Oregon, Washington US Coast Guard Now Calls Itself Northwest District

Published 07/07/25 at 4:45 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Newport, Oregon) – A name change for one part of the US Coast Guard (USCG) will undoubtedly make for a stronger local tie-in. The USCG district that covers the Oregon coast and Washington coast is getting a new title.

The U.S. Coast Guard this week announced the renaming of its operational districts from numerical identifiers to region-based designations. What was called Coast Guard District 13 will be known as the Coast Guard Northwest District, the set of offices covering Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

The initiative, part of the Force Design 2028 (FD2028) transformation strategy, aims to better align each district’s name with the area it serves. This changes nothing from day-to-day operations for the U.S. Coast Guard – only the name of the district.

The decision, directed by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on May 21, 2025, marks a departure from a system dating back to World War II. During that period, the Coast Guard was integrated with the U.S. Navy and adopted numerical districting to streamline coordination. While the Navy abandoned numbered districts over two decades ago, the Coast Guard has maintained them. That changed this week.

If anything, the shift brings the Coast Guard district's identity closer to the identities of Oregon and Washington.

Recently from the Northwest District: Search for Missing Teen Called Off After Involving Coast Guard from Washington, Oregon - Two companions that tried to help also needed rescue.

According to officials, the new naming structure is intended to improve public recognition, enhance interagency cooperation, and reinforce the link between the Coast Guard and the communities it serves. Acting Commandant Kevin E. Lunday described the change as essential to modernizing the Service’s organizational structure and decision-making under FD2028.

“This renaming is more than just a change in labels; it’s a critical step in our journey to become a more agile, capable, and responsive fighting force,” Lunday said. “We are driving fundamental changes to speed decision-making, improve strategic alignment, and best serve the American people for decades to come.”

The updated regional designations, approved by the Department of Homeland Security, are as follows:

- District 1: USCG Northeast District
- District 5: USCG East District
- District 7: USCG Southeast District
- District 8: USCG Heartland District
- District 9: USCG Great Lakes District
- District 11: USCG Southwest District
- District 13: USCG Northwest District
- District 14: USCG Oceania District
- District 17: USCG Arctic District

Along Oregon's coastline, major operational bases including Depoe Bay, Newport, Coos Bay and Astoria.

Officials emphasized that the renaming will not affect or alter district boundaries. The Coast Guard has begun the process of formalizing the changes in the Code of Federal Regulations and plans to engage with stakeholders throughout the transition.

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