2011 Distinguished Sea Service Award Honoree
At its Centennial Congress in 1990 the Naval Order established a Distinguished Sea Service Award (DSSA) to each year honor a recently retired US Naval Officer who, over a total career, so distinguished himself and the Naval Services, that he should be singled out as one who stands "First Among Firsts." This year's honoree is:
Commandant (Admiral) Thad W. Allen, United States Coast Guard
In recognition of Professional Leadership and Support to the Sea Services of the United States of America reflecting Singular Credit and Honor upon himself and his Country and earning the enduring Gratitude of his fellow Countrymen. He stands "PRIMUS INTER PRIMOS."
Admiral Allen was awarded the Naval Order's Distinguished Sea Service Award at the Annual Congress in Galveston, TX, Saturday, 22 October 2011.
Biography
Admiral Thad W. Allen was the 23rd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and served in wide variety of assignments including commands at sea and ashore during his 39 years of Coast Guard service.
During his tenure as the top officer of the nation's oldest continuous sea service Admiral Allen led the effort to reform and modernize all aspects of the Coast Guard, thereby "improving and sustaining Mission Execution." As Admiral Allen continually stated his ultimate aim was to make the Coast Guard a "change-centric" organization capable of quickly and efficiently adapting to meet the growing and ever-changing demands of the future. Additionally he was the first high ranking member of the Federal government to embrace social media, pioneering the effort to connect to his audience through all manners of digital technology.
Although the Modernization program was an important aspect of what Admiral Allen accomplished as Commandant, he also led the service during a time when it responded to a number of significant national and international incidents, including hurricanes, floods, search-and-rescue cases, oil spills and other environmental incidents. He led the effort to explore the changing Arctic, solidified the Coast Guard's relationships with the nation's other armed services and Federal partners, and reached out to the private sector to gain their input and trust. During his final months in office he led the Coast Guard's exemplary response to the earthquake in Haiti and the nation's response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, serving beyond his tenure as Commandant at the request of President Obama and Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Napolitano.
As the National Incident Commander Admiral Allen successfully directed the ongoing response efforts to mitigate the oil spill, including the deployment and coordination of vital response assets, personnel and equipment that were activated since immediately after the spill. He worked with and coordinated the activities of the Federal-On-Scene Coordinator, the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Interior and Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal, state and local government departments and agencies as well as British Petroleum, the responsible party in the spill.
Admiral Allen previously served as the Coast Guard Chief of Staff and Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Headquarters, in Washington, DC. He also served as the Chairman of the Department of Homeland Security’s Joint Requirements Council. Admiral Allen was the Principal Federal Official for Hurricane Katrina response and recovery operations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He additionally served as Principal Federal Official for Hurricane Rita response and recovery activities in Louisiana.
Prior to his assignment as Chief of Staff, Admiral Allen served as Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Fifth Coast Guard District, and U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic in Portsmouth, VA. Admiral Allen led the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area forces in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In his other flag assignments, Admiral Allen commanded the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami and was the Coast Guard’s Director of Resources.
A specialist in operations both in the coastal and offshore environments, Admiral Allen has served aboard three Coast Guard cutters: the Androscoggin, Gallatin and Citrus, which he commanded. His coastal command operational assignments include Captain of the Port / Group Long Island Sound, Connecticut; Group Atlantic City, New Jersey and LORAN Station Lampang, Thailand. Admiral Allen’s other assignments included a tour as search and rescue controller in the Greater Antilles Section, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Intelligence Watch Officer at DEA/INS El Paso Intelligence Center, El Paso, Texas; Chief Budget Officer, Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic, Governors Island, New York; Deputy Project Manager, Fleet Modernization and Rehabilitation (FRAM) Project; and Assistant Division Chief, Programs Division, Office of the Chief of Staff at Coast Guard Headquarters.
Admiral Allen graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1971. He holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the George Washington University and received the Alumni Achievement Award in 2006. Admiral Allen also holds a Master of Science degree from the Sloan School of Management of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2003, he was elected a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow.
Admiral Allen is a native of Tucson, Arizona and the son of retired Coast Guard Chief Damage Controlman Clyde and Mrs. Wilma Allen. Admiral Allen and his wife, Pam, have three children and two grandchildren.
The Naval Order website is maintained under the direction of CDR Robert C. Averill, USN (Ret.)