U.S. Coast Guard Appoints its First Female Chief Counsel
“The U.S. Coast Guard has named Rear Adm. Melissa Bert to the post of judge advocate general and chief counsel. Bert is the first woman to hold the service’s top legal position,” reports The Maritime Executive.
“Bert was most recently the director of governmental and public affairs for the Coast Guard, where she was responsible for external engagement with Congress, the media and other inter-governmental entities.”
“As judge advocate general and chief counsel, Bert will lead the team responsible for all legal services in support of the Coast Guard’s missions, its units and its people.”
“Bert is the Coast Guard’s 20th chief counsel and seventh uniformed judge advocate general. She joins other trailblazing women in the Coast Guard’s legal field like Capt. Eleanor Creed L’Ecuyer and Capt. Etha B. Fox of the Coast Guard Reserve, both of whom joined the Coast Guard in 1944.”
