Rabago named Deepwater executive officer

The Coast Guard announced that effective today Rear Adm. Ronald J. Rábago is the new program executive officer of the $24 billion Integrated Deepwater Systems program.

Rabago relieves Rear Adm. Gary T. Blore, who is slated to become the next assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisition officer of the Coast Guard, starting July 13.

Congress and the Homeland Security Department inspector general have criticized the Deepwater program this year for alleged mismanagement, delays and cost overruns. Coast Guard Commander Adm. Thad Allen said he would strengthen oversight of the program, including reorganizing acquisition functions as detailed today.

The Coast Guard plans to combine the Deepwater acquisition with all other elements of its acquisition enterprise to form a new acquisition directorate. Blore will start leading the directorate July 13.

Rábago will be program executive officer of Deepwater, and also director of all Coast Guard acquisition programs effective July 13. He will oversee major procurements of cutters, aircraft, C4ISR and boats.

"We are making significant and necessary changes to the entire Deepwater program," Rábago said. "As I look ahead to the coming months, there are three areas that we must focus on together: Contract and organizational change, asset delivery and internal partnerships."

Rábago is a licensed professional engineer who previously was director of personnel management at Coast Guard headquarters. He has served as command of the cutter Tampa in Portsmouth, Va., and command of the Coast Guard shipyard in Baltimore. Rábago was named Coast Guard engineer of the year in 1995.