Thad Allen

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Thad W. Allen
Born January 16, 1949 (1949-01-16) (age 75)
Tucson, Arizona
Awards Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (3)
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (3)

Thad William Allen (born January 16, 1949) is a retired United States Coast Guard admiral who served as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard. Allen is best known for his widely praised[1][2][3] performance directing the federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region from September 2005 to January 2006. Robert J. Papp, Jr. succeeded him as Commandant on May 25, 2010, in a change of command ceremony.

Allen officially retired from the U.S. Coast Guard on June 30, 2010, but for 36 days continued in his role as National Incident Commander of the Unified Command for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He is a Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton.[4]

Background

Allen was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of retired Coast Guard Chief Damage Controlman Clyde and Mrs. Wilma Allen. His father is a World War II veteran. Allen is a 1967 graduate of Palo Verde High School in Tucson. His family moved frequently during his childhood with his father's assignments. He attended the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, where he was a standout football player, graduating in 1971.[5] He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from George Washington University and a Master's degree in Management (S.M.) from the MIT Sloan School of Management as a Sloan Fellow.[6] He was elected a National Academy of Public Administration (United States) Fellow in 2003.[7]

Operational assignments

Admiral Thad Allen, then a Lieutenant, poses with his crew on 22 August 1975 (front row, second from the right). Allen was the last commanding officer of LORAN Station Lampang, Thailand. Station Lampang was part of the LORAN chain first put into use as part of “Operation Tight Reign” in support of military operations in Vietnam.

In his four decades of service, Allen has held operational command both at sea and ashore, conducting missions to support the maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship interests of the nation. He served aboard USCGC Androscoggin (WHEC-68), and USCGC Gallatin (WHEC-721) and commanded USCGC Citrus (WLB-300). He performed dual roles as Commanding Officer of Group Long Island Sound and Captain of the Port, and he commanded Group Atlantic City and LORAN Station Lampang, Thailand[6] from 1974 to 1975.[8] He also commanded the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami and the Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Va.[7]

Flag officer

Allen's first assignment as a flag officer was as Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District, where he directed all operations in the Southeastern United States and Caribbean. Following that assignment he served as Commander, Atlantic Area and U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic. In this capacity he oversaw all Coast Guard operations on the U.S. East Coast, Gulf Coast, and Great Lakes in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Allen served as the Coast Guard's Chief of Staff from May 2002 until May 2006. As Chief of Staff, Allen was third in the Coast Guard's command structure, and was commanding officer of Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.[6]

Allen is a member of the Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees. He was also the director of the bureaucratic transition of the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security.

Hurricane Katrina

On September 5, 2005, while serving as Coast Guard Chief of Staff, Allen was appointed deputy to Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael D. Brown by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, and placed in charge of Hurricane Katrina search-and-rescue and recovery efforts. Former colleagues interviewed after the announcement praised Allen as well-suited to the task.[2]

On September 9, 2005, Allen was given full command of the Bush administration's Hurricane Katrina onsite relief efforts. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff elevated Allen following the removal of Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael D. Brown from that position. Allen announced on January 25 that he would be relieved of this responsibility on January 27, 2006.[9]

Commandant

Allen assumed the duties of the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard on May 25, 2006.[7] He was appointed to a four-year term by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate.[10] Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr. succeeded him as Commandant on May 25, 2010, in a change of command ceremony.[11]

Deepwater Horizon oil spill

On April 30, 2010, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that Allen would serve as the National Incident Commander for the federal government's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.[12] Even after his end of service as Commandant on May 25, 2010, Allen continued to serve as National Incident Commander, first as an Admiral on active duty, and then later as a DHS official.[13]

Retirement

On June 30, 2010, Admiral Thad Allen officially retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. His official portrait, painted by artist Michele Rushworth was unveiled at that time at Fort Lesley J. McNair.

He continued to serve as the Deepwater Horizon National Incident Commander until October 1, when that position was disestablished.[14] Later that month, Allen joined the RAND Corporation as a senior fellow.[15] On November 28, 2011, Booz Allen Hamilton named Thad Allen a Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton. Allen joined the firm’s Justice and Homeland Security business and will lead development of thought leadership and client engagement regarding the direction of law enforcement and Homeland Security.[16]

Personal

Allen resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife Pamela A. Hess, whom he married in October 1975. They have three children and two grandchildren.[7]

Awards and decorations

150pxAdvanced Boat Force Operations Insignia
150pxCutterman Insignia
75pxOffice of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
Template:Ribbon devices Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal with gold award star[17][18][19]
80px Defense Distinguished Service Medal[17]
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal with 2 gold award stars
80px Legion of Merit
Template:Ribbon devices Meritorious Service Medal with 2 gold award stars
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Commendation Medal with 2 gold award stars and Operational Distinguishing Device
80px Transportation 9-11 Medal
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Achievement Medal with gold award star and "O" device
Template:Ribbon devices Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon with 1 award star
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation with "hurricane symbol"
80px Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Unit Commendation with 1 award star and "O" device
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with 1 award star
Template:Ribbon devices Meritorious Team Commendation
Template:Ribbon devices Coast Guard "E" Ribbon with 1 award star
80px Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
Template:Ribbon devices National Defense Service Medal with 2 bronze service stars
80px Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
80px Armed Forces Service Medal
Template:Ribbon devices Humanitarian Service Medal with 1 service star
Template:Ribbon devices Special Operations Service Ribbon with 1 service star
Template:Ribbon devices Sea Service Ribbon with 1 service star
80px Restricted Duty Ribbon
80px Expert Rifle Marksmanship Medal
80px Expert Pistol Marksmanship Medal

Allen's civilian awards include the 2006 Strategic Vision Award by the Global Strategy Institute (GSI) of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In 2009, he was awarded the Admiral Of The Ocean Sea Award (AOTOS) from the United Seaman's Service and the 2009 Business Achievement Award given by Beta Gamma Sigma, the academic honor society affiliated with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. He was nominated for this award by the United States Coast Guard Academy.[20]

See also

Portal icon United States Coast Guard portal

References

  1. ↑ http://www.military.com/news/article/adm-allen-in-hot-seat-over-oil-spill.html?ESRC=topstories.RSS
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Coast Guard's Chief of Staff To Assist FEMA Head Brown", Washington Post, September 7, 2005
  3. ↑ Transcript of C-Span interview
  4. ↑ "Booz Allen Names Admiral Thad Allen as Senior Vice President," Booz Allen Hamilton website, Nov 28, 2011: http://www.boozallen.com/media-center/press-releases/48399320/thad-allen-named-senior-vice-president
  5. ↑ White, Josh (2005-09-07). "Coast Guard's Chief of Staff To Assist FEMA Head Brown". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601677.html?referrer=email. Retrieved 2009-03-17. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Official biography, USCG website
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Impact of Ice-Dimishing Arctic on Naval and Maritime Operations". Summary Report. National Ice Center and United States Arctic Research Commission. 2007. p. 56. http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/documents/2007IceSymp/Summary_Report_2007.pdf. Retrieved 8 September 2010. 
  8. ↑ "Loran Station Lampang." Loran History Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 July 2010. <http://www.loran-history.info/lampang/lampang.htm>.
  9. ↑ Speech at Coast Guard Station Washington, D.C, January 25, 2006
  10. ↑ Commandant's Corner, USCG Website
  11. ↑ Papp Nominated To Be Next Coast Guard Commandant http://hamptonroads.com/2009/12/obama-nominates-portsmouthbased-vice-adm-be-next-coast-guard-commandant
  12. ↑ Thad Allen named National Incident Commander for Deepwater Horizon spill
  13. ↑ Change of Command: Commandant of the Coast Guard
  14. ↑ http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2010/2010-10-01-092.html
  15. ↑ http://www.rand.org/about/people/a/allen_thad_w.html#overview
  16. ↑ http://www.boozallen.com/media-center/press-releases/48399320/thad-allen-named-senior-vice-president
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Navy Times dated 25 May 2010
  18. ↑ Washington Post dated May 11, 2006
  19. ↑ Gold award star per COMDTINST M1650.25D, Table 1
  20. ↑ "Ethical Business Leadership" in Beta Gamma Sigma International Exchange, Vol. 8 No. 2 (2009 Summer), p. 3.

External links

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