Rear Admiral Ronald F. Silva assumed duties as the Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District in May 2002. As the Great Lakes region’s operational commander, he leads more than 7,000 regular, reserve, and auxiliary men and women of the Coast Guard assigned to eight states surrounding the 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of international border and provides the world’s premier search and rescue, marine safety, security, and environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, aids to navigation and icebreaking services to the region’s citizens.
Prior to becoming Ninth District Commander, Rear Admiral Silva was Assistant Commandant for Systems and “Chief Engineer” at Coast Guard Headquarters. He was responsible for all Engineering (Civil, Naval, Aeronautical, Electronics); Logistics; and Command, Control, Communications and Computers for the $27 billion capital plant in the Coast Guard, which included 23,000 structures, 230 ships, 1,400 boats, and 200 aircraft.
A native of Montville, Connecticut, he is a 1971 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Early in his career, he served in engineering afloat duty on Coast Guard Cutters ESCANABA, MENDOTA, and SHERMAN. His staff assignments include Headquarters (Civil Engineering; Engineering Logistics and Development; and Resource Directorate), and the Fifth and Fourteenth Districts (Civil Engineering). His command cadre assignments included Executive Officer of Support Center Seattle, Supervisor of Shore Maintenance Detachment Honolulu, Commanding Officer of Facilities Design and Construction Center Atlantic, Commanding Officer of Support Center New York and Deputy Commander, Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic.
Rear Admiral Silva's postgraduate education includes a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Engineering Administration Degree from The George Washington University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. He has served in several leadership positions in the Society of American Military Engineers as Post President, Post Director, National First Vice President, and served as a National Director. He was elected to the Society’s Academy of Fellows in 1996.
Rear Admiral Silva's military awards include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (three awards), the Meritorious Service Medal, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (five awards), the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and other unit and personal awards.
Rear Admiral Silva is married to the former Beverly Ann R. of Montville, Connecticut. They have three grown children Cynthia, Bucky and Matt.
Rear Admiral Silva retired in 2004.