Rear Admiral Vivien S. Crea        

Commander, First Coast Guard District
and Commander, Maritime Defense Command One

Rear Admiral Vivien S. Crea became Commander of the First Coast Guard District on May 06, 2002.  She is a USCG Commanding Officer, Leader, and Pilot. 

Rear Admiral Crea also holds a number of "firsts" for women in the United States Coast Guard.  Commissioned in 1973, Rear Admiral Crea was the first female aircraft commander in the Coast Guard, and the first female Commanding Officer of a Coast Guard Air Station. Rear Admiral Crea also served as Coast Guard Aide to the President under President Reagan, and Executive Assistant to the Commandant of the Coast Guard. 

Rear Admiral Crea was previously assigned as Director of Information and Technology of the Coast Guard, where she served as Chief Information Officer and oversaw the Coast Guard’s Research and Development program.  Prior to that she served as Chief, Office of Programs, where she was responsible for the Coast Guard’s budget development and advocacy, resource allocation and program review. 

Earlier assignments include Commanding Officer of Air Station Clearwater, Executive Assistant to the Commandant of the Coast Guard; Commanding Officer, Air Station Detroit; Operations Officer, Air Station Borinquen, P.R.; Coast Guard Aide to President Reagan; and numerous other operational assignments. A Coast Guard aviator, Rear Admiral Crea has flown the C130 Hercules turboprop, H-65 Dolphin helicopter, and Gulfstream II jet.

Rear Admiral Crea has earned two Master’s Degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Central Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Texas. She graduated from Seoul American High School in Seoul, Korea in 1968.  Her personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (three awards), and the Meritorious Service Medal.