Woman named head of Coast Guard Academy

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sandra L. Stosz will, this summer, become the first woman to head up a U.S. military service academy, when she becomes superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

Rear Adm. Stosz has dedicated her career to developing professional Coast Guard men and women, said U.S. Coast Guard commandant, Adm. Robert J. Papp. We are also extremely proud to be the first service with a woman at the helm of our academy.

Currently, Stosz is Coast Guard director of reserve and leadership, and is responsible for policy affecting the recruitment and training of more than 8,000 Coast Guard reserve members. She has also commanded the Coast Guard's only recruit training center in Cape May, N.J.

I am humbled by the prospect of taking over such an important position in our service and honored to be following Rear Adm. Burhoe, said Stosz.

Under the command of the current superintendent, Rear Adm. J. Scott Burhoe, the school was ranked as a top college by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and listed as the number one college in the northeast by U.S. News and World Report. The school had five Fulbright and three Truman scholars during Burhoe's tenure.

Burhoe is scheduled to retire July 1.

The Coast Guard Academy was established in 1876. The oldest service academy is West Point which was established in 1802.