| Coast Guard Pacific Area & Defense Forces West | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Area Command |
| Headquarters | Coast Guard Island,Alameda, California |
| Nickname(s) | PACAREA |
| Commanders | |
| Area Commander | Vice AdmiralAndrew J. Tiongson |
| Deputy Commander | Rear AdmiralAndrew M. Sugimoto |
| Notable commanders | AdmiralPaul F. Zukunft, 25th USCG Commandant AdmiralLinda L. Fagan, 27th & 1st female Commandant |
Coast Guard Pacific Area & Defense Forces West (PACAREA)[1] is anArea Command of theUnited States Coast Guard, a regional command element and force provider tasked with maritime safety, security, and stewardship throughout the Pacific. The command's area of responsibility encompasses six of the seven continents, 71 countries, and more than 74 million square miles of ocean—from the U.S. Western States to the waters off the east coast of Africa, and from the Arctic to Antarctica. Pacific Area has primary responsibilities for all Coast Guard operations throughout this area of responsibility.
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area is concurrently Commander ofDefense Forces West, and is located atCoast Guard Island inAlameda,California.
Pacific Area is divided into four operational regions calleddistricts, each overseen by a two-starRear Admiral. The 11th Coast Guard District is co-located with Pacific Area and oversees all Coast Guard operations from theCalifornia/Oregon border, south to Guatemala and out 200 miles to sea. The13th Coast Guard District is headquartered inSeattle, Washington and maintains responsibility for Coast Guard operations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The 17th Coast Guard District is based inJuneau, with responsibility for all Coast Guard operations in Alaska. The 14th Coast Guard District has responsibility for Coast Guard operations throughout a 12.2 million square mile region that encompasses theHawaiian Islands,Guam,American Samoa, and Coast Guard activities inSaipan,Singapore, andJapan.
The Pacific Area and its subordinate units employ 13,000 active duty and reserve members, Coast Guard Auxiliarists, and civilian employees.
In addition to assets at each of its subordinate units, the Pacific Area command's operational assets include:
Pacific Area also oversees theDeployable Specialized Forces (DSFs), which include theNational Strike Force,Tactical Law Enforcement Teams,Port Security Units, andMaritime Safety and Security Teams.