Name Jody Breckenridge | Education Virginia Tech | |
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Vice Admiral Jody A. Breckenridge assumed duties as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area in July 2009. The Area of Operations for this command encompasses over 73,000,000 square miles (190,000,000 km2) throughout the Pacific Basin to the Far East. Vice Admiral Breckenridge oversees the operation of units performing missions in maritime safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security, and national defense. In addition, she oversees two service level commands - the Deployable Operations Group and the Coast Guard Force Readiness Command.
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Early life and education
Breckenridge grew up in Potomac, Maryland and joined the Coast Guard in 1976. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, earned a master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Maryland and a master's degree of Science in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. While attending the University of Maryland, she was elected to the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi and was presented an Excellence in Scholarship award, graduating with honors. In 2007, she was honored with the University of Maryland Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Career
Prior to this assignment, she served as the Director, Strategic Transformation Team where she was responsible for aligning and synchronizing the efforts to transform and modernize the Coast Guard. Simultaneously, she served as Assistant Commandant for Human Resources where she had oversight of the Coast Guard’s HR professionals. From 2005-2006 VADM Breckenridge served as Commander of the Eleventh Coast Guard District in Alameda, CA overseeing Coast Guard operations in the SW and the Eastern Pacific. During her tenure, the Eleventh District stepped up its interagency collaboration leading to record drug seizures including the M/V GATUN, the largest maritime interdiction in US history, and the arrest of Francisco Javier Arellano Felix, head of the Arellano Felix Drug Cartel. Her initial flag assignment was as Commander, Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific with responsibility for all mission support in the Pacific Theater.
Breckenridge graduated from Officer Candidate School in June 1976. Her first tour of duty was in the National Response Center, eventually as Senior Watchstander. Afterwards, she was assigned to the Pollution Response Branch of the Marine Environmental Protection Division at the Coast Guard Headquarters. During that time, she served as a White House Social Aide. For a short time, she worked in the Coast Guard Academy for summer training programs.
In September 1979, Vice Admiral Breckenridge reported to Group Seattle, where she served as the Assistant Port Safety Officer and was then selected as the first Group Operations Officer. Subsequent duty assignments have included the Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center, Coast Guard Headquarters, postgraduate school at the University of Maryland, Chief of Officer Candidate School at Training Center Yorktown, VA, Executive Officer of Integrated Support Center Seattle, Coast Guard Personnel Command (Chief, Officer Assignments), Industrial College of the Armed Services, the Coast Guard Personnel Command (Assistant Chief and Chief, Officer Personnel Management Division), and Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Recruiting Command. While assigned to the Personnel Command, Vice Admiral Breckenridge represented the Coast Guard on a five-month Department of Defense study entitled "The Officer Personnel Structure for the 21st Century". Vice Admiral Breckenridge also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Coast Guard Headquarters.
Awards
Vice Admiral Breckenridge's awards include two Legion of Merits, the Meritorious Service Medal, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, two Achievement Medals, the Commandant's Letter of Commendation, and four Meritorious Team Commendations.