Rear Admiral Michael Day assumed the duties of Commander of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in June 2022. He is responsible for directing Coast Guard operations throughout Oceania, including Hawai’i, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and activities in Singapore and Japan. The Coast Guard conducts operations and activities across the Fourteenth District as part of the Department of Homeland Security team protecting the U.S. and as one of the six armed services and part of the joint forces defending it. The Coast Guard works closely with allies to advance maritime governance as part of the rules-based international order essential to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Prior to his current assignment, Rear Admiral Day most recently served as the Military Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security, providing counsel to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary regarding policies, plans, and other affairs between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
He also previously served as Executive Assistant to the Commandant and Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. Previous notable assignments also include serving in the Strategy and Policy Directorate (J5) for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commanding Officer of the Pacific Strike Team, where he participated in a variety of emergency responses in locations ranging from the Arctic to Taiwan and throughout the United States. Rear Admiral Day also served as Commander of Sector New York from 2015 to 2018.
In response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he was immediately designated the Coast Guard on-scene commander for the evacuation of lower Manhattan. In this capacity, he coordinated the response of over 100 civilian vessels in evacuating over 500,000 people from lower Manhattan in the largest maritime evacuation in history.
Rear Admiral Day has earned Masters degrees in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island and in Public Administration from Bridgewater State University. Rear Admiral Day also completed a one-year fellowship at Harvard University Kennedy School of Government as a National Security Fellow and participated in a one-year Maritime Industry Training program with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Rear Admiral Day has received numerous military and civic awards. However, he considers those awards earned throughout his career associated with unit performance to be most satisfying and representative of Coast Guard service, because they recognize the participation and accomplishment of all crew members.