Capt. Robert M. Pirone

Deputy, USCG Sector San Juan 
 

Captain Pirone reported to Sector San Juan in June 2022, where he serves as the Deputy Commander conducting Coast Guard missions in the Eastern Caribbean.

Capt Pirone was born and raised in New York, right outside the Bronx. He is a 1997 graduate of Manhattan College, earning a Bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) in Finance with minors in Economics and Philosophy. He received his law degree (J.D.) from Pace University School of Law in New York, and his Master of Law degree (L.L.M.) from the Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS). He is admitted to the New York and Connecticut Bars, as well as the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and the U.S. Supreme Court. Capt Pirone has spent almost twenty years as a Coast Guard lawyer, including seven years working in Coast Guard District legal offices advising numerous Sectors about the full range of Coast Guard operations including Prevention and Response activities.

Capt Pirone’s most recent assignment was working in the Office of Legal Counsel at the United States Africa Command (USAFRICOM) in Stuttgart, Germany. Other Coast Guard assignments include: Staff Judge Advocate, USCG Fifth District, Portsmouth, VA; Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, USCG Fourteenth District, Honolulu, HI; Fellow at the Center for Law and Military Operations (CLAMO), Charlottesville, VA; Procurement Law Attorney, Legal Service Command, Norfolk, VA; Deputy Branch Chief, General Law Branch, Legal Service Command/Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic, Norfolk, VA; Appellate Defense Counsel, Arlington, VA; Liaison Officer to the Central Criminal Court of Iraq (CCCI), Baghdad, Iraq; Defense Counsel, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC; and Staff Attorney Claims and Litigation Division, USCG HQ, Washington, DC. While stationed at USCG HQ, Capt Pirone served as the Flag Aide for the Judge Advocate General of the Coast Guard (TJAG), RADM John Crowley.

Capt Pirone’s biggest career highlight was being selected to serve as the first USCG lawyer to be sent to Iraq in 2006, where he spent almost 200 days ‘outside the wire’ traveling throughout Iraq and working in the Iraqi Courthouse in Baghdad assisting the Iraqis with the prosecutions of terrorists and insurgents. Besides legal duties, Capt Pirone has directly assisted with numerous Coast Guard operations, including working on staff for multiple hurricane responses, and serving as the Senior Coast Guard Officer at the Incident Command Post (ICP) in Haleiwa, HI for the Search and Rescue efforts related to the collision of two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters off the Hawaiian coast in 2016.

Capt Pirone’s Awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Coast Guard Achievement Medal (two awards), the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon, and the Iraq Campaign Medal (with two campaign stars).

Capt Pirone is married to Dr. Laura Pirone (Pharm-D).