The U.S. Coast Guard today

Naval War College Review, Spring, 2004 by Thomas H. Collins

In October, as part of its implementation plan for MTSA, the Coast Guard published new maritime security requirements mandating significant changes in security practices within all segments of the maritime industry--including cruise ships, container ships, and offshore oil platforms. The industry is now required to complete security assessments, develop security plans and submit them to the Coast Guard for approval, increase security measures as a threat arises, and install automatic identification systems aboard large ships.

"ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT"

The scope and diversity of Coast Guard operations during 2003 illustrate the fundamental strength of its long history of partnerships with other government agencies and the private sector to carry out its maritime safety, security, mobility, and environmental protection missions. The Coast Guard's move from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security was a change of historic proportions, but it is entirely consistent with our history--we have been a leader in providing for the maritime security needs of our nation since 1790.

The Coast Guard's multimission assets, its military role as an armed force (codified in law under Title 14 U.S. Code Section 1), its law-enforcement authority, and its collaborative response capabilities bridge federal, state, local, and private sectors. As both a military and law-enforcement agency, it also straddles the seam separating the federal government's homeland-security and homeland-defense mission areas--an important consideration, given the possibility that the transition from a homeland security incident to a full-fledged homeland defense crisis could occur in a matter of minutes. As Secretary Ridge told cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy last November, "If we didn't have a Coast Guard working with the Department of Defense and as an integral part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, we'd have to invent one."

Our past year's realignment in DHS was accomplished smoothly and efficiently thanks in large measure to the leadership of Secretary Ridge and the hard work and professionalism of the twenty-two agencies involved, including Coast Guard men and women. The secretary's rallying cry--"One Team, One Fight--"reminds us all that we are engaged in a common battle against the forces of international terrorism and other threats to national security. "Over the years, the Coast Guard has always provided a shield of protection against those who would seek to do America harm," Secretary Ridge said during his visit to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., last August to observe the service's 213th birthday. "That shield is more important now than ever before, and while the mission remains the same and the Coast Guard remains the same, no longer must you shoulder the burden alone,"

Working in close cooperation with all agencies in the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the Coast Guard began forceful implementation of its new Maritime Strategy for Homeland Security to support the president's broader strategy for protecting the U.S. homeland. Our maritime strategy's layered-defense approach provides Coast Guard operating forces with a time-proven means to enhance security in U.S. ports and waterways while facilitating the smooth flow of commerce. The collective result of our efforts is aimed at reducing maritime security risks.