ALCOAST 491/25 - DEC 2025 DEATH OF A RETIRED FLAG OFFICER AND HALF-MASTING OF NATIONAL ENSIGN

R 102215Z DEC 25 MID120038466428U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 491/25
SSIC 5060
SUBJ: DEATH OF A RETIRED FLAG OFFICER AND HALF-MASTING OF NATIONAL
ENSIGN
A. U.S. Coast Guard Regulations 1992, COMDTINST 5000.3B
1. It is with great sadness that I announce the death of
Rear Admiral Wayne E. Justice, USCG (retired), who passed away on
Saturday, November 8, 2025, in Melbourne, Florida at the age of 70.
2. By order of the Commandant and in accordance with REF (A), the
National Ensign shall be flown at half-mast on all Coast Guard
buildings, grounds, and vessels not underway from sunrise until
sunset on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in honor of RADM Justice.
3. RADM Justice was born on April 5, 1955, in Seattle, Washington.
He was a 1977 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London,
Connecticut. His advanced studies included a Master of Science
degree in Human Resource Management with Honors from Nova University
in South Florida in 1983, and a Master of Arts degree from the U.S.
Naval War College, College of Naval Warfare, in Strategic Studies
in 1996.
4. RADM Justice's career was comprised of diverse tours afloat and
ashore. His shipboard assignments include Commanding Officer tours
of duty aboard Coast Guard Cutters MUNRO (WHEC-724), homeported in
Alameda, CA; MOHAWK (WMEC-913), Key West, FL; SHEARWATER (WSES-3),
Key West, FL; and CAPE SHOALWATER (WPB-95324), West Palm Beach, FL.
Additionally, he served afloat as Executive Officer on DAUNTLESS
(WMEC-624) homeported in Miami, FL; and as Deck Watch Officer on
HAMILTON (WHEC-715), Boston, MA. His previous staff assignments
include Seventh Coast Guard District Chief of Staff, Chief of
Operations, and Chief of Law Enforcement in Miami, FL; Chief,
Office of Programs at USCG HQ; Executive Assistant to Commander,
Atlantic Area in Norfolk, VA; and Coast Guard Military Aide to
Presidents George H. W. Bush and William J. Clinton. Additionally,
he served as Aide to the Vice Commandant, and as the Senior Watch
Officer in the Miami Operations Center.
5. RADM Justice's flag assignments include serving as Assistant
Commandant for Capability (CG-7) and as Director of Response Policy
(CG-53) at Coast Guard Headquarters. His final assignment was as
Commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District in Portsmouth, VA,
where he had overall responsibility for the execution of all Coast
Guard maritime safety and security missions performed across
156,000 square miles of ocean, bays, rivers, wetlands and tidal
marshes of the Mid-Atlantic states spanning from central New Jersey
to the North and South Carolina border.
6. RADM Justice retired from the Coast Guard in 2010 and later was
elected to the Cape Canaveral Port Authority and served for
11 consecutive years, including three terms as Chairman. He made
many important contributions to the Space Coast community port
complex related to the rapid growth of the commercial space
industry, including infrastructure and workforce investments,
as well as significant public-private projects to expand port
facilities to support both launch and recovery space operations.
Other contributions enhanced regional port security and enabled
Port Canaveral to become the first U.S. cruise port to handle LNG
operations in 2021; today the port serves multiple LNG powered
cruise ships.
7. RADM Justice is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter,
Justice Behrmann and spouse Katie Behrmann; son, Michael Justice
and significant other Alexa Staubus.
8. A memorial service will be held December 16, 2025 followed by
full military honors burial at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery
in Mims, Florida. Military personnel wishing to attend the memorial
may contact LT Sasha Flaherty at: Sasha.M.Flaherty@uscg.mil.
9. RADM Justice's full obituary can be found at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://islandcremations.com/obituaries/radm-wayne-edward-justice/11267/

10. RDML Z. Merchant, Assistant Commandant for Workforce Management
(CG-WM), sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.