Doug M. Fears

Douglas Margrave Fears is a retired United States Coast Guard rear admiral who last served as Director of Joint Interagency Task Force South. He previously served as Assistant Commandant for Response Policy. Fears was the Homeland Security Advisor to President Donald Trump until July 12, 2019.

Early life and education Fears was born in Maryland and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1982, receiving an appointment to the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1985. He was commissioned as an ensign in 1989 after earning a Bachelor of Science in government from the Coast Guard Academy. He later received a master of arts in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College and a master of public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Career Fears has been the captain of three vessels, including the USCGC Diligence and has served on five others. He has also been in charge of the Coast Guard's Office of Law Enforcement, has been a program reviewer in the Coast Guard headquarters, has been a liaison to the U.S. House of Representatives, and has served as chief of staff to the commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command. He currently holds the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in the Coast Guard.