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Coast Guard Rear AdmiralO-8 Flag Officer, U.S. Coast Guard |
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Coast Guard Ranks » Rear Admiral Rank • RADM Pay • RADM Rank History
History of the Coast Guard Rear Admiral Rank
A Rear Admiral is a Flag Officer in the United States Coast Guard at DoD paygrade O-8.
Rear-Admiral was traditionally the highest rank possible in the Coast Guard during peace time. The first Rear-Admiral appointed in the Coast Guard was William E Reynolds, appointed in 1922. He had formerly been a "captain-commandant". The term 'rear-admiral' is derived from the old Naval reference to the 'admiral in the rear', a deputy vice-admiral who would command the vessel in the rear of the flotilla while the admiral's ship typically took up centre and the vice-admiral, a position at the front.
Want to learn more? Read about the Coast Guard's Rear Admiral rank on Military-Ranks.org.
History of the Coast Guard
The Coast Guard has changed names several times over its 200+ year history, but it is largely the same organization as it was in 1790 as the Revenue Marine. Uniforms, culture, and professions are very similar to the Navy, but the mission is different. While the Navy ensures freedom of navigation internationally, the Coast Guard does so for our nation's coasts through vessel inspections, law enforcement, drug and migrant interdiction, maintenance of navigation aids, environmental protection and research, ice operations, and search-and-rescue. Sailors of the Navy and Coast Guard have a high respect for each other, knowing that one can do what the other cannot.