District Commander
Rear Admiral Jeffrey W. Novak
Rear Admiral Jeff Novak assumed the duties of Commander, Southwest Coast Guard District in Alameda, California, in July 2025. He is responsible for Coast Guard operations from the California-Oregon border to Chile, including Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. He concurrently serves as Deputy Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area, where he supports Coast Guard forces and missions from the Rocky Mountains across the Indo-Pacific, Arctic and Antarctic regions, to the coast of eastern Africa.
Rear Admiral Novak previously served as Military Advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security from 2024 to 2025. There, he provided counsel to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary regarding border control policies, plans, and other matters between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense.
He has commanded ashore and at sea, most recently as Commander of Sector Detroit. He served in four cutters and commanded USCGCs BLOCK ISLAND and GRAND ISLE. As Commanding Officer of USCGC GRAND ISLE, he led his crew on deployment to the Mediterranean Sea in 2003 for port security and coastal defense in support of U. S. and coalition forces during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
His other assignments include Chief of Staff, Coast Guard Pacific Area; Executive Assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Human Resources (CG-1) at Coast Guard Headquarters; and Special Assistant to 25th Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft. Rear Admiral Novak was assigned as the Coast Guard’s Senior Liaison to the State Department and further detailed to the White House National Security Council to work on the National Strategy for the Arctic Region. Other ashore assignments include, Deputy Commander of Sector Buffalo, NY; Budget and Programs Reviewer at Atlantic Area, Portsmouth, VA; and Operations Officer of Vessel Traffic Service Houston/Galveston, TX.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Government from the U. S. Coast Guard Academy, as well as a Master of Public Administration and Graduate Certificate from East Carolina University. He graduated with Distinction from the Naval War College of Naval Command and Staff, receiving the Director's Award for Academic Excellence. He completed fellowships with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Seminar XXI, Office of the Secretary Defense’s Office of Net Assessment Summer Study 2018, and State Department National Security Executive Leadership program. He is a graduate of the Air War College with a Master of Strategic Studies, where his thesis research on Excess Defense Article programs was nominated as the Air University’s submission to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Strategic Research Paper competition.
Rear Admiral Novak is designated as a permanent Cutterman and Response Operations Ashore Professional. His personal awards include the Department of Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal, Secretary of State Superior Service Award, Legion of Merit (2), Meritorious Service Medal (5), Coast Guard Commendation Medal (3), and Coast Guard Achievement Medal (4).
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