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Coast Guard Rear Admiral Lower Half

O-7 Flag Officer, U.S. Coast Guard
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Rear Admiral

Coast Guard Ranks » Rear Admiral Lower Half RankDRML PayDRML Rank History

Rank badge of a Rear Admiral Lower Half O-7 Rear Admiral Lower Half - U.S. Coast Guard Ranks

Coast Guard Rear Admiral Lower Half
Coast Guard O-7 Rear Admiral Lower Half Coast Guard Military Ranks
Class Flag Officer
Abbr. DRML
Title Rear Admiral (last name)
Paygrade O-7 (DoD Paygrade)
OF-6 (NATO Code)
Basic Pay $9,668/mo

Rear Admiral Lower Half is a one-star flag officer rank in the U.S. Coast Guard, equivalent to the rank of Brigadier General in the other Armed Forces. The rank of Rear Admiral Lower Half replaced the rank of Commodore in 1985, although many other countries continue to use the title Commodore for similar ranks. A Rear Admiral Lower Half generally commands a small floatilla of several small ships such as cutters or a group of air wings.

Promotion to Rear Admiral Lower Half is an extremely selective process, as the Coast Guard can only have a limited number active-duty flag officers at any given time. Eligible candidates, chosen from among the senior commissioned officers, are screened and recommended for promotion by a sitting board of currently active flag officers. This list must be approved by the Secretary of the Navy, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Secretary of Defense before the final choice is made from the list of eligible candidates by the President of the United States.

After nomination by the President, candidates must be approved by the U.S. Senate by majority vote before being approved for promotion upon assumption of their new duties. By tradition, all active flag officers welcome and congratulate newly confirmed flag officers with a personal letter following their promotion.

One-star flag officers generally serve for a tour of three to four years, and a variety of mandates apply to admirals' retirement from the Navy.

  • One-star officers must retire after five years in-grade or 30 years of total service unless reappointed
  • All flag officers must retire one month after their 64th birthday
  • Flag officers can have their retirement deferred to their 66th birthday by the Secretary of Defense, and to their 68th birthday by the President
All flag officers receive their grade permanently, which allows them to retain their paygrade and title after their tour has ended and after retirement. Most admirals retire well before their mandatory retirement date to allow other officers the chance to fill their position.

Rear Admiral Lower Half is the 23rd rank in the United States Coast Guard , ranking above Captain and directly below Rear Admiral. A rear admiral lower half is a Flag Officer at DoD paygrade O-7, with a starting monthly pay of $9,668.

How do you become a Rear Admiral Lower Half?

A Rear Admiral Lower Half is most often promoted from Captain (CAPT), although promotion from lower paygrades may occur with sufficient display of leadership and experience.

Suitable candidates, most often mature individuals who have served three years as a captain, are carefully screened and recommended for promotion by a sitting board of currently active flag officers. The list of recommended officers, once approved by the Secretary of the service, the Secretary of Defence, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is then forwarded to the President of the United States for final selection. The appointment is confirmed by the US Senate, after which it becomes official. Traditionally, new flag officers are welcomed by a personal letter from all other currently serving flag officers.

What is the proper way to address a Rear Admiral Lower Half?

The correct way to address a Rear Admiral Lower Half named Mr. Rodriguez is "Rear Admiral Rodriguez", or written as DRML Rodriguez. In formal situations, a Rear Admiral Lower Half should always be addressed by their full rank.

How much does a Rear Admiral Lower Half earn?

Basic pay for an entry-level Rear Admiral Lower Half with 2 or less years of experience is $9,668.40 per month.

A Rear Admiral Lower Half receives an automatic raise to their basic pay every one to two years. Basic pay is only a small percentage of a Rear Admiral Lower Half's final compensation package.

In addition to a monthly basic pay salary, a Coast Guard Rear Admiral Lower Half may be eligible for multiple types of allowances and bonus pay including personal money allowance, hazard pay, education allowance, and more.

For full details on the Coast Guard's Rear Admiral Lower Half compensation and retirement plan, visit the 2024 Coast Guard Rear Admiral Lower Half Pay Chart. A full table of the Coast Guard's current paygrades are available at the Coast Guard Pay Chart.

Patch of a Rear Admiral Lower Half Equivalent Ranks to the Coast Guard's O-7 Rear Admiral Lower Half

To learn more about the Coast Guard's rank structure, see our complete list of Coast Guard ranks.

The Government civilian-employee equivalent of a Rear Admiral Lower Half is paid under the General Schedule payscale. For more details, see this Coast Guard rank to GS grade conversion table .

To see a list of military medals and decorations that can be earned by servicemembers in the Coast Guard and other branches of the military, see our list of military decorations and medals.