Christopher Culpepper

Coast Guard Fellow, Institute for Politics and Strategy

Bio

Commander Christopher Culpepper assumed command in June 2019, executing the Transit Protection Program requirements in direct support of Submarine Group Ten and the Strategic Systems Program for Nuclear Weapons Security. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s Military Assistant where he executed daily operations and logistics schedules in close cooperation with the Secret Service. He maintained critical communications links to the POTUS, VPOTUS, and Cabinet, and as the Emergency Action Officer, was responsible for emergency relocation, facilitating the Nuclear Decision Conference, and assisting with disaster response and national security decisions. 

From 2013-2016, he served as Sector North Bend Surface Operations Officer and oversaw Response cases across 11,000 square miles of Oregon’s rugged coastal and inland waters. He managed six Motor Lifeboat Surf Stations, the Aids to Navigation Team, and CGC ORCAS (WPB-1327). He supervised the Ready for Operations, Weapons, Law Enforcement, Armory, Command Security, Reserve, and Auxiliary programs. He spent 2012-2013 in Afghanistan and Kuwait leading the twenty-six-person Redeployment Assistance and Inspection Detachment (RAID) for Patrol Forces Southwest Asia. As the RAID Team Leader and a Customs and Border Clearance Agent embedded with the US Army Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, he coordinated hundreds of missions with coalition forces and sister services across US Central Command’s entire area of operations for moving dangerous goods and equipment.

Commander Culpepper holds a Masters in Military Studies with honors as a distinguished graduate from the US Marine Corps University. He has served as the Program Manager for the Coast Guard Academy Scholar Program in Admissions Diversity Outreach; the Enforcement Watch planner for the Operations Command Implementation Team; the Sector Jacksonville Chief of Incident Management; the Pacific Area and District 11 Command Center Command Duty Officer; and as a shipboard engineer and the Damage Control Assistant aboard CGC Steadfast (WMEC 623) immediately following commissioning from the Coast Guard Academy in 2002 where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Management. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals with “O” Device, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and NATO Medal for International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) among other service ribbons and unit awards.

His wife Ashley hails from Scottsdale, Arizona, is a lifelong horse enthusiast, a US and Canadian National Equestrian Champion in Arabian Hunter Pleasure, and is practicing Dressage for ongoing competition. A son named Sloane (11), and a girl named Courtney (2), keeps these parents entertained and on their toes.