Lunday takes command of the Coast Guard

Published 9:51 am Monday, January 26, 2026

By Staff report

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, the 28th Commandant of the Coast Guard, speaks after he was sworn in by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Earlier this month, Adm. Kevin Lunday assumed command as the 28th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

“In this role, he leads a maritime fighting force of over 76,000 Coast Guard men and women that conducts operations to control, secure, and defend U.S. borders and maritime approaches; facilitate commerce vital to economic prosperity, strategic mobility, and U.S. maritime dominance; and respond to crises and contingencies that may come with little to no warning,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Lunday takes command at a pivotal moment as the Coast Guard continues its transformation through Force Design 2028, “powered by historic investment from the American people. As the Coast Guard’s most significant strategic overhaul since World War II, Force Design is modernizing how the service organizes, trains, equips, and operates to meet increasing operational demands.”

The Coast Guard is a major employer and support for maritime/fisheries industries here at the mouth of the Columbia River.