Charles David Michel (born April 7, 1963) is a former United States Coast Guard admiral who last served as the 30th vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He is the first vice commandant to hold the rank of admiral while in office. Originally a vice admiral when he assumed office on August 6, 2015, Michel was promoted to four-star admiral on May 24, 2016, when the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 elevated the statutory rank for the position to admiral. Michel is also the first career judge advocate in any of the armed forces to achieve four-star rank.[1] Michel retired from the Coast Guard on May 24, 2018, after over 33 years of service.
Charles D. Michel | |
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| Born | April 7, 1963 Lawton, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  United States Coast Guard |
| Years of service | 1985–2018 |
| Rank |  Admiral |
| Commands | Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard Director of Joint Interagency Task Force South Commanding officer of USCGC Resolute Commanding officer of USCGC Cape Current |
| Awards | Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (5) |
Early life and education
editMichel was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1963[2] and graduated from Brandon High School at Brandon, Florida in 1981. Michel graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a degree in marine engineering with high honors in 1985. He also graduated in 1992 summa cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law as the salutatorian and is a member of The Florida Bar.[1]
Career
editMichel has served on four cutters including a tour aboard USCGC Decisive as deck watch officer, USCGC Dauntless as executive officer, and tours as commanding officer on USCGC Cape Current and USCGC Resolute.[1] Other assignments have included a tour as staff attorney for the Eighth Coast Guard District at New Orleans, Louisiana and assignments at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as head of the operations division the Office of Maritime and International Law and a later tour as chief of the same office. Michel also served a tour as legislative counsel for the office of congressional and governmental affairs.[1] His flag assignments include director, governmental and public affairs, military advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, director, Joint Interagency Task Force South, deputy commander, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and deputy commandant of operations at Coast Guard Headquarters.[1]
Awards and decorations
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Dates of rank
edit| Ensign | Lieutenant, Junior Grade | Lieutenant | Lieutenant Commander | Commander | Captain |
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| O-1 | O-2 | O-3 | O-4 | O-5 | O-6 |
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| May 22, 1985 | November 22, 1986 | May 22, 1990 | September 1, 1995 | October 1, 2000 | March 1, 2006 |
| Rear Admiral (lower half) | Rear Admiral (upper half) | Vice Admiral | Admiral |
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| O-7 | O-8 | O-9 | O-10 |
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| October 1, 2009 | July 1, 2012 | May 2, 2014 | May 24, 2016 |
Personal life
editIn addition to his military awards, Michel was the American Bar Association Young Lawyer of the Year for the Coast Guard in 1995, and the Judge Advocates Association Career Armed Services Attorney of the Year for the U.S. Coast Guard in 2000.[1] Also, Michel has received the USCG Public Service Commendation certificate.[1]
Notes
edit- Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g Charles D. Michel, Notable People Biographies, U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
- ^ https://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/d0033806-ce8f-4701-9245-647fdc70419c/C710AD10D2E469166A0A5F3CE33CE4AF.vadm-michel-signed-0-10-sq-pfdr-recusals-apr2016-corrected-redacted.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- References cited
- "Charles D. Michel". Notable People Biographies. U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- "Flag Officer and Senior Executive Service Assignments". Internet Releasable Announcements. U.S. Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
External links
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Media related to Charles D. Michel at Wikimedia Commons
