritime safety and security missions carried out in the mid-Atlantic region, from central New Jersey through North Carolina.
Rear Admiral Justice previously served in Coast Guard Headquarters as both the Assistant Commandant for Capability (CG-7), where he was responsible for identifying and providing capabilities, competencies, and capacity for Coast Guard forces to meet mission requirements; and the Director of Response Policy (CG-53), where he oversaw the development of operational policy guidance for search and rescue, law enforcement, defense operations, and incident management missions.
His previous staff assignments have included the Seventh Coast Guard District Chief of Staff, Chief of Operations, and Chief of Law Enforcement in Miami, FL; Chief, Office of Programs at USCG HQ; Executive Assistant to Commander, Atlantic Area in Norfolk, VA; and Coast Guard Aide to Presidents Bush and Clinton. Additionally, he served as Aide to the Vice-Commandant, and as the Senior Watch Officer in the Miami Operations Center.
His shipboard assignments have included: Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutters MUNRO (WHEC-724), homeported in Alameda, CA; MOHAWK (WMEC-913), Key West, FL; SHEARWATER (WSES-3), Key West, FL; and CAPE SHOALWATER (WPB-95324), West Palm Beach, FL. Additionally, he served as Executive Officer on DAUNTLESS (WMEC-624) homeported in Miami, FL; and as Deck Watch Officer on HAMILTON (WHEC-715), Boston, MA. In the course of his career, Rear Admiral Justice’s cutters seized 40 drug smuggling vessels, over 140 tons of marijuana and cocaine, arrested over 135 smugglers, and have interdicted and rescued over 4,500 Haitian, Chinese, Ecuadorian and Cuban migrants.
Rear Admiral Justice graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Management from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1977. He received his Masters of Science degree in Human Resource Management with Honors from Nova University in 1983. He received a Masters of Arts degree from the U.S. Naval War College, College of Naval Warfare, in Strategic Studies in 1996.
His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Meritorious Service Medal (three awards), and Coast Guard Commendation Medal (four awards).
RADM Justice retired on 25 June 2010.