Years of service 1977-2010 (33) | Name David Pekoske Rank Vice Admiral | |
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Commands held Pacific Area
Deputy Commandant for Operations
First Coast Guard District
Group/MSO Long Island Sound Battles/wars Cold War
September 11, 2001 attacks Awards Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit (2) Education United States Coast Guard Academy Battles and wars Cold War, September 11 attacks | ||
Allegiance United States of America Service/branch United States Coast Guard | ||
GBTA Industry Voices: David Pekoske, TSA
David Peter Pekoske (born c. 1955) is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral who currently serves as the seventh Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. He concluded his 33 years of active military service in 2010 as the 26th Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Contents
- GBTA Industry Voices David Pekoske TSA
- Coast Guard service
- Flag assignments
- Vice Commandant
- TSA Administrator
- Awards
- References
Coast Guard service
Commissioned in 1977, Pekoske earned his Bachelor of Science degree in ocean engineering from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. He is a 1989 graduate of the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University with a Master of Public Administration degree. Pekoske graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management with an MBA Degree in 1997. He served as a member of the United States Coast Guard Academy Board of Trustees from 2006-2008.
His 33-year career included a variety of operational and staff assignments and command of six Coast Guard operational units. He served on the west, gulf and east coasts of the United States and on the Great Lakes. Pekoske's operational expertise was in the operations ashore community. His staff expertise is in strategic planning, program analysis and budget development.
Pekoske served Executive Assistant to the Commandant from 2001 to 2004. From 1999 to 2001, he commanded Coast Guard Group/Marine Safety Office (now Sector) Long Island Sound, based in New Haven, Connecticut.
Flag assignments
Vice Admiral Pekoske served as Commander, Pacific Area/Coast Guard Defense Forces West in Alameda, California. He oversaw the operation of units performing missions in marine safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security and national defense in an Area of Operations encompassing over 73,000,000 square miles (190,000,000 km2) throughout the Pacific Basin and Far East. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Commandant for Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters. From 2004 to 2006 he was Commander of the First Coast Guard District/Maritime Defense Command One headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Vice-Commandant
Vice Admiral Pekoske served as Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from August 7, 2009 to May 24, 2010. As second in command to Admiral Thad Allen and Chief Operating Officer, Vice Admiral Pekoske executed the Commandant's strategic intent, managed internal organizational governance and served as the Component Acquisition Executive.
TSA Administrator
On June 5, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he had nominated Pekoske as the seventh Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration.
On August 3, 2017, Pekoske was confirmed by the United States Senate as the next TSA administrator. On August 10, 2017, he was sworn as TSA's seventh administrator.
Awards
His personal decorations include, among others, the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal (2), the Legion of Merit (2), the Meritorious Service Medal (5), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (2), the Coast Guard Achievement Medal (4) and the Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon.
Advanced Boat Force Operations Insignia
Commandant Staff Badge