Rear Admiral Robert Hayes’ final assignment in his 33-year Coast Guard career was as Director, Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) West from April 2019 to June 2021. A standing Joint Task Force, JIATF West is U.S. INDOPACOM’s executive agent for counternarcotics and counter-transnational organized criminal activities, disrupting those activities that threaten U.S. and regional interests in the IndoPacific. JIATF West leverages the diverse capabilities and authorities of its staff, complemented by relationships with multiple partner nations to carry out these missions which include intelligence, operational coordination, exercises, and security cooperation. During his tenure, JIATF West enjoyed success targeting precursor chemicals and associated networks, and leading regional efforts in capacity building and information sharing, particularly in Oceania and Southeast Asia.
Rear Admiral Hayes’ prior flag assignment was as the Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Intelligence from July 2016 to April 2019. As the Service Intelligence Chief, he led the efforts of over 1,100 personnel who conducted the Service’s intelligence programs, to include human intelligence, cryptology, geospatial intelligence, analysis and production, counterintelligence, and critical IT and security functions, ensuring integration with related activities in the broader Intelligence Community. He directed numerous initiatives that were critical to shaping the intelligence workforce; advancing Coast Guard data, information technology (IT), and information, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities; and the integration of intelligence into policy, operations, planning, acquisitions, cyber activities, and force protection.
Prior to that, he had the privilege to serve as the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center — the Coast Guard’s service-wide, strategic analysis and production center which also conducts collection management; intelligence IT support and maintenance; geospatial analysis; and identity management. Rear Admiral Hayes’ career largely focused on intelligence, where he was part of the growth in capability and maturation of the Coast Guard’s intelligence program over nearly three decades. This included assignments in analysis, counterintelligence, policy and strategy, and program management.
In addition to his intelligence assignments, Hayes served at several operational units conducting homeland security, counternarcotics, search and rescue, disaster response, icebreaking, and aids to navigation missions. Upon commissioning, he served as Operations Officer aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter RED OAK, including significant icebreaking in the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River during the winter of 1989-1990. Subsequent operational tours included Operations Officer at Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/ Group Philadelphia and the seizure of the Blue Crown I (a coastal freighter attempting to smuggle 10,000 lbs of cocaine to the U.S.); Operations Officer at Group/Marine Safety Office Long Island Sound in New Haven, CT; and as Deputy Commander of Coast Guard Group New Orleans—where he gained much experience planning for and responding to hurricanes and tropical storms. He deployed back to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Hayes has earned the permanent Boat Force Operations insignia.
A native of Connecticut, he graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Government. He also earned a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in 1993, and later completed a one-year intelligence fellowship at the National Intelligence University’s Center for Strategic Intelligence Research.
RADM Hayes retired from the Coast Guard on 1 October 2021