Thomas H. Collins

{{short description|Commandant of the United States Coast Guard}} {{Use American English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox military person |name = Thomas H. Collins |image = Admiral Collins.jpg{{!}}border |image_size = |caption = Official portrait, 2002 |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1946|6|25}} |birth_place = [[Stoughton, Massachusetts]], U.S. |death_place = |burial_place = |nickname = |alma_mater = {{plainlist| *[[United States Coast Guard Academy|U.S. Coast Guard Academy]] *[[Wesleyan University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) *[[University of New Haven]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]]) }} |allegiance = [[United States]] |branch = [[United States Coast Guard]] |service_years = 1968–2006 |rank = [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] |commands = [[Commandant of the Coast Guard]] Pacific Area and Eleventh Coast Guard District {{USCGC|Cape Morgan|WPB-95313}} |battles = [[September 11 attacks]] |other_work = SPADAC, Inc.,<ref name="SPADAC">{{Cite web|url=http://www.insideview.com/directory/spadac-inc|title=SPADAC, Inc.|publisher=[[InsideView]]|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116110017/http://www.insideview.com/directory/spadac-inc|archivedate=2013-01-16}}</ref> SureID, USIS Inc., Terma North America, U.S. Coast Guard Foundation }}

'''Thomas Hansen Collins''' (born 25 June 1946)<ref>Marquis Who's Who on the Web</ref> is a former [[Admiral (United States)|admiral]] of the [[United States Coast Guard]] who served as the 22nd [[Commandant of the Coast Guard|commandant]] from May 2002 to May 2006.

==Early life and education== A native of [[Stoughton, Massachusetts]], Collins graduated from the [[United States Coast Guard Academy|U.S. Coast Guard Academy]] in 1968 and later served as a faculty member within the Humanities Department. He earned a [[Master of Arts]] degree in Liberal Studies from [[Wesleyan University]] and a [[Master of Business Administration]] from the [[University of New Haven]].

===U.S. Coast Guard=== Collins started his U.S. Coast Guard career as a deck watch officer and first lieutenant aboard the [[Cutter (ship)|cutter]] ''[[USCGC Vigilant (WMEC-617)|Vigilant]]''. Following that assignment, he served a two-year tour as commanding officer of the cutter {{USCGC|Cape Morgan|WPB-95313|6}}, a patrol boat homeported in [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. His shore operational assignments include Deputy Commander, Group [[St. Petersburg, Florida]], and Commander of Coast Guard Group and Captain of the Port, Long Island Sound, in [[New Haven, Connecticut]].

Prior to his promotion to Flag Officer in 1994, he served as Chief, Programs Division at Coast Guard Headquarters, and then as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard.

From 1998 to 2000 he served as Commander, Pacific Area and Eleventh Coast Guard District, where he developed the successful Coast Guard response to the increase in illegal drug and migrant smuggling traffic in the Eastern Pacific. His other flag assignments include serving as Commander, Fourteenth Coast Guard District in [[Honolulu|Honolulu, Hawaii]] and Chief, Office of Acquisition at Coast Guard Headquarters where he managed the acquisition of twelve major systems worth nearly $3 billion and laid the foundation for the ill-fated [[Integrated Deepwater System]] project, which was intended to modernize the ships, aircraft and sensors that the Coast Guard uses to perform its many open ocean missions.

====Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard==== Prior to becoming Commandant, Collins served as [[Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard|Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard]], the number two post, from 2000 to 2002 where he created the Innovation Council, spearheaded service-wide process improvement initiatives and directed system enhancements as the Coast Guard Acquisition Executive.

====Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard==== Collins served as the 22nd [[Commandant of the Coast Guard]] from May 2002 to May 2006,<ref>[http://www.uscg.mil/history/CCG/collins/docs/CollinsBio.pdf United States Coast Guard Biography]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060525-1.html | title=President Attends Change of Command Ceremony for the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard | publisher=The White House | date=25 May 2006 | accessdate=22 August 2019}}</ref> and guided the U.S. Coast Guard in the aftermath of the [[September 11 attacks|September 11 attacks of 2001]]. As part of this effort to tighten maritime security, Collins encouraged people involved in the maritime industry and the recreational boating industry to report suspicious activity to the [[National Response Center]].<ref name="CI16618">Commandant Instruction 16618.8, 2005-02-10. http://www.uscg.mil/directives/ci/16000-16999/CI_16618_8.pdf</ref> This program was extended and formalized as [[America's Waterway Watch]] in 2005.<ref name="CI16618" />

==Other activities== Collins has served as a director on the boards of numerous companies such as EID Passport Inc., USIS Inc., and Terma North America, and the U.S. Coast Guard Foundation. He consults in areas of national security and maritime security, safety, and environmental protection.

He served on the board of SPADAC <ref name="SPADAC"/> from 2007 to 2010 as a key independent director, having been recruited by CEO Mark Dumas to provide balance to the board after SPADAC raised $7.5M in Venture Capital. SPADAC later was renamed to GeoEye Analytics, Inc. after its acquisition then ultimately DigitalGlobe Analytics, Inc. (NYSE: DGI).

==Personal life==

==Awards and decorations== {| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |colspan="3"|[[File:USCG - Boat Force Operations Advanced BW.png|200px]] |- |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=USA - DOT Distinguished Service Medal.png{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Defense Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Coast Guard Distinguished Service ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}[[File:Award star (gold).png|22px]][[File:Award star (gold).png|22px]] |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Commendation Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}[[File:Award star (gold).png|22px]][[File:Award star (gold).png|22px]] |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award ribbon.png{{!}}border|width=106px}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Coast Guard Unit Commendation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|other_device=odd|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Meritorious Team Commendation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Bicentennial Unit Commendation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106px}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}[[File:Bronze-service-star-3d.svg|18px]][[File:Bronze-service-star-3d.svg|18px]] |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Humanitarian Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Special Operations Service Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=U.S. Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|ribbon=USCG Sharpshooter Pistol Ribbon.png{{!}}border|width=106px}} |- |colspan="3"|[[File:USCG - Commandant's Staff Badge.png|106px]] |} {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" !Badge |colspan="3"|[[Boat Force Operations Insignia|Advanced Boat Force Operations Insignia]] |- !1st Row |[[Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal]]<ref name="cspan">[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/192719-1 Coast Guard Change of Command Ceremony], dated 25 May 2006. C-SPAN Video Library.</ref> |[[Transportation Distinguished Service Medal]] |[[Defense Distinguished Service Medal]]<ref name="cspan"/> |- !2nd Row |[[Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal]] |[[Legion of Merit]] with 2 gold [[award star]]s |[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] with gold award star |- !3rd Row |[[Coast Guard Commendation Medal]] with 2 gold award stars |[[Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon]] |[[Secretary of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award]] |- !4th Row |[[Coast Guard Unit Commendation]] |[[Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation]] with [[Operational Distinguishing Device|"O" device]] |[[Meritorious Team Commendation]] with 1 award star |- !5th Row |[[Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation]] |[[National Defense Service Medal]] with 2 bronze [[service star]]s |[[Humanitarian Service Medal]] |- !6th row |[[Special Operations Service Ribbon]] |[[Sea Service Ribbon]] |[[Marksmanship Device|Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon]] with silver sharpshooter device |- !Badge |colspan="3"|[[Commandant Staff Badge]] |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *{{C-SPAN|1000317}}

''This article contains information from the United States Coast Guard, and by US public law, is in the [[public domain]].''

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before = [[James Loy]] |title = [[Commandant of the Coast Guard]] |years = 2002—2006 |after = [[Thad W. Allen]]}} {{succession box |before = [[James C. Card]] |title = [[Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard]] |years = 2000—2002 |after = [[Thomas J. Barrett]]}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Thomas H.}} [[Category:1946 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Commandants of the United States Coast Guard]] [[Category:Vice Commandants of the United States Coast Guard]] [[Category:United States Coast Guard admirals]] [[Category:George W. Bush administration personnel]] [[Category:Recipients of the Transportation Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:United States Coast Guard Academy alumni]] [[Category:Wesleyan University alumni]] [[Category:University of New Haven alumni]] [[Category:People from Stoughton, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Recipients of the Humanitarian Service Medal]] [[Category:Military personnel from Massachusetts]] [[Category:20th-century American military personnel]] [[Category:21st-century American military personnel]]