Paul Frederick Zukunft (born 30 January 1955) is a retired admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 25th commandant. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Commandant, with the rank of admiral, in May 2014 and relieved Robert J. Papp Jr. as commandant on 30 May 2014.[1] Prior to his selection as Commandant, he served as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area.[2] In this position, Zukunft was the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within the half of the world that ranges from the Rocky Mountains to the waters off the East Coast of Africa. He concurrently served as Commander, Defense Force West and provided U.S. Coast Guard mission support to the U.S. Department of Defense and Combatant Commanders.
Previous flag assignments include The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship; Director of Response Policy, Assistant Commandant for Capability; Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; and Director, Joint Interagency Task Force West; Federal Onscene Deepwater Horizon Unified Command, and the Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area.
Zukunft wears the permanent Cutterman Insignia and is a certified NIMS ICS Type I Incident Commander. His personal awards include the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit, and five Meritorious Service Medals with "O" device among others.[3]
Zukunft was born on 30 January 1955 in New Haven[4] and is a native of North Branford, Connecticut. He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Government. He attended Webster University in 1988 where he received his Master of Arts degree in Management, and the U.S. Naval War College in 1997 graduating with a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He is a graduate of the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies Executive Seminar and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government National Preparedness Leadership Initiative course.[3]
Zukunft was promoted to flag rank in 2006. His six previous flag assignments also include The Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship; Director of Response Policy, Assistant Commandant for Capability; Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District[5] and Director, Joint Interagency Task Force West. Additionally, Zukunft served as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Deepwater Horizon Spill of National Significance in 2010, and directed more than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessels and 120 aircraft during one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history.[6]
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Zukunft has served at sea, commanding USCGC Rush, USCGC Harriet Lane, and USCGC Cape Upright. Zukunft's senior staff assignments include Chief of Operations, Coast Guard Pacific Area and Chief of Operations Oversight, Coast Guard Atlantic Area where he directly supervised all major cutter operations in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in Honolulu.[7]
On 28 February 2014, United States Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced that U.S. President Barack Obama intended to nominate Zukunft for the position of Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, succeeding Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr.[8] He was confirmed by the Senate on 15 May 2014, and frocked to full Admiral the same day. He assumed the office of Commandant on 30 May 2014.
