James C . Van Sice James C . Van Sice is a Rear Admiral ( upper half ) in the United States Coast Guard . He was the 38th Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London , Connecticut , succeeding Rear Admiral Robert C . Olsen . He was succeeded by Rear Admiral J . Scott Burhoe . Rear Admiral Van Sice retired from the Coast Guard in 2007 . . Retirement . In 2006 Van Sice requested retirement following an investigation . . Cmdr . Jeff Carter , spokesman for the service , said information about Van Sice arose during the task force ' s review of the academy . Members of the task force decided the information was ' beyond the scope of their charter , ' so they forwarded the matter to the Coast Guard chief of staff , Vice Adm . Robert Papp , who had formed the task force . Papp assigned another rear admiral , Larry L . Hereth , to conduct an ' administrative investigation ' into the matter . Carter said the administrative review didn ' t play into the job switch for Van Sice and that Van Sice ' s new job as director of personnel management shows that his superiors still have ' confidence he can effectively serve . ' Van Sice ' s new job puts him in charge of pay , recruiting , housing and personnel policy for the entire 56 , 000 member Coast Guard . By the second week in January , Burhoe , who leaves a job as Assistant Commandant for governmental and public affairs in Washington , will be in charge of the school as it deals with the fallout from two recent sexual assault cases involving cadets . The timing of the job switch , according to a statement from Papp , is based on the expected release of the task force ' s findings next month . Burhoe will lend a ' fresh perspective ' to act on the task force ' s recommendations for the school . Carter said Burhoe is somebody ' who has not been involved in any of the issues the task force is looking at . ' It was after Van Sice took command of the 130 - year - old school that an internal investigation resulted in sexual assault charges being brought against a cadet , Webster Smith . Education . Van Sice graduated in 1974 from the United States Coast Guard Academy . He later earned a Master of Science in Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Arts degree in business from Webster College . Coast Guard assignments . Rear Admiral Van Sice ' s first duty assignment was aboard the Coast Guard Cutter " Munro " ( WHEC 724 ) where he served as Anti - Submarine Warfare Officer and Deck Watch Officer . In 1976 he graduated from Naval Flight Training in Pensacola , Florida . An aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the C - 131 Convair and HU - 25 Falcon aircraft , Rear Admiral Van Sice has approximately 5 , 000 total hours in fixed and rotary wing aircraft . Van Sice has served in a variety of command and staff assignments including Chief of Operations and Chief of Staff for the Eighth Coast Guard District in New Orleans , Louisiana , Commander of Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen , Puerto Rico , and operational command experience on the Gulf of Mexico and in the Pacific Northwest . He served as the first Deputy Director of Operations , United States Northern Command , Peterson Air Force Base , Colorado . In this position , he advised the Commander on operations to deter , prevent , defeat , and mitigate threats and aggression aimed at the United States , its territories and interests . He ensured effective air , land , and maritime defense throughout the assigned area of responsibility to include military assistance to civil authorities . Prior to assuming the position of Superintendent at the Coast Guard Academy , Van Sice was the Director of Reserve and Training for the U . S . Coast Guard where he served as a member of the Reserve Forces Policy Board , which advises the Secretary of Defense on Reserve matters . Awards and honors . His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal , Meritorious Service Medal ( three awards ) , the Coast Guard Commendation Medal , Coast Guard Achievement Medal , and Commandant ' s Letter of Commendation Ribbon with Operational Distinguishing Device . Personal data . Van Sice is a native of Wilmington , Delaware . He is married to the former Clarke Hutchinson of Wilmington , Delaware . Rear Admiral and Mrs . Van Sice have two children .