Stosz is the first female graduate of the Coast Guard Academy to achieve flag rank.[8] At the academy, she competed for Coast Guard's sailing team, which became co-educational, and for the men's swimming team before women's sports were introduced.[7]
In her role as leader of the Coast Guard Reserve, early in 2011 she announced plans to raise the Coast Guard Reserve to 8,100 personnel from the 7,600 reservists available in 2010; the reason was partly experience with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, during which the Coast Guard struggled with insufficient reserve personnel to support the active-duty contingent.[12]
In September 2014, it was announced that Stosz would be continue service as an admiral. Prior to Stosz, all USCGA superintendents had retired upon completion of their term.[14]
Stosz was confirmed as vice admiral by the US Senate on Sunday 31 May 2015, and 'frocked' in an impromptu ceremony the next day before handing over command of the academy. She served in Washington as deputy commandant for mission support[16] until relieved by Vice Adm. Michael F. McAllister on 25 May 2018.[17]
Stosz is married to Bob Volpe, a retired U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant commander.[16]
In a People Magazine profile, she described her career in the U.S. Coast Guard as her "lifetime adventure". Her parents were chemical engineers Max Stosz and his wife Joy. Stosz has three siblings, all brothers.[1]
She has described her "most enjoyable assignment" as being her initial tour, once completing her studies at Coast Guard Academy, as an ensign on the icebreaker USCGC Glacier (AGB/WAG/WAGB 4), which took her to Haiti, New Zealand, various South Pacific islands, and Antarctica.
^Altimari, Daniela (2010-12-15). "Military academy gets female leader". Times-Picayune. No. Saint Tammany Edition. New Orleans. p. A2. Retrieved 2010-12-15.
^The first woman to achieve flag rank in the U.S. Coast Guard was Vice AdmiralVivien Crea, who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin; Coast Guard Academy began admitting women in 1976, and Stosz was in the third graduating class to contain women. Braesch, Connie (2009-12-04). "Guardian of the Week – RDML Sandra Stosz". Coast Guard Compass. Retrieved 2010-09-11.
United States
United States Coast Guard
Vice admiral
Media related to Sandra L. Stosz at Wikimedia Commons
