Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD-7) offered his congratulations this week to United States Coast Guard Rear Admiral (lower half) Sandy Stosz, on the occasion of her promotion to that rank. Stosz, who is from Ellicott City, in the Seventh District, is the first female graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy to be selected for promotion to flag rank.
As the Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Congressman Cummings took particular pride in the promotion of RADM Stosz. “This is a wonderful time for Sandy Stosz and her family,” said Congressman Cummings. “Other women have excelled in service to our nation and have attained a flag officer rank. However, the fact that 73 percent of Coast Guard flag officers attended the Academy shows that it can be an important first step in an illustrious career.
As we make efforts to increase diversity at the Academy, Admiral Stosz will stand as a shining example of the success that can be achieved when the Academy pursues those who may have believed attending was a dream beyond their grasp.”
Other female Coast Guard officers have been promoted to Rear Admiral and beyond, but none graduated from the Coast Guard Academy, which did not accept female candidates until United States service academies began to admit female students in 1976. RADM Stosz entered the Academy two years later, graduating in the Class of 1982.
During her tenure on the water, RADM Stosz commanded two Coast Guard vessels. RADM Stosz is now the Director of Enterprise Strategy, Management and Doctrine Oversight at U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in Washington.