CAPTAIN RICHARD M. KASER
CHIEF OF STAFF, ATLANTIC AREA
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
An Eagle Scout from Pensacola, Florida, Captain Richard (Rick) M. Kaser is a 1981 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering, he served aboard the CGC COURAGEOUS in Cocoa Beach, FL as Assistant Engineering Officer.
In 1983, he was assigned to the Marine Safety Office in Norfolk, Virginia for four years rotating through and qualifying in all the major Marine Safety disciplines. Afterwards he spent two years in graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earning Masters’ degrees in Marine and Mechanical Engineering.
Captain Kaser spent the next four years as an instructor at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, including a one-year assignment as the Academy’s Assistant Dean of Academics. During his year tenure, he instructed engineering students in fundamental engineering courses and headed up several independent Directed Studies and research projects for the Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center in nearby Groton, CT. In March 1993 he was licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of Pennsylvania.
In July 1993, Captain Kaser was assigned as the Supervisor of the Marine Safety Detachment in American Samoa located in the South Pacific. During this assignment in this remote and primitive island nation 2600 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands, Captain Kaser served as the sole Coast Guard and Senior military advisor to the Territorial government of the United States southern and most remote possession. He coordinated the response to several significant marine incidents that included the grounding of the fishing vessel JIN SHIANG FA and subsequent 100,000 gallon oil spill at the environmentally sensitive Rose Atoll, and a fire on the merchant vessel CORONA I in Pago Pago harbor.
In 1995, Captain Kaser returned to mainland America with assignment to Marine Safety Office Mobile serving as Chief of Port Operations, Chief of Inspection and Executive Officer at Marine Safety Office Mobile, Alabama.
From 1999 to 2001 he served as Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Unit Galveston, where he was responsible for the safety of life, the environment and property for the ports of Galveston, Texas City, and Freeport, Texas, and extending 200 miles offshore.
In June of 2002, he completed a year-long study at the US Army War College earning a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies.
From June 2002 to July 2003, he was assigned to the Office of Intelligence and Security at the Department of Transportation, where he held the position of Deputy Associate Director for Maritime Security.
In July 2003, Captain Kaser assumed command of Marine Safety Office Houston-Galveston and in December 2005 became the first Sector Commander for Sector Houston-Galveston.
From July 2006 until April 2009, he was assigned to Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command as the Chief of the Prevention Division.
In April 2009 he was appointed Chief of Staff for Atlantic Area with operational oversight of all Coast Guard Operations extending from the Rocky Mountains to the Persian Gulf.
Captain Kaser wears several military decorations including three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Commendation Medal and five Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals.