PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The U.S. Coast Guard recently announced it has renamed its operational districts from a numbered system to a geographic system.
According to a release, the change also includes changing the Coast Guard Fifth District to Coast Guard East District. The change is part of Force Design 2028 (FD2028), which was first implemented by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on May 21, 2025.
The initiative aims to more accurately represent the regions in which the districts serve.
“This renaming is more than just a change in labels; it’s a critical step in our journey to become a more agile, capable, and responsive fighting force,” Acting Commandant Kevin E. Lunday said. Under Force Design 2028, we are driving fundamental changes to speed decision-making, improve strategic alignment, and ultimately best serve the American people for decades to come. This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring that change is lasting and has an enduring impact on the Service and the Nation, as directed by the President and the Secretary.”
The new geographic names for each district can be found below:
- District 1: USCG Northeast District
- District 5: USCG East District
- District 7: Southeast District
- District 8: USCG Heartland District
- District 9: USCG Great Lakes District
- District 11: USCG: Southwest District
- District 13: USCG Northwest District
- District 14: USCG Oceania District
- District 17: USCG Arctic District
The release states that the previous numerical listing was originally established during World War II while the Coast Guard was a part of the Navy. Since separating from the Navy, the Coast Guard continued to use numerical districts.
The change is not expected to impact any geographical boundaries for the districts or any operations. For more information, click here.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
