Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea
Vice Commandant
US Coast Guard
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Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea was confirmed by the Senate as the Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard in June 2006. As second in command and Chief Operating Officer of the Coast Guard, she oversees the operations management of the organization and is responsible for efficient and effective daily functioning of the Service, development of Coast Guard policies, mission execution, and mission support delivery. As the Component Acquisition Executive, Vice Admiral Crea provides acquisition program management oversight and guidance to ensure regulatory and statutory requirements are fulfilled for all acquisitions. She chairs the Coast Guard’s Flag and Senior Executive Leadership Council and is pre-designated by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security as the National Principal Federal Official for an outbreak of the Pandemic Flu and similar nation-wide biological events. She is the first woman of any service to ascend to the post of second in command and is the senior ranked woman throughout the Armed Services. Vice Admiral Crea is the Coast Guard’s “Ancient Albatross,” the longest serving, active-duty Coast Guard aviator.
Vice Admiral Crea’s Flag assignments include Commander of Atlantic Area and Coast Guard Defense Forces East where she was the operational commander for all of the Coast Guard activities from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. As the First District Commander she oversaw all Coast Guard missions across eight states in the Northeast and 2,000 miles of coastline from the U.S.-Canadian border to northern New Jersey. Vice Admiral Crea served as the Chief Information Officer & Director of Research and Development and was the Chief of the Office of Programs for budget development and advocacy.
Vice Admiral Crea commanded Air Stations Clearwater and Detroit and was the Air Station Borinquen Operations Officer. As an aircraft commander she flew the HC-130 Hercules turboprop, the HH-65 Dolphin helicopter, and the Gulfstream II jet. She served as the Coast Guard’s Military Aide to President Reagan and was the Executive Assistant to the twentieth Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Vice Admiral Crea is a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Fellow. She holds master’s degrees from MIT and Central Michigan University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas.
Vice Admiral Crea’s personal awards include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), and the Meritorious Service Medal.