Coast Guard Commander Testifies About Sexual Assault and Harassment at Academy

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan testified during a public hearing before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on the Coast Guard Academy’s alleged mismanagement of the sexual assault investigation. She said, “Our failure to submit the report to Congress was a mistake that prevented proper oversight and further undermined trust,” alluding to the Coast Guard’s Operation Fouled Anchor investigation that ultimately found the academy mishandled dozens of sexual assault allegations from the late 1980s to 2006. That investigation took place from 2014 to 2020 but was not disclosed to Congress or the public until June 2023. Admiral Fagan said the cover-up of that report was “a mistake” but not evidence of wrongdoing, and she remains committed to proper accountability. She is the Coast Guard’s first female commandant and took office in June 2022. close