uscg 2010 cover final.indd 2 11/9/09 3:30 PM WHVRURLQGG $0 INTRODUCTION Students and instructors at the Coast Guard’s National Motor Lifeboat School (NMLBS) in Ilwaco, Wash., operate 47-foot motor lifeboats in heavy surf. NMLBS is a unique Coast Guard training center that provides instruction on operating in rough surf and weather and is the only training facility of its kind in the United States. Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeff Pollinger Coast Guard Outlook 2010 1 intro page.indd 1 11/2/09 6:50 PM INTRODUCTION ALLEN FOREWORD Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Thad W. Allen: Foreword “A few armed vessels, judiciously stationed at the entrances of our ports, might at a small expense be made useful sentinels of the laws.” – Alexander Hamilton First Secretary of the Treasury Nov. 27, 1787 hat simple sentence inspired the creation of the modern U.S. Coast Guard. We proudly remain T “sentinels of the laws” fulfilling our safety, security, and stewardship missions as America’s Maritime Guardian. We are a unique federal instrument stemming from Hamilton’s vision and we have developed into a multi-mission, military service unlike any other. As an armed service, Department of Homeland Security component, National Intelligence Community member, and the nation’s lead representative at the International Maritime Organization, we can form and leverage partnerships across the public and private spectrum. Exercising a broad and complementary mission set, we’re well equipped to mitigate risks and respond to threats throughout the maritime domain. Over the past year, our personnel – active duty, reserves, civilians, and auxiliarists – performed superbly to safeguard America’s maritime interests. We worked with our departmental partners to respond to last summer’s floods in the Midwest; conducted 680 ice breaking operations to facilitate over $2 billion in commerce; operated with our federal partners to interdict nearly 350,000 pounds of cocaine; and supported anti-piracy efforts off of Somalia as well as Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. We also saved more than 4,000 lives. We have never had a closer relationship with the Department of Defense. We are operationalizing the “Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” an overarching document jointly signed by all three Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Thad W. Allen. naval services, which stresses maritime presence to promote peace. The USS Crommelin recently deployed with a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment to prevent illegal fisheries in the western Pacific; this is just one example of how this new philosophy is becoming reality. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Telfair H. Brown Sr. Coast GuardU.S. photo by Telfair 2 Coast Guard Outlook 2010 cmdt fwd.indd 2 11/5/09 8:36 AM ALLEN FOREWORD INTRODUCTION Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano listens to a briefing on current operations alongside Adm. Thad W. Allen at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C., Jan. 22, 2009. While we have been successful, the demand for our to meet new challenges. To fulfill our obligations, I am services is outpacing our capacity to provide them. Like committed to recapitalizing our aging assets and shore all other federal agencies, the current economic recession infrastructure. is compounding our challenges. As sound stewards, Our first National Security Cutter [NSC], the Bertholf, we’ll leverage all available resources, authorities, and was commissioned last August and is already making partnerships to manage risk as we execute our duties. its presence felt. During its first operational patrol in One of the ways we’ll do this is by modernizing our July, the Bertholf simultaneously tracked four go-fast service. By properly aligning our operational chain of smuggling vessels, and then launched its own helicopter command and sustaining it with a product-line support and small boats to thwart the entire operation. The system, we’ll create a more flexible and change-centric Bertholf’s combination of endurance, sensors, and multi- Coast Guard. This will improve our service delivery to the mission capability were on full display and portends nation. The National Academy of Public Administration great promise for this new class. The second, the CGC recently provided a strong, independent endorsement of our Waesche, completed its highly successful builder’s trials in efforts confirming we are on the right course. We also just August. By incorporating the lessons from the Bertholf, the completed the final negotiations with our civilian union Waesche’s crew minimized the number of work-list items so both sides agree on the changes to our organizational that need to be corrected before the ship is commissioned structure. We will remain within the bounds of our current in May 2010. Our third NSC, the Stratton, named after legal authority while we work with the 111th Congress to Capt. Dorothy Stratton who was the leader of the World obtain the legislative authority necessary to achieve a fully War II-era SPARS, is under construction and scheduled to modernized Coast Guard. be christened in July 2010. We are especially pleased that The Coast Guard’s working environment has changed first lady Michelle Obama has agreed to be the Stratton’s dramatically over the past decade and we are evolving sponsor. We are realizing greater efficiencies with each U.S. Coast Dan Bender GuardU.S. photo by PA2 Coast Guard Outlook 2010 3 cmdt fwd.indd 3 11/5/09 8:37 AM resolve marine.indd 1 10/29/09 9:21 AM ALLEN FOREWORD INTRODUCTION A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft departs Kodiak, Alaska, on an Arctic Domain Awareness flight May 27, 2009. The Coast Guard is determining its operational requirements in the region, due in part by mandate. successive NSC thereby reducing the life-cycle cost of these mission is how we would respond to a major SAR case or mass disaster. critical platforms. Considering that a German shipping company is planning to send Other new assets are also coming online. The contract for the an unescorted commercial freighter through the once-impassable Sentinel class, the replacement for the 110-foot patrol boat, was Northeast Passage, the risks are increasing with every passing day. awarded September 2008 and lauded by the U.S. Government The Arctic region is one of the focal points of the White House’s Accountability Office for its efficiency. We have accepted the eighth Ocean Policy Task Force. I represent the Department of Homeland HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft to replace the HU-25 Falcon, the Security on this multi-agency group charged with creating a national fourth fully missionized HC-130J long-range aircraft, and our fourth oceans policy, developing a comprehensive governance structure, and MH-60T helicopter, which has enhanced sensors and an Airborne Use implementing “maritime spatial planning,” which is akin to urban of Force [AUF] capability. We have reconfigured 43 of the venerable planning for the ocean. These are daunting tasks but absolutely Dolphin helicopters so they will also have the AUF capability. essential. America is a maritime nation so we must consider how Along the coasts, our Rescue 21 system is now providing search we want to protect the environment, facilitate maritime commerce, and rescue [SAR] and short-range communications coverage for over and responsibly harness oceanic resources. By pursuing a “whole of 28,000 miles of coastline. We have accepted our 11th Response Boat- government” approach, we can meet our broad goals while protecting Medium, which will replace the workhorse 41-foot utility boats that our way of life. have served the country for decades. All of these new assets are All of these events represent significant change for the Coast essential, because the scope of our missions is certainly expanding. Guard and our nation. What hasn’t changed over the past 219 years As the Arctic ice recedes, shipping companies, cruise ships, and is the commitment of our people. At the end of the day, Coast Guard energy companies are all increasing their activities in this resource- personnel are the reason the service can provide such tremendous laden yet pristine environment. We are determining our operational value to the nation. They enable us to be “Always Ready” so we can requirements, including icebreakers, based on the recent National meet all threats and all hazards – nationwide and worldwide. Security Presidential Directive that mandates a maritime presence In the Coast Guard, we willingly shoulder the burden of our in the region. I recently hosted a group of administration officials nation’s maritime challenges. We are driven by our Guardian Ethos on a trip to the Arctic so they could get a glimpse of the existing – a willingness to protect the weak, defend the vulnerable, and save conditions and operational challenges within this remote area. Since those in peril. As Hamilton would confirm, this is who we are and we do not have a permanent footprint in the Arctic, my biggest fear why we serve. U.S. Coast GuardU.S. photo Coast Guard Outlook 2010 5 cmdt fwd.indd 5 11/5/09 3:21 PM RDR-1700BRDR TruLink ® APS-143C(V)3 WHOHSKRQLFVLQGG 30 Table of Contents 8LI1MWWMSR 1EXXIVW1SWX INTRODUCTION Commandantof the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Thad W. Allen: Foreword .............2 Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Vice Adm. David Pekoske ................................................12 By J.R. Wilson MCPOCG “Skip” Bowen: Making the Coast Guard Successful – One Guardian at a Time ..................16 By J.R. Wilson MISSIONS ):30:-2+8,6)%87 By Craig Collins &30(73098-327