ALCOAST 369/08
COMDTNOTE 1000
SUBJ: COAST GUARD DAY - PROUD HISTORY POWERFUL FUTURE
1. AUGUST 4TH MARKS THE 218TH BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES COAST
GUARD. AS AMERICAS MARITIME GUARDIANS, COAST GUARD MEN AND WOMEN
CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR COURAGE AND COMMITMENT ACROSS ALL OF
OUR MARITIME SAFETY, SECURITY AND STEWARDSHIP MISSIONS. A GRATEFUL
NATION SALUTES YOU, AND AS COMMANDANT I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF
EVERY MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION. THIS YEAR, OUR BIRTHDAY COINCIDES WITH
ANOTHER HISTORIC MOMENT AS WE COMMISSION THE CUTTER BERTHOLF (WMSL
750), THE FIRST NATIONAL SECURITY CUTTER IN THE LEGEND CLASS. THIS
CUTTER, THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED SHIP EVER INTRODUCED
INTO THE FLEET, BRIDGES OUR PROUD HISTORY WITH A POWERFUL FUTURE.
2. OUR SERVICE HAS TRULY EVOLVED SINCE 1790 WHEN CONGRESS
AUTHORIZED SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY ALEXANDER HAMILTON TO BUILD A
FLEET OF 10 CUTTERS TO SECURE OUR FREEDOM BY PROTECTING OUR COASTS.
THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY AND CURRENT MODERNIZATION EFFORTS, OUR
CORE VALUES OF HONOR, RESPECT AND DEVOTION TO DUTY HAVE REMAINED
CONSTANT. OUR GUARDIAN ETHOS - PROTECTING, DEFENDING AND SAVING
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC - IS DEEPLY ROOTED IN OUR CORE VALUES AND
PROVIDES THE INTIMATE CONNECTION TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.
3. ON OUR BIRTHDAY, WE HONOR OUR PREDECESSORS AND REDEDICATE
OURSELVES TO IMPROVING THE SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO WILL WALK THE
DECKPLATES AFTER US. THE BERTHOLF AND ITS SISTER SHIP WAESCHE
(WMSL 751), WHICH WAS CHRISTENED ON 26 JULY, ARE AT THE FOREFRONT
OF OUR FLEETS MODERNIZATION AND WE HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED OTHER
SUCCESSES.  WEVE ADDED CAPABILITIES TO WORKHORSE ASSETS LIKE THE
HH-65 HELICOPTER, C-130 AIRCRAFT AND THE WMEC FLEET AND INTRODUCED
NEW ASSETS SUCH AS THE RESPONSE BOAT-MEDIUM AND THE HC-144A OCEAN
SENTRY PATROL AIRCRAFT. WE ARE ADDING CAPACITY TO OUR MARINE
SAFETY PROGRAM, IMPROVING OUR SHORE-BASED COMMAND AND CONTROL
CAPABILITIES AND ACHIEVING A GREATER DEGREE OF MARITIME DOMAIN
AWARENESS. ON THE MISSION SUPPORT FRONT, WE REORGANIZED THE
AIRCRAFT, REPAIR AND SUPPLY CENTER (ARSC) TO THE AVIATION LOGISTIC
CENTER (ALC). THIS IS THE FIRST LOGISTICS CENTER DEVELOPED UNDER A
NEW BUSINESS MODEL WHICH REMOVES MUCH OF THE ASSET SUPPORT
FUNCTIONS FROM THE FIELD OPERATORS. ALL OF OUR MODERNIZATION
EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO IMPROVE MISSION EXECUTION AND ENABLE US TO
BE MORE ADAPTIVE TO THE MARITIME CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY.
4. AS WE CELEBRATE OUR PROUD HISTORY, WE PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR
SHIPMATES ON WATCH OR THOSE IN SUPPORT ROLES - WHETHER PATROLING
THE BERING SEA, RESPONDING TO MARITIME EMERGENCIES ON THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER OR PREPARING FOR DEPLOYMENT TO SOUTHWEST ASIA IN
SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.  THE BRAVERY AND DEVOTION TO
DUTY EXEMPLIFIED BY OUR ACTIVE, RESERVE, CIVILIAN AND AUXILIARY
PERSONNEL INSPIRE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. YOU ARE THEIR GUARDIAN.
5. ON THIS SPECIAL DAY, I REAFFIRM MY COMMITMENT TO EACH OF YOU AND
TO ENSURING THE SERVICE HAS THE RIGHT ASSETS, WORKFORCE AND
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO BUILD ON OUR PROUD HISTORY AND MOVE
TOWARDS A POWERFUL FUTURE.
6. ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.