Joanna Hiigel
Joanna Hiigel was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve on July 1, 2024, making her the fourth woman selected to that rank.
She graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1995 and after five years of active duty, she transitioned to the Coast Guard Reserve and gave birth to her first child. She and her husband, Mark Hiigel, are the parents of three daughters. Mark Hiigel attended flight school to become a Coast Guard rescue pilot, then served active duty, which required the family to move every two to four years. The family has lived in Puerto Rico, Washington, Oregon, California, Florida, Alabama, and Massachusetts. They are currently stationed in southern Florida.
Coast Guard reservists hold civilian jobs and dedicate one weekend a month to their assigned Reserve duty stations. They train, keep ports and waterways safe, save mariners in peril and respond to disasters such as oil spills and hurricanes.
Joanna and her husband, Mark, who is a helicopter pilot with the Coast Guard, were involved with the Coast Guard following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
She has a Master of Arts degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from the American Military University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. She earned Type 2 Incident Commander, Type 3 Liaison Officer and Planning Section Chief Incident Management qualifications.
Her military decorations include a Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation medals, five Coast Guard Achievement Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, one Global War On Terror Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal and one Armed Forces Reserve Medal.[1]
