Charles D . Wurster Charles D . Wurster is a retired Vice Admiral in the United States Coast Guard who last served as the Commander , Pacific Area and Commander , Defense Force West . He is now retired from the Coast Guard , is the President / CEO of the Port of San Diego ( Jan 2009 ) , and serves as national commodore of the Sea Scouting division of the BSA . Education and early career . Wurster is a 1971 honors graduate of the U . S . Coast Guard Academy . He received a Master ’ s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1976 and is a 1993 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces . He is a registered Professional Engineer and is a Fellow of the Society of American Military Engineers . As a junior officer , he served as a Deck Watch Officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter " Steadfast " , St . Petersburg , Florida , and as Commanding Officer of LORAN - A Station at Cape Sarichef , Alaska . Wurster has also been assigned to Civil Engineering duties at the Thirteenth Coast Guard District , Seattle , Washington ; the Eighth Coast Guard District , New Orleans , Louisiana ; Coast Guard Headquarters , Washington , D . C . ; and as Facilities Engineer at Training Center Petaluma , California . Flag officer . Wurster assumed his duties as Commander , Coast Guard Pacific Area in May 2006 . The Area of Operations for this command encompasses over throughout the Pacific Basin to the Far East . Wurster was responsible for overseeing the operation of units performing missions in maritime safety , maritime mobility , protection of natural resources , maritime security , homeland security , and national defense . Prior to this assignment , he served as Commander of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in Honolulu , Hawaii . He also served as Assistant Commandant for Acquisition at Coast Guard Headquarters , Washington , D . C . Acquisition projects under Wurster ’ s oversight included Rescue 21 , a complete renewal of the National Distress and Response System ; replacement of 180 aircraft , cutters , patrol boats , and motor lifeboats ; plus acquisition of hundreds of fast response boats . Wurster ’ s other recent assignments include Chief of Staff to Commander Coast Guard Pacific Area , Alameda , California ; Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Integrated Support Command Kodiak , Alaska ; Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Facilities Design and Construction Center Pacific , Seattle , Washington ; and Chief of the Civil Engineering Division , Maintenance and Logistics Command Pacific , Alameda , California . Awards and personal information . His awards include Legion of Merit ( four awards ) and the Society of American Military Engineers Sverdrup Medal . He is also the recipient of nine unit and meritorious unit commendations . His brother Donald C . Wurster is a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force . The Wurster family has a record of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War . As three - star flag officers , the brothers also hold the highest rank of anyone in their family . Their father , retired U . S . Air Force Colonel Charles A . Wurster , was a P - 51 Mustang and F - 80 ( P - 80 ) pilot in the Korean War . Retirement and later work . Wurster retired on May 29 , 2008 , and passed command to Vice Admiral David Pekoske . Wurster was a member of the Boy Scouts of America as a youth and earned Eagle Scout in 1967 . He is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and has been involved in Sea Scouting . In October 2008 , he was appointed as the new National Sea Scout Commodore .