US Coast Guard receives new commander, new name for Alaska

“You crushed it!”

It was a fitting compliment for outgoing U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District commander Rear Admiral Megan Dean.

Rear Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, Pacific area commander, honored Dean on Friday during a transfer of command ceremony. District 17 was renamed to the Arctic District on July 3. All districts across the United States were renamed from numerical titles to geographical locations to more accurately represent the regions.

Dean turned over her duties on Friday to Rear Admiral Bob Little.

She reflected on her time in Alaska at the Air National Guard Hangar where she first became commander two years ago.

“Coast guarding in Alaska and the U.S. Arctic is complex, be it the geography, geopolitics, weather, limited resources, or an occasional natural disaster,” Dean said.

She was recognized for securing northern borders during a historic number of Russian and Chinese military asset approaches on Alaska and the U.S. Arctic. Before 2021, there was one vessel per year. Last year alone, 16 vessels approached the international border, according to Tiongson.

Dean was also honored for defending seafood competitiveness, replacing aviation assets, and being a strong advocate for the workforce.

She is transferring to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she will serve as the Assistant Commandant for Operations Integration and Response Policy.

During closing ceremonial remarks, Little said he is excited about the significant historic funding the Coast Guard is set to receive in the coming years.

President Donald Trump’s signing of the budget bill last week means almost $25 billion for new Coast Guard construction, including almost $9 billion for new icebreakers and $300 million for new Coast Guard facilities in Juneau.

“As an operational commander in the Arctic District and responsible for this region, I’m excited to advocate for those funds and to try to document and understand what our requirements are, and do my best to understand how we can compete well within the Coast Guard for that,” Little said in an interview after the ceremony.

It’s unknown at this time when the new port and support facilities for the icebreaker Storis will be ready, Little said.

Storis is expected to be commissioned in Juneau next month, with its primary purpose being patrol and presence in the region until the crew learns the capabilities to expand operations, according to Little.

“But that doesn’t diminish the fact that we’ll have a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter painted red with a Coast Guard stripe operating in the region this summer,” he said, calling Storis a milestone for the Coast Guard. He said it shows a transformation in getting operational capability faster to where it’s needed.

Although the President has directed the Coast Guard to prioritize drug interdiction and border security, Little said their ability to serve other missions remains the same.

“While we may raise or lower one priority over another, as the environment demands it, historically, I don’t anticipate changes in capacity,” he said. “We have historically sent ships and aircraft to do counter-drug missions, and then we still work within our portfolio of capabilities and assets here in the Arctic district to do the mission. I don’t anticipate any change to our historic norms and our ability to conduct operations in this region.”

As for the name change from District 17 to Arctic District, Little said, “Our missions, our priorities remain the same.”

He said he has experience in the region on a national security cutter, but what matters is that he has an “incredibly talented team.” His interest as a commander is managing the risks of operating aircraft, small boats, and ships in Alaska’s challenging environment, he said.

“If you’ve seen a gale blow up and experienced 30-foot seas, you understand that every mission, every time we send a Coast Guard man or woman out there to do a mission, we’re putting them at risk,” Little said. “My interest will be at managing that risk, understanding that risk — our team has been doing it for over 150 years. They’re good at what they do, but I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to support them to be safe.”

• Contact Jasz Garrett at jasz.garrett@juneauempire.com or (907) 723-9356.