Allen retires from Coast Guard but remains oil spill response commander

U.S. Admiral Thad Allen on Wednesday announced his retirement from the U.S. Coast Guard. He will continue his duties as the National Incident Commander of the BP oil spill.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano commended Allen on his exemplary career in the U.S. Coast Guard on Wednesday.

"I commend Admiral Allen for nearly 40 years of dedicated military service in the Coast Guard," Napolitano said.

"Throughout his career, our nation has turned to Thad Allen for leadership at times of great crisis, and this is one of those times. Thad Allen has provided excellent leadership as the national commander of our massive response to the largest environmental disaster in our nation's history, and he will continue to leverage his decades of experience in civilian duty as the national incident commander for this spill," she said.

Allen, 61, served as the 23rd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard between May 25, 2006 and May 24, 2010. He is best known for his widely praised directing the federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast region from September 2005 to January 2006.

Source: Xinhua