Vice Admiral Brian Peterman assumed command of Coast Guard Atlantic Area on May 9, 2006. He is the operational commander for all Coast Guard activities within the eastern half of the world ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and spanning an area of responsibility that includes five Coast Guard Districts, 42 states and over 14 million square miles, and serving with more than 30,300 military and civilian employees, and almost 30,000 auxiliarists.
The primary missions of Atlantic Area include Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security; National Defense; Search and Rescue; Marine Safety; Maritime Law Enforcement; Marine Environmental Protection; Protection of Living Marine Resources; Aids to Navigation; and Ice Operations. Vice Admiral Peterman serves concurrently as Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Defense Force East, providing support to Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet/Joint Forces Maritime Commander North as required to plan, prepare and conduct maritime homeland defense missions in support of U.S. Northern Command.
Before assuming command of Atlantic Area, Vice Admiral Brian Peterman served as Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District and Commander, Maritime Homeland Defense District Seven, and Director, Homeland Security Task Force Southeast, where he oversaw all Coast Guard operations in the Southeastern United States, from the North Carolina-South Carolina border to Florida, with the exception of the panhandle, and throughout the Caribbean.
Previous assignments include the White House where he served for two-and-a-half years as the Special Assistant to the President for Border and Transportation Security on the Homeland Security Council staff. This was his second assignment to the White House, having previously served as a Director in the Defense Policy and Arms Control Directorate of the National Security Council from 1998 to 2000.
Raised in Malvern, Pa., Vice Admiral Peterman is a 1968 graduate of Great Valley High School. In 1972, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from West Chester University and entered the Coast Guard through the officer candidate program.
Vice Admiral Peterman commanded two cutters: Coast Guard Cutter Woodrush out of Sitka, Alaska, and Coast Guard Cutter Campbell out of New Bedford, Mass. In addition, he has served aboard Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet out of Gulfport, Miss., and Coast Guard Cutter Sweetbrier out of Cordova, Alaska.
In addition to his shipboard assignments, Vice Admiral Peterman served in a number of assignments ashore. As the first Coast Guard officer in the Military Liaison Office in Kingston, Jamaica, he trained Jamaica Defense Force personnel for peacekeeping operations in Grenada. From 1988 to 1990, he served at the Headquarters, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he managed a program that required extensive travel in North and West Africa. Later, he commanded the Coast Guard’s key Alaska industrial and operational facility in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Vice Admiral Peterman earned a Master of Science Degree in 1988 from the Naval War College. His military awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Cutterman’s insignia and the Presidential Service insignia.