This html article is produced from an uncorrected text file through optical character recognition. Prior to 1940 articles all text has been corrected, but from 1940 to the present most still remain uncorrected. Artifacts of the scans are misspellings, out-of-context footnotes and sidebars, and other inconsistencies. Adjacent to each text file is a PDF of the article, which accurately and fully conveys the content as it appeared in the issue. The uncorrected text files have been included to enhance the searchability of our content, on our site and in search engines, for our membership, the research community and media organizations. We are working now to provide clean text files for the entire collection.
more responsibility and authority.
This action would benefit the Coast Guard by lessening the redundancy that currently exists between the areas, districts, and groups. Many of the functions at the district offices could be placed in control of the groups.
The current flag structure of the Coast Guard is 1 four-star. 3 three-star and 24 two-star billets. 1 propose: 1 four-star, 4 three-star and 20 two-star billets.
The present Commandant, ViceCommandant, and Chief of Stall structure is effective as is. The new three area commanders would be three stars and the deputy would be a two star. The Maintenance and Logistics Command structure would remain unchanged. The Superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy and the Commander for the Joint Task Force would remain flag jobs. The remaining 12 two-star billets would be at Coast Guard Headquarters. By restructuring, the Coast Guard will eliminate middlemen without hurting productivity.
Chief Ryder is currently the Executive Petty Officer at Recruiting Office. Providence, RI. He previously served as the Supervisor in Charge at Recruiting Office, Port Jefferson, NY
By Electronics Technician Braden Brazier, U.S. Coast Guard
I believe that the Coast Guard will remain a military organization despite ar>y rumors that may indicate otherwise. Assigning parts of the Coast Guard to the private sector would be an unwise move from the taxpayers’ standpoint, as proved by the recent A'76 program. This program contracted °ut many electronics and subsistance billets, among other areas, to the private sector. Since the program’s incep- tl01L it has been a sore spot for many Coast Guard members and, 1 believe, f°r the Coast Guard itself.
The A-76 program encouraged good
personnel to leave the Coast Guard after their enlistments. They joined the private sector and continue doing the same job they did in the service. The only difference is that they work less hours and get paid more. Somewhere this has to be reflected either in cost or effectiveness.
The largest drawback of the A-76 program—from a service member’s standpoint—is the absorption of desirable billets. It has left some rates with very few shore billets amid an abundance of seagoing or isolated duty stations. This makes it increasingly hard to retain trained and experienced personnel, and any savings that may occur by contracting to the private sector will be absorbed by the cost of continually retraining new personnel.
If experience is a teacher, one should realize that many of the duties Coast Guard personnel perform are taken for granted. Future contracts with the private sector should be researched with this in mind.
Electronics Technician Brazier recently finished a tour of duty at Coast Guard Station Cape May. He is presently stationed at Coast Guard Loran Station Gcsashi, Okinawa, Japan.
>rjiT
The United States Naval Institute and the Vincent Astor Foundation take pleasure in announcing the Seventeenth Annual Vincent Astor Memorial Leadership Essay Contest for Junior Officers and Officer Trainees of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The contest is designed to promote research, thinking, and writing on topics of leadership intheU.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast
Guard.
FIRST PRIZE: $1,500, a Naval Institute Gold Medal, and a Life Membership in the Naval Institute.
FIRST HONORABLE MENTION: $1,000 and a Naval Institute Silver Medal.
SECOND HONORABLE MENTION: (two to be awarded) $500 and a Naval Institute Bronze Medal. The first prize essay will be published in the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. The Institute’s Editorial Board may elect to publish any or all of the honorable mention essays in any given year, but is not obligated to do so. The Editorial Board may, from time to time, publish collections of the award winning essays and other essays in book or pamphlet form.
The contest is open to:
1. Commissioned officers, regular and reserve, in the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in pay grades 0-1,0-2, and 0-3 (ensign/2nd lieutenant; lieutenant (junior grade)/1st lieutenant; and lieutenant/captain) at the time the essay is submitted.
2. U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officer trainees within one year of receiving their commission.
VINCENT ASTOR MEMORIAL
ENTRY RULES
- Essays must be original and may not exceed 4,000 words.
- All entries should be directed to: Executive Director (VAMLEC), U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland 21402.
- Essays must be received on or before 1 February 1991 at the U.S. Naval Institute.
- The name of the author shall not appear on the essay. Each author shall assign a motto in addition to a title to the essay. This motto shall appear (a) on the title page of the essay, with the title, in lieu of the author’s name and (b) by itself on the outside of an accompanying sealed envelope. This sealed envelope should contain a typed sheet giving the name, rank, branch of service, biographical sketch, social security number, address, and office and home phone numbers (if available) of the essayist, along with the title of the essay and the motto. The identity of the essayist will not be known of the judging members of the Editorial Board until they have made their selections.
- The awards will be made known and presented to the successful competitors during the graduation awards ceremonies at their respective schools, if appropriate, or at other official ceremonies. Mrs. Astor or her personal representative will be invited to present the first prize each year.
- Essays must be typewritten, double-spaced, on paper approximately 8V2 x 11". Submit two complete copies.
- Essays will be judged by the Naval Institute’s Editorial Board for depth of research, analytical and interpretive qualities, and original thinking on the topic of leadership. Essays should not be merely expositions or personal narratives.
DEADLINE:! FEBRUARY 1991
79
Proceedings / December 1990