Rear Admiral Ronald J. Rábago served as the Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Engineering and Logistics (CG-4). As the Coast Guard’s Chief Engineer, he was responsible for all naval, civil, aeronautical, and industrial engineering, logistics, and environmental and energy management programs for the Coast Guard's then $22 billion capital plant which includes 23,000 facilities, 250 ships, 1,800 boats, and 200 aircraft. Responsible for executing an annual budget of $1 billion, he also lead over 5,000 personnel at Coast Guard Headquarters and the three Coast Guard Logistics Centers: the Aviation Logistics Center (ALC) in Elizabeth City, North Carolina; the Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center (SILC) in Norfolk, Virginia; and, the Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) in Baltimore, Maryland.
In his previous assignment as Assistant Commandant for Acquisition and Chief Acquisition Officer (CG-9), he directed efforts across all Coast Guard acquisition programs and related procurement management, contracting and research and development activities to execute the Service’s then $30 billion acquisition investment portfolio.
RADM Rábago’s other previous assignments include: the Coast Guard’s Program Executive Officer (PEO) at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; Director of Personnel Management at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.; Deputy Commander of the Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic in Norfolk, Virginia; Industrial Manager and then the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland; Chief of the Fifth District Law Enforcement Branch; Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) Tampa, Portsmouth, VA; Executive Officer of the CGC Boutwell, in Alameda, California; Type Desk Manager in the Vessel Repair Division of the Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic on Governors Island, New York; Executive Officer of the Naval Engineering Support Unit (NESU) at Portsmouth, VA; Port Engineer at the Ship Repair Detachment in Portsmouth, Virginia; Engineer Officer on board the CGC TAMPA; and engineering and deck Marine Inspector at the Marine Safety Office Port Arthur, Texas. His first assignment was aboard the Honolulu-based CGC Mellon as a Student Engineer.
Rear Admiral Rábago is a 1978 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ocean Engineering. In 1983, he attended the University of Michigan and earned Masters of Science Degrees in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. In 1995, he was named the Coast Guard’s “Engineer of the Year” and in 1996, he attended the Naval War College, where he earned a Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and has earned a Program Manager Level III Certification. Rear Admiral Rábago also was the second recorded Hispanic to reach Flag rank in the Coast Guard,(preceded by RADM Richardo Ratti in 1944).