ALAMEDA, Calif. – U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Robert E. Day Jr., a Castleton, Vt., native, has been nominated by the Obama administration, and on April 29, 2009 was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, for promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral Lower Half.

Day, son of Bob and Lois Day, is a 1976 graduate of Fairhaven Union High School.  He graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In 1988, he earned a Master of Science in Telecommunications Management from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif.

Day has spent a majority of his 29-year career in a variety technology leadership positions.  His first tour of duty was in Portland, Maine where he served aboard Cutter Duane as the damage control assistant until April 1982.  He was then assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington D.C., as the electronics project officer for the construction of the 270-foot medium endurance cutters and 110-foot island class patrol boats.

From June 1988 to May 1992, Day was assigned as the telecommunications officer for the Thirteenth Coast Guard District in Seattle.  During this tour, he performed extensive temporary duty including assignment as the Administrative Officer to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the Exxon Valdez disaster.  In 1992, he was assigned as Commanding Officer, Communications Station Boston, where he prepared the facility for remote operations under the Communication System 2000 project.  Again, he performed numerous temporary duty assignments including communications officer for the Harbor Defense Command assigned to Port Au Prince Haiti during Operation Uphold Democracy. 

From June 1995 until May 1999, he was assigned as the Chief of Planning and Budget for the Electronics Systems Division at Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific in Alameda, Calif.

From June 1999 until June 2002, Day commanded the Coast Guard’s largest Electronic Support Unit in Boston.  During this tour, he and his command provided electronics and communications support to the John F. Kennedy Jr. aircraft crash, the Egypt Air 900 air disaster, and the response to the September 11^th World Trade Center terrorist attack.

From July 2002 until May 2007,  He was assigned as the Chief of Pacific Area’s command, control, and communications division here.  During this tour, Day managed a massive technological transformation of Pacific Area command and control facilities in response to new homeland security missions.  Additionally, he traveled throughout the Pacific Rim as a key United States representative to the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum.

Captain Day is currently assigned as the Acting Commander for Maintenance & Logistics Command Pacific where he oversees the mission support activities of over 2200 personnel serving Coast Guard units throughout the Pacific Theater.  Upon promotion, Rear Admiral Day will be assigned to Washington D.C., as the deputy commandant for command, control, communication, computing and information technology (C4IT) and Coast Guard chief information officer (CIO).

His military awards include the Legion of Merit, three CG Meritorious Service Medals, the 9-11 medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, Letter of Commendation, and six Meritorious Team Awards. 

Day is married to the former Barbara Lee Cook, daughter of Robert L. and Mrs. Yvonne Cook, U.S. Coast Guard Retired.  They have a daughter, Allison, 21, who attends University of California Berkeley and a son, Jeffrey, 15.

Day’s brother, Rich, is the owner of Countryside Glass Corporation, Rutland, Vt.

The U.S. Coast Guard has approximately 40,000 active duty members, but only 42 Admirals.

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