RDML Rusty Dash is the U.S. Coast Guard’s Great Lakes District Commander. He is the senior Coast Guard commander for all five Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway, an area that encompasses 8 states, a 1,500 mile international border, and a workforce of over 6,000 Coast Guard active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary men and women.
RDML Dash was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and is a native of Yorktown, Virginia. He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. His first assignment was as a Deck Watch Officer onboard the 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter CAMPBELL (WMEC 909), in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
From 1996-1998, Lieutenant Junior Grade Dash was the Officer in Charge of Law Enforcement Detachment Five Charlie, in Portsmouth, Virginia. LEDET 5C was deployed onboard U.S. Navy warships to conduct counter-drug operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Oceans, and United Nations sanctions enforcement in the Arabian Gulf.
In 1998, he reported to the Atlantic Area and Fifth District staff where he planned District-wide law enforcement operations. Lieutenant Dash returned to sea duty in 2001 onboard the 270-foot Medium Endurance Cutter NORTHLAND (WMEC 904), in Portsmouth, Virginia, and he served as the Operations Officer and Navigator. He was subsequently assigned as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Washington (WPB 1331), a 110-foot patrol boat in Honolulu, Hawaii.
From 2005-2007 Lieutenant Commander Dash attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he earned his Master of Science Degree (with Distinction) in Information Systems Technology and won the RADM Grace Murray Hopper Award for outstanding academics and leadership. Following graduate school, he was assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters in the Office of C4 & Sensors Capabilities (CG-761). In 2011 Commander Dash transferred to the Atlantic Area staff and served as the Deputy Division Chief of LANT-6. From 2012-2013 he was assigned to the Department of Homeland Security as a Program Manager in the Office of Applied Technology in Washington, D.C.
He returned to the Coast Guard in 2013 and was assigned as Executive Officer at the Command, Control, and Communications Engineering Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. From 2016-2017 Captain Dash attended the National Defense University where he earned a Master of Science degree (Distinguished Graduate) in Government Information Leadership with concentrations in Cyberspace Strategy and Cybersecurity Leadership. After graduating from NDU he reported to CG-6 and became the first Chief of the Office of C5I Program Management (CG-68) in 2018. He assumed command of the C4IT Service Center in May 2019, and became the first C5I Service Center Commanding Officer in June 2020. He transferred to the Personnel Service Center as Deputy in May 2022 and then “fleeted up” as the PSC Commander from May 2023 to June 2024. Until August 2025, Rear Admiral Dash served as the Assistant Commandant for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology (CG-6) and the Coast Guard’s Chief Information Officer.
Rear Admiral Dash’s awards include the 2018 CDR John P. Dailey Award for Outstanding Leadership and Mentorship, the Legion of Merit (3x), Meritorious Service Medal (4x), in addition to other personal, unit, and service awards.
He and his wife Danielle are the proud parents of three adult sons. They are also proud part-owners of the Green Bay Packers, winners of 13 professional football championships.