Vice Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara was relieved by Vice Adm. John P. Currier as vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard during a military change of watch ceremony held here Friday morning at Fort Lesley J. McNair.
Brice-O’Hara retired from the Coast Guard after more than 37 years of service as part of the same ceremony. Brice-O’Hara assumed the duties of the 27th vice commandant May 24, 2010. As second in command she was responsible for executing the commandant’s strategic intent, managing internal organizational governance and serving as the component acquisition executive. During her tenure she oversaw the Coast Guard’s response to the BP Deepwater Horizon event, implemented the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell within the service, and managed the service’s recapitalization program to replace aging ships, boats and aircraft.
Currier became the 28th vice commandant after serving as the Coast Guard's first deputy commandant for mission support where he was responsible for oversight of human capital, lifecycle engineering, acquisition, telecommunications and information technology. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert J. Papp, Jr., presided over the event. A change of watch ceremony formally restates the continuity and authorities of critical positions within the service’s command structure.