ALAMEDA, Calif. — The U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area held a retirement ceremony for Vice Adm. Andrew J. Tiongson Friday at Coast Guard Base Alameda.
Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant, presided over the ceremony in which Vice Adm. Tiongson retired following 40 years of honorable service.
Rear Adm. Joseph Buzzella has been announced as the acting Pacific Area commander. He previously led the Coast Guard’s Southwest District from July 2024 to July 2025, overseeing operations from the California-Oregon border to Peru, including Arizona, Utah and Nevada.
Under Buzzella’s leadership spanning 3.3 million square miles of ocean with critical ports, sectors, air stations, cutters, and international partners, the Southwest District conducted nearly 4,000 search and rescue cases saving 955 lives, assisting 2,680 mariners, and protecting $126 million in property. He led a historic Department of Homeland Security pivot to strengthen border control, coordinating a surge that apprehended over 1,600 illegal aliens, and established operational frameworks enabling nearly 200 flights expelling over 2,300 individuals. Supporting counter-drug missions, he oversaw the interdiction of 65 vessels, detention of 217 suspected smugglers, and prevention of more than 100 million fatal doses of drugs from reaching U.S. streets, while directing efforts to protect $800 billion in annual maritime commerce from kinetic and cybersecurity threats.
“I have served for four decades in the U.S. Coast Guard and although each role has been an incredible experience, the last three years leading the men and women of the Pacific Area, leave me with immense pride and deep humility,” said Retired Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson. The Coast Guard teaches us resilience, teamwork, and purpose—values that define our great service. It has been an honor to serve alongside those who protect our nation with quiet courage and unwavering commitment.”
Tiongson assumed command of Pacific Area on July 8, 2022. During his tenure, he demonstrated exceptional strategic leadership, unifying four districts and overseeing 12 major cutters and deployable specialized forces across a 74 million-square-mile area with more than 14,000 personnel. He advanced the Coast Guard’s role as a critical national security instrument in the Indo-Pacific, Southern Ocean and U.S. Arctic. He also integrated military, law enforcement, intelligence and humanitarian capabilities for a whole-of-government surge to secure the southern border while strengthening the nation’s western and northern maritime approaches. Internationally, he improved maritime security partnerships in the Western Pacific, supported a rules-based order, led interagency efforts to seize large quantities of illicit narcotics, championed global action against illegal fishing, and ensured the resilience of the Marine Transportation System vital to billions in commerce.
A career Cutterman, Tiongson previously served as director of operations at U.S. Southern Command from June 2020 to June 2022, overseeing all planning, synchronization and execution of operations in the command’s area of responsibility. His prior flag assignments include commander of the Coast Guard’s Northeast District in Boston and assistant commandant for resources and chief financial officer. His sea duty spans five Coast Guard cutters and one U.S. Navy ship, including deployment in support of Operation Desert Storm as part of a Coast Guard–Navy exchange. He held four afloat command cadre positions, including command of the USCGCs Nantucket, Legare and James.
Tiongson’s staff assignments included tours in the Office of Budget and Programs, the Office of Congressional Affairs—where he served as senior policy advisor to the Speaker of the U.S. House on drug issues—and as executive assistant to the vice commandant, advising on strategic policy and budget matters. A 1989 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, he also holds two master’s degrees from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in engineering and management from MIT, where he was a System Design and Management Fellow. He also completed MIT’s Seminar XXI program on foreign politics, international relations and national interest.
Pacific Area is the Coast Guard’s regional command element and force provider for maritime safety, security and stewardship throughout the Pacific. The command’s area of responsibility includes six continents, 71 countries and more than 74 million square miles of ocean.
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