Commander Fred S. Bertsch, U.S. COAST GUARD

Commander Bertsch received his commission in 2001 upon graduating from the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT.  After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Research, he was assigned as a Deck Watch Officer on USCGC TAMPA, home-ported in Portsmouth, VA.  Subsequent afloat assignments included serving as the Commanding Officer of USCGC COBIA in Mobile, AL, USCGC AQUIDNECK, in Manama, Bahrain, and USCGC NANTUCKET in St. Petersburg, FL.  His most recent afloat assignment was as the Executive Officer of USCGC CONFIDENCE in Cape Canaveral, FL.                  

Commander Bertsch’s assignments ashore include serving as an Operational Planning Analyst at Atlantic Area, the Coast Guard Counter Drug and Mass Migration Liaison to the Western Hemisphere Directorate (J5) on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, and the Executive Assistant for the Assistant Commandant of Capability (CG-7).  He holds master’s degrees from Purdue University and the Marine Corps Command and Staff College as well as a doctorate in Homeland Security from NorthCentral University.

Born in Portsmouth, VA, Commander Bertsch is the son of CAPT Fred (USN, ret.) and Cindy Bertsch.  Commander Bertsch is married to Jessica Burger from Lafayette, IN.  They have been married since 2006 and have three children, Fred (“Quint,” 8), Camden (“Gracie,” 5), and Auvie (4).