The US Coast Guard announced today it is renaming its operational districts to reflect geographic regions rather than numbers. As part of this reorganization, Alaska’s District 17 will now be officially known as the US Coast Guard Arctic District.
The change is part of Force Design 2028, a modernization initiative aimed at aligning the Coast Guard’s structure with evolving national security and maritime needs. By replacing numerical designations with geographic ones, the Coast Guard says it seeks to increase clarity in operations, improve coordination with other federal and state agencies, and better reflect the unique challenges of each region.
The newly named Arctic District remains headquartered in Juneau and is responsible for operations across Alaska’s vast coastline and into the increasingly strategic Arctic waterways.
This is the first change in name since the Coast Guard has operated in Alaska as District 17 since 1947. The change to “Arctic District” is intended to more accurately reflect its area of responsibility and the national importance of Arctic maritime operations.
Other districts across the United States are also undergoing similar changes, replacing traditional numbered labels with names like Atlantic East, Pacific Northwest, and Gulf Coast.
The name change takes effect immediately.