Vice Admiral Rob Parker became employed as a Senior Fellow in 2016 for the National Defense University in support of the Pinnacle, Capstone and Keystone programs. He is also an independent consultant and advisor for National and Homeland Security, Maritime Security and Operations, and Cyber Awareness, adjunct faculty at the US Naval War College and adjunct staff for RAND Corporation, an apolitical non-profit organization. He retired in 2014 having served over 35 years as a commissioned officer in the US Coast Guard. He is he son of a USAF fighter pilot who served from 1941-1967. Vice Admiral Parker currently lives in Gig Harbor, Washington.
His last posting was 4 years as Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, where he served as the operational commander for all U.S. Coast Guard missions within a geographic region that ranged from the Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf and spanned across 40 states and 3 territories. This tour included operational lead for the maritime and Search and Rescue response in Superstorm Sandy and force provider throughout the response and recovery phases of the Deepwater Horizon Oil spill. Prior to this, he was the first USCG officer to be U.S. Southern Command’s Director of Security and Intelligence (J3/J2) in Miami, Florida, coordinating U.S. military operations and intelligence efforts in the Caribbean, and Central and South America including the DOD support to coordinated interagency responses after catastrophic earthquakes in Haiti (Operation Unified Response) and Chile in 2010. His first flag officer assignment was Assistant Commandant for Capabilities at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters.
A career Cutterman, Vice Admiral Parker commanded three Coast Guard cutters during 12+ years of sea duty in various missions in diverse environments including the Pacific, Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, North Atlantic and Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Out of specialty assignments included a tour in Monrovia, Liberia as Liaison Officer.
Vice Admiral Parker holds a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He also completed a one-year National Security Fellowship at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and is a 1979 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy. He attended the Capstone Program in 2006 and Pinnacle in 2010.
Vice Admiral Parker is an Honorary Master Chief in the United States Coast Guard, his most prized personal award.
Business Affiliations:
Maritime Advisory Board, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.
Military Advisory Board, FLIR Systems
Consultant -- Purdue University
Consultant -- ManTech International Corporation
Adjunct Faculty, U.S. Naval War College (CFMCC Course); Adjunct staff, RAND Corporation
Other Affiliations:
Science and Education Advisory Board, Stevens Institute
Life member, U.S. Coast Guard Cutterman Association
Life member, U.S. Surface Navy Association
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association
Coast Guard Foundation
DHS Maritime Centers of Excellence at Purdue, Stevens Institute, Rutgers and USC
Oak Ridge National Laboratories
Military Advisory Board, Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Center for Climate Security
Distinguished Fellow, New Westminster College
Knight of the Realm of Rosaria (Portland, OR, hometown)