On 1 March 2003, the Coast Guard transferred from the Department of Transportation (DoT) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). During an emotional "change of the watch" ceremony, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta praised the service he had grown to love and respect. These feelings mirrored the respect and admiration felt by thousands of Coast Guard men and women who were touched by his personal interest and strong support.
Turning to Secretary Tom Ridge, who will shoulder the responsibility for all 170,000 members of DHS, Mineta said, "Today, I am delivering to you another awesome responsibility, the care of one of our nation's finest treasures, the United States Coast Guard. Please take good care of them. I know they will take care of you, and all of us."
For many months before the transfer, more than 100 people were employed as the transition staff. Under the critical eye and direction of Coast Guard Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Thad Allen, they identified and evaluated many hundreds of tasks that had to be addressed in anticipation of the move.
Many new requirements added to the complexity of the change in federal departments. The Maritime Transportation Safety Act of 2002 (MTSA) was signed into law by President George W. Bush when he signed the legislation creating the Department of Homeland Security. MTSA notes that ports and facilities are "particularly vulnerable to breaches in security." A key requirement of MTSA is to prevent a maritime transportation security incident, defined as any incident that results in a significant loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption, or economic disruption to a particular area. Vulnerability assessments of the 55 major ports have begun. Provisions of the law call for maritime safety and security teams (MSSTs) to patrol the waterways. Armed sea marshalls will board some vessels prior to their entering port, extending the territorial sea out to 12 nautical miles, and automatic identification systems will be placed on vessels transiting and entering U.S. waters. The Coast Guard also will gather and share intelligence, including crew and passenger lists, cargo, and intermodal shipments. National and Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans must be prepared, and vessels and facilities that provide service and support for them will have to develop security plans.
For more than two centuries, the Coast Guard has been charged with a broad array of roles and missions that did not exactly fit within either the Treasury or Transportation departments. It appears, at last, that there is a logical home for the service in the new Department of Homeland Security.
Coast Guard Operations
Among the many provisions of MTSA is the requirement to "establish such maritime safety and security teams as are needed to safeguard the public and protect vessels, harbors, ports, facilities, and cargo in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States." In less than six months, the first of four new MSSTs was commissioned and began operating from its base in Tacoma, Washington. MSSTs consist of six 25-foot high-speed boats, armed and manned by 100 Coast Guardsmen, 30 of whom are reservists. Boats and equipment are sized for transportation by Coast Guard C-130 aircraft to move quickly to another port area in the United States or, as specified in MTSA, "rapidly deploy to supplement United States armed forces domestically or overseas." Two more MSSTs have been funded and the fiscal year (FY) 2004 budget requests funds for six additional teams. Bomb-sniffing dogs and swimmers to check underwater threats soon will be added to their capabilities. Coast Guard helicopters are being prototyped to carry weapons, even as the use-of-force doctrine is being addressed.
Almost all medium- and high-endurance cutters were assigned to homeland security duties in major ports and offshore waters immediately after the attacks of 11 September 2001. Patrols for the Coast Guard's many other mission areas have slowly increased, but are not yet at the level reached before the attacks.
Patrols for the interdiction of illegal drugs continued in 2002. To counter the high-speed boats transiting the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, the Coast Guard formed the helicopter interdiction tactical squadron composed of eight Augusta A-109E helos (military designation MH-68A). Equipped with radar, forward-looking infrared, and night-vision cockpits, these all-weather helos deploy in pairs on Coast Guard cutters. Armed with machine guns and high-powered sniper rifles capable of disabling engines with one round, the helos have been singularly succesful at stopping or slowing drug boats, which are then overtaken and arrested by crews on fast interceptor boats. In FY 2002, more than 150,000 pounds of illegal drugs—primarily cocaine—were seized. Despite the reduction in force allocation because of homeland-security demands, seizures continue to be made at approximately the same rate.
Attempts by foreigners to enter the United States illegally have not diminished, and there is great potential for terrorists gaining clandestine entry by sea. In FY 2002, more than 4,000 migrants were interdicted on the high seas, and that number likely will increase in FY 2003.
Search and rescue remains the highest priority among traditional missions. A few examples of rescues of people from positions of danger include:
- In the Bering Sea, a rescue swimmer dropped from an HH-60J helicopter into the darkness of 20-foot waves whipped by blowing snow. Fire had disabled a 188-foot fishing vessel, and six members of the crew were trapped by the flames. One by one, they jumped from 40 feet into frigid waters where the rescue swimmer helped each one into the lowered rescue basket before being hoisted himself.
- In Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizabeth II presented the Royal Air Force Cross to Coast Guard Lieutenant Bill Sasser Jr., an exchange pilot with the Royal Air Force who commanded a Sea King helicopter in the rescue of five members of a vessel in flames off the northeast coast of England.
- An HH-65A helo from Detroit lowered a rescue swimmer to reach a man who had been in 50[degrees] water for 40 minutes, clinging to a rock 100 yards from the edge of Niagara Falls. After both men were hoisted aboard, the helicopter lacked enough power to climb over the riverbank. The pilot eased the aircraft over the edge of the 200-foot drop and used the altitude to gain flying speed and complete the mission safely.
Coast Guard icebreakers had a challenging year in 2002. The annual "break in" to McMurdo Station in the Antarctic allows supply ships to transit from open water to the ice pier. It typically can be handled by one Polar-class icebreaker. Unusually heavy ice conditions were encountered during Operation Deep Freeze 2003, with solid ice extending nearly 40 miles from McMurdo. A second icebreaker, the USCGC Healy (WAGB-20), was ordered to assist the USCGC Polar Sea (WAGE-11). Despite their best efforts, a tanker could not reach the pier and resorted to laying three miles of hose on the ice to deliver more than six million gallons of fuel.
Closer to home, below normal temperatures caused freezing of rivers and lakes to unusual thicknesses. From Maine to Delaware, Coast Guard vessels were called to open channels for commercial ships and barges as well as to prevent the buildups of ice dams that cause flooding by blocking river water flows during spring thaws of snow and ice. On the Great Lakes, Superior, Huron, and Erie froze over almost completely. Icebreaking harbor tugs, 180-foot buoy tenders, and the ageing icebreaker Mackinaw (WAGB-83) were called to action in areas that had not required their services for 25 years.
Intelligence
On 28 December 2001, President Bush designated the Coast Guard a formal member of the intelligence community, and steady progress has been made in meeting the compliance requirements of membership. In recognition of the growing importance of intelligence in the national security mission, a new Assistant Commandant position was established in November 2002. All elements of the intelligence organization previously located under the Assistant Commandant for Operations, including the Investigative Office, have been relocated under the newly designated Assistant Commandant for Intelligence. For the first time, a program establishing career progression in the intelligence field for both officers and enlisted has been approved. Field intelligence support teams are being formed for assignment in 18 major U.S. ports to provide expertise in the development and processing of information related to homeland security. In addition, eight attaches serving in foreign embassies now are included in the organization.
International Affairs
As the U.S. representative to the International Maritime Organization, Coast Guard participation continues to grow in a wide range of activities with countries spread across the globe. Approximately 100 personnel are assigned overseas to operational, liaison, attaché, security assistance, or marine inspector duties. Cutters made more than 200 foreign port calls in 2002, while mobile training teams provided on-site instruction and technical assistance to 2,500 students in 60 countries. Nearly 600 students from 75 countries attended Coast Guard schools or received on-the-job training at operational units in the United States, and another 700 maritime service representatives made official visits to various units to observe how the Coast Guard conducts its missions.
Deployment
The military part of the Coast Guard was manifest in the deployment of assets requested by U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Eight of the Island-class 110-foot patrol boats, with their crews augmented by tactical law enforcement personnel, are providing maritime interdiction and port security. Four patrol boats are in the Arabian Gulf along with the high-endurance cutter Boutwell (WHEC-719). Four other patrol boats and the cutter Dal
las (WHEC-716) are performing similar duties in the gulf. Four port security units also have deployed, providing security and protection for shipping and port facilities in support of U.S. and allied naval forces as part of Navy Harbor Defense commands.
The USCGC Walnut (WLB-205), a 225-foot buoy tender, was ordered to report to U.S. Central Command for duty in the Arabian Gulf. The Walnut's unique ability to contain and minimize the impact of large oil spills on the water might be needed if there is a repeat of 1991, when millions of gallons of crude oil were released from Kuwaiti oil storage tanks and ships. Members of the highly trained and experienced Coast Guard National Strike Force have augmented the ship's crew.
Maintenance, Logistics & Acquisition
The travails of recent years—caused by lack of funding to provide for routine maintenance and upkeep of operating and shore facilities—appear to have subsided greatly. Supplemental appropriations, subsequently annualized in the operating budget, have resulted in more adequate support. The Deepwater program is described correctly as the bedrock for the future of the Coast Guard, but considerable progress is being made in replacing some other assets.
The 12th Juniper (WLB-201)-class buoy tender was accepted on 6 March 2003. The 225-foot cutter Hickory (WLB-212) will be homeported in Homer, Alaska, where her missions include aids to navigation, search and rescue, marine environmental protection, and domestic icebreaking. The final 2 of 16 seagoing buoy tenders are on schedule for delivery in 2004. The 87-foot coastal patrol boats continue to be delivered, replacing the 82-foot Point-class cutters; the planned number of 54 is under evaluation in light of increased requirements for homeland security. The replacement of smaller boats also is under way. The very capable 47-foot motor lifeboat program will be completed when the production run of 117 boats ends in June.
Funds were provided this year for full-scale development of the replacement for the 200 41-foot utility boats now exceeding 25 years in service, and a production contract award for as many as 180 is expected next year. There are several hundred smaller, nonstandard boats located at numerous small boat stations and marine safety offices; these boats perform essentially all Coast Guard missions on the water except for icebreaking, and are the most recognized boats on inland and near-coastal waters. To replace these boats, plus meet new requirements, a $145-million contract was awarded in March 2003 to Safe Boat International for 700 Defender-class response boats.
The 110-foot Island-class patrol boats were first introduced in 1984, with the last of the 49 accepted in 1991. In February, USCGC Matagorda (WPB-1303) was inducted as the first of the class to begin a major modification that includes replacement of the entire superstructure and installing modern bridge controls and computer systems. The hull will be lengthened to 123 feet to incorporate a stern boat launch-and-recovery system to accommodate new short-range prosecutor boats. The multiyear project will grow to include as many as seven boats undergoing modification at one time.
In February 2003, the third of six Lockheed C-130J aircraft destined for Coast Guard service rolled off the assembly line in Marietta, Georgia. By the end of the year, all six aircraft will be delivered to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, for familiarization and limited mission flights. Pending $230 million for modifications and equipment to convert the basic aircraft into operational assets, initial operating capability is not expected before 2007.
Upgrades of the existing fleet of more than 200 aircraft are planned or under way. The 95 venerable HH-65 Dolphin helicopters will have their original avionics suites replaced by early 2005. The future of the 42 HH-60J Jayhawk helos is less certain, but evaluations are ongoing for navigation and communication improvements, as well as the need for service-life extensions as each airframe reaches its 10,000-hour mark. The 27 HC-130H Hercules long-range maritime patrol aircraft will receive sensor upgrades to provide more capability in nighttime identification and precision position finding of surface contacts. Sensor updates are nearing completion on the 17 HU-25 Falcon twinjet maritime patrol aircraft.
Deepwater
The long-awaited Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) began with the June 2002 signing of a contract with Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a joint venture established by Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. IDS will replace aging ships, patrol boats, and aircraft with modern command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C^sup 4^ISR) capabilities linking all in a "system of systems." The innovative planning for the $17-billion program received high praise in a recent General Accounting Office report, which, at the same time, noted that the success of implementing such a large, complex procurement was dependent on "a steady, predictable funding stream of about $544 million a year." That level has not been met, even in the nascent stages of the two decades originally envisioned for the program.
On 7 March 2003, Secretary Ridge signed and forwarded a report to Congress that analyzed the impact of reducing the acquisition period to 10 years from 20. It found that the industrial base has the capacity to implement the acceleration, and the impact on Coast Guard manpower, personnel, and training systems would be a temporary surge best handled by contract support. Accelerating the completion of acquisition to 2013 begins to dramatically improve operational efficiency starting in 2007. At the same time, this acceleration reduces capital acquisition costs by $4 billion, and having more assets operational sooner means more mission hours available. The report concludes that "not only will the IDS produce more mission hours but acceleration also provides an additional 943,000 mission hours on top of a more efficient system—a significant benefit."
Rescue 21
The National Distress and Response System (NDRS)—known as the nation's "maritime 911"—is an antiquated composite of old radio networks long recognized as inadequate for the demanding task of providing service to more than 80 million boaters along the 95,000 miles of coastline as well as serving as a short-range communications network for Coast Guard operational units. Rescue 21 is the project to replace NDRS under a $611-million contract awarded to General Dynamics-Decision Systems in October 2002. State-of-the-art equipment will extend coverage to 20 nautical miles, allowing the continuous monitoring of two frequencies used by persons in distress and automatically recording those calls. It also will allow line-of-bearing information on the source of any transmission within 2[degrees] accuracy, at the same time conducting voice communications on as many as four other frequencies. Rescue 21 will be compatible with Deepwater C4ISR and complement domain awareness in coastal and harbor areas. The first of 46 regions will be completed in FY 2003, with one-third of the remaining regions scheduled for completion in each of the following three years.
Personnel
Since he took the reins on 10 October 2002, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Master Chief Frank Welch has spent the majority of his time walking the deck plates to learn what the troops in the field are thinking. The chief is convinced that the Coast Guard is on the right track organizationally, as evidenced by the rise in retention and a feeling among the troops that they are being fairly represented by the leadership in Washington. "Quality of life is the biggest challenge," he says, "but absolutely the place to start; housing, medical, dental, and schools for their children remain troublesome, particularly for those with families assigned to high-cost areas where military facilities are not available." The growth of the enlisted workforce is much anticipated as it will allow replacement of some of the billets cut during previous mandated downsizing and should ease workloads. More rapid promotions, however, will result in less experience among the senior petty officers who must mentor and lead the less-experienced members of the crew. New Deepwater assets are awaited eagerly by everyone in the field, but it is imperative that legacy assets be maintained and supported until no longer needed.
With the President's FY 2004 budget, the authorized number of active-duty officers and enlisted will top 38,000, a growth of between 6-8% since the attacks of 11 September 2001. Most of the 2,700 billets are earmarked for new homeland security duties, but badly needed increases in manning small-boat stations will alleviate some of the operating tempo as well as begin the overdue reduction in average duty and watchstanding hours. Enlisted attrition is 13.4%, down more than 1% from the five-year average; officer attrition is 7.5%, down from an average 8.2%. Recruiters are meeting their enlistment goals, but training facilities are stretched to accommodate the increased throughput. Officer Candidate School graduations occur each 17 weeks; the most recent class graduated and commissioned 90 ensigns, double the size of previous classes. The Coast Guard Academy's corp of cadets has been increased 10%, limited by facility capacity. The Recruit Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, plans to induct 5,500 "boots," up 400 from its most recent high.
In FY 2003, the authorized number of people in the Selected Reserve was raised from 8,000 to 9,000 and an additional 1,000 are included in the budget for FY 2004. Following the attacks of 11 September 2001, as many as 2,800 reservists were serving in active-duty status at one time, the largest percentage of all five services. Approximately 4,800 individuals have been called to serve, and more than 500 have left those roles by transferring to active duty.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a crucial part of the force. Its purpose has grown to support all functions, roles, missions, and operations of the Coast Guard, with the exception of those involving combat operations or law enforcement. Numbering 37,600 men and women, the Auxilary's primary efforts are associated with recreational boating safety on and around the water. Formal boating safety courses are conducted for more than 200,000 recreational boaters each year. Operating their privately owned 5,000 boats and 280 aircraft, Auxiliarists conduct routine safety patrols in known areas of boating and scheduled regattas, and eagerly participate in search and rescue. Some members volunteer at shore units, while others augment Coast Guard boat crews on routine patrols. Recognizing the tremendous contributions of thousands of members in the days and months following the attacks of 11 September 2001, the Commandant has directed the inclusion of the Auxiliary in future operation plans.
The Commandant's Perspective
Admiral Thomas Collins has been leading the Coast Guard since June 2002. He inherited a service with a proven record of accomplishment in traditional roles and missions and a strong sense of pride in its immediate response to the additional challenges of homeland security. He is satisfied that the transfer of an intact Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security was not discernible to the many constituencies served by the Coast Guard. The speed with which the first of the new maritime safety and security teams was commissioned demonstrated the ability to respond to an urgent requirement. Citing the Coast Guard's role as the lead federal agency for the maritime component of homeland security, he pointed to the success in shepherding the passage of International Maritime Organization regulations, getting the signatures of 108 nations in less than a year.
The admiral emphasized the continued importance of the Deepwater program for the Coast Guard's future, recognizing the imperative of maintaining a balance between having the capacity and the necessary capabilities. During the lengthy period of building new forces, he noted, there remains the need to sustain the existing legacy resources. Despite significant efforts in recent years, he believes the Coast Guard still has "underinvested" in the enlisted workforce, and takes considerable pride in several accomplishments: raising education assistance to $4,500; buying satellite space to provide e-mail services for sailors at sea; personally expediting approval of the battle dress uniform change, which the troops love; and being able to provide some relief to the small-boat forces with more people and new boats. He praised the contributions of the reservists, for both augmentation of the regular force and mobilization duties, and mentioned the outstanding value of the Auxiliary "in so many ways." Budget issues will remain a concern, but he is confident that by the end of FY 2003 the Coast Guard will return to the levels of performance achieved prior to 11 September 2001.
Admiral Collins has visited and talked with thousands of Coasties during his time in office, and readily acknowledges that such occasions are always a "shot in the arm." "I have the best job in the world," he says, "because the men and women wearing the Coast Guard uniform are the finest anywhere!" Semper Paratus.
Before retiring in 1991, Admiral Thorsen was Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and Commander, U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic. He is a consultant, serves on the boards of several businesses and nonprofit organizations, and is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses.