Charles Wurster

Education

University of Illinois system.

Career

He is now retired from the Coast Guard, is the President/Chief Executive Officer of the Portuguese of San Diego (January 2009), and serves as national commodore of the Sea Scouting division of the Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture. Wurster is a 1971 honors graduate of the United States. Coast Guard Academy. He received a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1976 and is a 1993 graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. As a junior officer, he served as a Deck Watch Officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast, Saint St. Petersburg, Florida, and as Commanding Officer of LORAN-A Station at Cape Sarichef, Alaska.

Wurster has also been assigned to Civil Engineering duties at the Thirteenth Coast Guard District, Seattle, Washington.

The Eighth Coast Guard District, New Orleans, Louisiana. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia

And as Facilities Engineer at Training Center Petaluma, California. Wurster assumed his duties as Commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area in May 2006.

The Area of Operations for this command encompasses over 73,000,000 square miles (190,000,000 km2) throughout the Pacific Basin to the Far East.

Wurster was responsible for overseeing the operation of units performing missions in maritime safety, maritime mobility, protection of natural resources, maritime security, homeland security, and national defense. Prior to this assignment, he served as Commander of the Fourteenth Coast Guard District in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also served as Assistant Commandant for Acquisition at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia Acquisition projects under Wurster’s oversight included Rescue 21, a complete renewal of the National Distress and Response System.

Replacement of 180 aircraft, cutters, patrol boats, and motor lifeboats.

Plus acquisition of hundreds of fast response boats. Wurster retired on May 29, 2008, and passed command to Vice Admiral David Pekoske.

In October 2008, he was appointed as the new National Sea Scout Commodore.

Achievements

• His awards include Legion of Merit (four awards) and the Society of American Military Engineers Sverdrup Meda He is also the recipient of nine unit and meritorious unit commendations. His brother Donald C. Wurster is a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force. The Wurster family has a record of military service dating back to the Revolutionary War. As three-star flag officers, the brothers also hold the highest rank of anyone in their family. Their father, retired United States. Air Force Colonel Charles A. Wurster, was a P-51 Mustang and F-80 (P-80) pilot in the Korean War.