2008 Almanac Highlights

U.S. Coast Guard Organization and Missions

With the Coast Guard providing maritime security along the U.S. coasts and in contingency operations worldwide, Commandant Adm. Thad W. Allen renewed his service’s commitment as a multimission maritime military force by issuing the Coast Guard’s “Strategy for Maritime Safety, Security and Stewardship” in February and signing off on the country’s new national maritime strategy in October.

Allen’s vision, laid down in the Coast Guard strategy, includes six goals: to strengthen domestic and international rules and agreements; enhance awareness of traffic and movement on the world’s oceans; improve across-the-board communications in maritime planning and operations; maintain the service’s military preparedness as an instrument of national defense; develop a capacity for ensuring the recovery of the marine transportation system during a natural or man-made disaster; and focus on international engagements to improve maritime governance.

Many of the precepts in the Coast Guard strategy appear in the national maritime strategy that was introduced Oct. 17 by the three U.S. sea service chiefs. The document calls for better cooperation among the services as well as collaboration with the world’s navies, with the aim to keep sea lanes open and free from piracy, promote humanitarian assistance and prevent conflict by providing deterrent forces.

“This is a convergence of ideas,” Allen said of “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” the strategy’s official title. “This is a convergence of leadership. It’s a platform for discussing how we move this nation forward in an area of persistent conflict, of irregular conflict.”

As head of the U.S. force that regulates, monitors and oversees the nation’s shipping and marine industries, Allen spent much of 2007 promoting U.S. ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. He said it will help the Coast Guard maintain public order of the oceans and “preserve and promote critical U.S. national interests.”

In the past year, Coast Guard officials also have raised national awareness of the changing environment — both climatologically and politically — in the Arctic region. As northern border nations rushed this year to stake their claims on the potentially mineral- and petroleum-rich sea beds, the Coast Guard urged the U.S. government to update its domestic policy on the Arctic, focusing on the national security implications of increased traffic in the region.

To better support the service’s missions, which include national defense, maritime safety, homeland security, maritime mobility and environmental protection, Allen initiated two significant reorganizations at the Coast Guard Headquarters level.

The first creates a single fleet command for operations, led by a three-star field commander. This admiral, responsible for shore-based sector forces, patrol forces and deployable special teams, reports to the deputy commandant for operations, also a new position at the Headquarters level. Within this command is the Deployable Operations Group, a new unit that oversees such deployable special forces as maritime safety and security teams, maritime security response team, the service’s nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological response team and port security teams.
The realignment also created the position of deputy commandant for mission support, who oversees the staff, financial systems, data systems logistics, technology and communications that support operations. This streamlined structure is intended to better support operations and eliminate redundancy with support units.

Allen also began reorganizing the service’s acquisition offices, placing them under the direction of a single chief acquisition officer. This reorganization is in part a response to the Coast Guard’s decision — and a congressional push — for the service to become the lead systems integrator on the massive 25-year, $24 billion modernization program known as Deepwater.

As part of the remodeling, Coast Guard is hiring additional staff, increasing oversight of Deepwater prime contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman and taking over certain programs within Deepwater, including development of a fast response cutter.

The Deepwater modernization program continues to be a primary focus of the Coast Guard’s acquisition efforts. Under Deepwater, the service is expecting to accept delivery of a new national security cutter in 2008. It also will take delivery of six HC-130J Hercules aircraft and expects to receive several completely equipped HC-144A Ocean Sentry craft — the first completely new air assets to be built under the program.

But the service also continues battling a loss of patrol boat hours that has occurred as a result of the Deepwater effort. In May 2007, the Coast Guard removed eight recapitalized 123-foot patrol boats from service because they developed structural problems as a result of their Deepwater renovations and were deemed too costly to fix.

Delays in the development of their replacement boats, called the fast response cutter, have hindered the Coast Guard’s ability to meet operational demand. The service has issued a request for proposal for an off-the-shelf boat that could be modified for Coast Guard missions, but the first of these boats will not be delivered until 2010.

To meet the patrol boat hours gap, the Coast Guard has started double-crewing some 110-foot patrol boats and continues to borrow three patrol coastal craft from the U.S. Navy.

The Deepwater contract was awarded in 2002 to Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a partnership between Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. It originally was estimated to cost $17 billion and take 20 years. After 9/11, however, the service’s requirements changed and that —  combined with contract delays, program cancellations and cost overruns — prompted the service to revamp its plan. In 2005, the Coast Guard told Congress the plan would cost $24 billion and last up to 25 years.
Deepwater is intended to give the Coast Guard eight 378-foot national security cutters, 25 282-foot offshore patrol cutters, 58 270-foot fast response cutters, 33 long-range interceptor vessels, 91 short-range prosecutor boats, six HC-130J and 16 HC-130H surveillance aircraft, 36 HC-144As, 42 rebuilt HH-60 medium-range helicopters, 95 rebuilt HH-65 multimission helicopters and a number of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Several programs initially considered under Deepwater have been put on hold, however, including the development of an all-composite patrol boat and the Eagle Eye tiltrotor unmanned aerial vehicle system.

The Coast Guard’s other large acquisition program, the Rescue 21 distress communications system, continues to be installed nationwide. Although originally expected to be fully operational by 2006, delays in Rescue 21’s development and software programs have postponed full implementation. The $611 million contract is being handled by General Dynamics C4 Systems.

The Coast Guard is the only military service operating under the Department of Homeland Security. It falls under Title 14, U.S. Code, which established the service on Jan. 28, 1915, as a member of the armed forces and a military service with law enforcement authority on the high seas and in U.S. waters. It also operates under Title 10, U.S. Code, as a military service that provides personnel to naval vessels for law enforcement purposes and other assignments.

In addition to its active-duty force of nearly 41,000, it maintains a reserve of 7,800 members and an auxiliary — all volunteer force — of 30,000 members. It also has a civilian work force of nearly 6,000 personnel.

Legacy

The Coast Guard’s primary predecessor, the Revenue Cutter Service, was established in 1790 to collect tariffs and enforce regulations regarding the importation of goods. The Revenue Cutter Service was combined with the U.S. Lifesaving Service in 1915, creating the Coast Guard. The U.S. Lighthouse Service and Navigation and Steamboat Inspection Service were later merged with the Coast Guard. Under Title 14, of U.S. Code, and as modified by the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of the Navy when Congress directs a declaration of war or when the president directs. The Magnuson Act of 1950 solidified the Coast Guard’s responsibilities for the security of U.S. ports and harbors.

Commandant

Adm. Thad W. Allen is the Coast Guard’s 23rd commandant. He entered office in May 2006. He previously served as the Coast Guard’s chief of staff — a role in which he spearheaded the service’s transition to the Department of Homeland Security and led the federal response to Hurricane Katrina following the ouster of Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown as principal federal officer.

During his first year in office, he initiated a top-down review of the service and embarked on drafting the Coast Guard maritime strategy.

According to a statement issued by Allen on his first day as service chief, his goal is to ensure that the service in its entirety is dedicated to improving and sustaining operations. Allen has pledged to further the service’s relationship with the Navy to meet the needs for a national fleet and for operations, including counternarcotics, illegal immigration, intelligence gathering and maritime security duties.

Allen is most recognized nationally as having served as chief of federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He also led the Coast Guard’s East Coast response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Allen is a 1971 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy and holds a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University, as well as a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.

Organization, Missions and Capabilities

The Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington is the administrative control center for the service, managing logistics, support, intelligence, acquisition and research and development.

The commandant is the senior official at headquarters, he is supported by a vice commandant and a chief of staff. The command staff oversees several directorates: human resources; intelligence and criminal investigation; engineering and logistics; command, control, communications and information technology; and planning, resources and procurement. Other directorates include governmental and public affairs, prevention, policy and planning, acquisition, judge advocate general and chief counsel, response and Deepwater program executive officer. The Coast Guard operates 224 stations and command centers in the United States and its dependencies in places such as Puerto Rico, Guam and the Far East. Operations are overseen by two commands — Atlantic Area and Pacific Area, each of which is commanded by a vice admiral. This structure will change as the service’s reorganization is implemented.

Coast Guard operational units belong to districts. There are nine Coast Guard districts, each commanded by a rear admiral. District commanders answer directly to the area commanders. They also work closely with first responders, local governments and area law enforcement personnel to ensure communication and cooperation on a range of subjects and emergency response plans. The areas and, subsequently, the districts are supported by maintenance and logistics commands. Districts are composed of sectors, combined commands that meld a region’s air, marine safety and boat forces. Some parts of the country have separate Coast Guard groups that oversee small boat forces and air stations. These units, and the sectors, report directly to district offices.

The service is structured to support the following missions:

National Defense The Coast Guard deploys service members frequently in support of defense operations worldwide. At the height of Operation Iraqi Freedom, it deployed 1,250 members in-theater, including nearly 500 reserve members. The service sent two high-endurance cutters, a buoy tender, eight patrol boats, four port-security units, a harbor defense command unit, pollution responders, law enforcement detachments and support staff to Central and European Command theaters of operations to support ongoing military operations.

The Coast Guard continues to contribute to the war effort and support defense exercises and operations worldwide. In 2007, the service had six patrol boats in the Persian Gulf conducting maritime intercept operations and security duties and it maintains a contingent of personnel for law enforcement, port security, inspections and management. The cutter Legare deployed for four months to Central and West Africa to educate and assist the navies and coast guards of several African nations and Portugal with maritime security and safety training.

The Coast Guard’s role in national defense is to provide personnel for maritime intercept operations, security and port defense operations, peacekeeping and environmental protection operations.

Maritime Safety The Coast Guard’s search-and-rescue role remains its most visible mission, and during an average year the service rescues more than 5,000 people from U.S. and international waters. The service’s motto is Semper Paratus (Always Ready). In 2005, the Coast Guard responded to 29,799 cases, saving 5,650 lives and assisting an additional 44,721 people.

The service’s maritime safety mission also encompasses marine and boating safety and ice patrols. The service is responsible for setting rules and standards for safe boating and maritime commerce, transportation and navigation. The Coast Guard manages a marine safety program that oversees regulation and inspection of boaters and merchant vessels, including the licensing of masters and crews. The Coast Guard Auxiliary, a force of 30,000 volunteers, supports the service greatly in this mission, running boating safety courses, marine examinations for recreational boaters, reporting the condition of aids to navigation and supporting the inspection of commercial facilities.

Homeland and Maritime Security

Before 9/11, the Coast Guard devoted 38 percent of its operating hours to homeland and maritime security missions. Today, it spends more than 60 percent of its operational hours on these missions, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The Coast Guard is responsible for securing the nation’s ports and maritime borders — 361 ports and 95,000 miles of coastline and navigable waterways. It also is charged with enforcing federal laws and laws of the sea, including narcotics enforcement, migrant interdiction, vessel safety regulations and fisheries conservation laws. The service in fiscal 2007 captured 219,372 pounds of cocaine in 58 operations, arresting 215 alleged smugglers. And from October 2006 to July 2007, it intercepted nearly 6,336 migrants from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico and the People’s Republic of China.

Maritime Mobility

The Coast Guard works to ensure the safety of domestic shipping-related trade by overseeing ports and maintaining navigable waterways and harbors. Critical to marine traffic, the service’s aids to navigation program and vessel traffic services guide the safe movement of all vessels. Each year, more than 8,000 foreign-flag vessels call at U.S. ports. Twenty-five percent of U.S. domestic trade is moved by water and more than 134 million passengers transit U.S. waters on ferries, cruise ships and floating casinos. There also are more than 16 million recreational watercraft in the United States.

Coast Guard officials believe that in the next 25 years, greater numbers of ultra-large, deep-draft ships and mammoth cruise ships, carrying 6,000 or more people, will be on the water. The projected increase demands continued effective control over the ship traffic. In 2002, more than 150 countries agreed to develop a strategy for increasing the security of the maritime transportation system, and on July 1, 2004, these requirements took effect. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code requires vessels and port facilities to conduct security assessments, develop security plans and hire security officers.

Through the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, U.S. vessels and port facilities also are required to implement security plans. Implementation of the act is overseen by the Coast Guard.

Marine Environmental Protection

The Coast Guard protects the nation’s natural marine resources and is responsible for overseeing response to incidents of maritime pollution. It enforces fisheries and poaching laws and oversees maritime pollution cleanup. The Coast Guard maintains a 200-member national strike force trained in chemical, biological and hazardous material cleanup and investigation. Its marine safety offices maintain assets to respond to oil and hazardous material spills in waterways and they investigate such events to determine who is responsible. The Coast Guard also is charged with ensuring that the nation’s more than 100,000 commercial fishing vessels abide by U.S. regulations and it enforces national and international fishing regulations. The service anticipates that as the world’s fish stocks decline, its role in fisheries law enforcement will grow, placing more responsibility on the service as an international peacekeeper and enforcer.

The service also provides icebreaking platforms and services for scientific and environmental research in the polar regions.