Change

Change is the greatest challenge facing the federal government and the armed forces of the United States. Change surely has driven us in the past, but never has it been so rapid or so dramatic. Government, economic, and political alliances that served us well in the past must be evaluated and reshaped to meet the de­mands of global interdependence. Amid the confusion, de­termining what is best for the American people is a dif­ficult task. Yet it is amid this confusion and change that we must look ahead and shape the future of our public in­stitutions. We must think, plan, and act strategically to achieve our desired goals.

The U.S. Coast Guard, the nation’s primary maritime operating agency, is meeting the challenge and changing. “People,

Balance, and Excel­lence”—my personal maxim—has governed our actions over the past four years and has pre­pared our service to han­dle an uncertain future.

Investment in our peo­ple, balance among the service’s missions, and renewed emphasis on quality service to our customers have made us more flexible and inno­vative and better able to meet the challenges we face on a daily basis.

The Coast Guard is a multimission agency.

Within our four primary roles—maritime law en­forcement, national se­curity, maritime safety, and marine environmental pro­tection—we perform a myriad of tasks, each requiring specialized but related skills and knowledge. Our current challenge is to provide broad-based training so that the on-scene Coast Guard person has the ability to respond competently to whatever situation is at hand. It is this mul­timission character that makes us unique and capable of responding to change. As new national needs arise, we quickly can shift our mission or program focus and as­sets. Our cutters, boats, and aircraft are designed to be adaptable. Cutters built in the 1960s as coastal search-and- rescue vessels have proved invaluable in the war on drugs and most recently have been pressed into service intercepting and rescuing migrants at sea.

When I look back at the late 1960s, I see a Coast Guard that is very different from today’s service. When I imag" ine the Coast Guard of 2010, I see it, too, as very differ' ent from today’s service. A changing external environ­ment—political, economic, social, technological, and environmental—demands that we be flexible, adaptable’ and always ready. The demise of the Soviet Union and the resulting global realignment forced the United State* to examine the size of its armed forces and its national security priorities. The new national security policy ac­knowledges the impor­tance of economic al­liances, free trade, and open markets. Like the other armed forces, the Coast Guard has had to assess its role in national security and how contribute to a strong economy.

The Coast Guard maintains the nation ^s infrastructure of short- range aids to navigation’ electronic positioning systems, vessel traff^,c systems, and a world­wide merchant vessc¹ tracking network. Em­phasis traditionally ha* been on safety—alerting the mariner to the dan­gers of the marine envi" ronment and protecting the marine environineid from the errant mariner—but it is important to understand the significant economic benefit of our coastal, port, an river infrastructure. For example, barge traffic in the M^lS' sissippi River system alone contributes several mill'⁰¹¹ dollars daily to the U.S. economy. We are positioned ¹⁰ increase our economic contribution by deploying diff^e^ ential global positioning systems, upgrading vessel tra> fic systems, and integrating all aids to navigation into ³ waterways management system. We also are forging ¹¹ strategic relationship with the National Oceanic and A¹ mospheric Administration, to develop an electronic elm

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display and information system that will integrate all avail­able navigation information for the mariner. These tech­nologies have the potential to improve maritime safety and expedite commerce significantly.

As an armed force of the United States, the Coast Guard is ready to help defend our national interests world­wide. The drawdown of U.S. troops abroad requires that the United States maintain the ability to sealift peace­keeping or warfare materiel instantly in the event of a cri­sis. The Coast Guard maintains port safety and port se­curity capabilities—in addition to waterways management systems—to assist with this endeavor. We also are es­tablishing new links with the commanders-in-chief, of­fering them the unique capabilities derived from our peace­time duties. We currently have people assisting the Navy in enforcing U.N. embargoes against Iraq and the territo­ries of the former Republic of Yugoslavia. As the United States becomes more involved in U.N. missions, the Coast Guard may play an increased role.

Coast Guard skills and expertise are in demand world­wide. Many developing nations use the U.S. Coast Guard as a model for their own maritime forces. In the past year, We sent 32 assistance and training teams to 24 countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Uruguay, Honduras, and Malaysia. Our reputation as both a humanitarian agency and a law enforcement agency is a valuable tool that helps further the foreign policy objectives of the United States.

Refugees seeking economic opportunity or fleeing po­litical repression continue to sail for our shores. In fiscal year 1993, the Coast Guard intercepted 9,279 migrants. This number is down from 40,291 in fiscal year 1992. Al­though I recognize the folly of drawing conclusions with­out considering world events, I believe Coast Guard Presence in the Windward Passage between Haiti and Cuba (Operation Able Manner) played a significant role in the decrease. The increasing number of illegal immigrants from China presents a new challenge.

While the nation contemplates a shift in tactics in the War on drugs, the Coast Guard continues to enforce U.S. drug laws in our territorial sea and exclusive economic Zone and in other international waters along suspected drug supply routes. We also enforce fisheries regulations and pollution-prevention laws. Resource preservation is a vital interest to the United States—the commercial fish­ing industry contributes $24 billion a year to our na­tion's economy. In cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Coast Guard helps prevent fish stock depletion and protects marine mammals. Additional ex­ploitation of resources (mineral and living) within the U.S. ^elusive economic zone will require continued Coast Guard deep-water presence.

Protection of the marine environment and resources has been a Coast Guard duty since the 1820s. As economies become globally integrated, more potentially hazardous Materials will be shipped through our ports, waterways, ^and coastal waters. The Coast Guard is working actively 1° prevent marine spills from happening and to mitigate tile damage of accidents. We continue to implement the Numerous regulations of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, to Ntinimize the danger of waterborne transport of petroleum.

We are working actively to find common ground among federal, state, and local agencies, shipping and recreational boating interests, and other nongovernmental organiza­tions to use, protect, and enhance the quality of our frag­ile marine environment.

Mother Nature’s fury targeted both coasts and the Midwest during the past several years. Hurricanes An­drew, Iniki, and Emily, the Loma Prieta earthquake, and the flooding along the Mississippi River all demanded Coast Guard response. We conducted search-and-rescue operations, restored aids to navigation so waterways could be reopened, and provided emergency logistics, commu­nications, and other support functions. We worked closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies to provide quick relief to those in danger. These surge operations tax our resources, but they are the type of activity for which Coast Guard men and women are always ready: providing humanitarian service to peo­ple in distress.

The Coast Guard has proved very adaptable to external demands for new services. We are applying the principles of total quality management (TQM) to help us improve customer relations, provide higher quality services, and streamline internal procedures. It has helped us become more cost effective and efficient. TQM also has been a vehicle of organizational change, allowing us to capital­ize on the tremendous capability of our work force. Even our most senior officers are learning something from our junior members; no one can offer solutions better than those who deal with the problems every day. TQM helps break down the barriers that impede the free flow of in­formation and ideas throughout the organization. We will continue to adjust our structure and processes to facilitate information flow and empower the people who deal di­rectly with our customers.

Over the last several years, I have worked to make the Coast Guard an employer of choice that is sensitive to the needs of all its families. It is ironic that at the same time we are gaining a new appreciation of our work force and launching work-life initiatives, we also must talk about downsizing. Reductions will cause stress at all levels of the service, but even downsizing can be viewed as an op­portunity, if:

►  We manage it properly through carefully planned attri­tion and reduced accession

►  We conduct a systematic review of our work to elimi­nate unnecessary processes and tasks

>■ We look at new technologies and procedures to ac­complish the job with less labor

►  We leverage our resources through strategic alliances with other agencies and organizations

►  We determine priorities based on projected needs

Times are changing, and the U.S. Coast Guard—with

its structure, multimission assets, and fortitude—is poised to change with them. We are ready to respond to the mar­itime needs of the American people. Semper Paratus!

Admiral Kime is the 19th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and an honorary president of the U.S. Naval Institute.