[200] CG: Commander (CDR) Award

Introducing project “Military Insignia 3D”, featuring top quality military heraldry designs. Here you will find customizable apparel, accessories, stationery, postage and gifts decorated with rank insignia of a Coast Guard Commander (CDR). In the Coast Guard commander (CDR) is a senior officer rank, with the pay grade of O-5. Commander ranks above lieutenant commander and below captain. Commander is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the other uniformed services. Notably, it is the first rank at which the holder wears an embellished cap, whereas officers of the other services are entitled to embellishment at O-4 rank. Promotion to commander is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 70% of lieutenant commanders should be promoted to commander after serving a minimum of three years at their present rank and after attaining 15-17 years of cumulative commissioned service. A commander in the Coast Guard may command a cutter, aviation squadron or small shore activity such as Air Stations on long-duration missions, or may serve on a staff (typically as executive officer) or as executive officer of a larger vessel. An officer in the rank of commander who commands a vessel may also be referred to as "captain" as a courtesy title, or informally referred to as "skipper".