ALCOAST 110/09
SUBJ: MODERNIZATION OF ATLANTIC AREA COMMAND AND STAFF
1. VADM R. J. PAPP, JR., COMMANDER, COAST GUARD ATLANTIC AREA,
SENDS.
A. AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES, MODERNIZATION WILL BECOME MORE APPARENT
IN THE WAY THE COAST GUARD EXECUTES THE STRATEGY FOR MARITIME
SAFETY, SECURITY, AND STEWARDSHIP. THIS IS MY FIRST OF SEVERAL
MESSAGES COMMUNICATING HOW LANTAREA WILL TRANSITION TO THE COAST
GUARD OPERATIONS COMMAND (OPCOM) ONCE APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATIONS ARE GRANTED. THIS FIRST MESSAGE WILL FOCUS ON A
CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS MODERNIZATION AS ATLANTIC AREAS TRANSITION TO
A NUMBERED STAFF. THIS TRANSITION WILL ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATION
THAT WILL ALLOW LANTAREA TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONAL FORCES,
ALIGN US WITH CG HEADQUARTERS, AND CONCURRENTLY POSTURE LANTAREA
FOR FUTURE MODERNIZATION IMPLEMENTATION.
2. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, ATLANTIC AREA STAFF WILL BEGIN A
PHASED, INTERNAL TRANSITION FROM ITS CURRENT COMMAND AND CONTROL
CONSTRUCT TO A NUMBERED STAFF.  SPECIFICALLY, THE PLANNED
TRANSITION DATES, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO BARGAINING, ARE OUTLINED
BELOW:
LANTAREA STAFF    NUMBERED STAFF                 TRANSITION TARGET
                  LANT-1 RESERVE MGMT            MAY 2009
AI                LANT-2 INTELLIGENCE            MARCH 2009
AR, AP, AT        LANT-3 OPERATIONS              APRIL 2009
AX                LANT-5 PLANS AND EXERCISES     APRIL 2009
                  LANT-7 OPS RQMTS AND ANALYSIS  APRIL 2009
AM                LANT-8 RESOURCE MGMT           MARCH 2009
A, AA, AL, AE     LANT-00/09 EXECUTIVE STAFF     MAY 2009
LANT/D5 CC        LANT-30 COMMAND CENTER         APRIL 2009
THIS TRANSITION IS PLANNED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE 1 JUNE 2009.
SEQUENTIAL MESSAGES WILL BE RELEASED TO DISCUSS HOW EACH DIVISION
TRANSITION WILL TAKE PLACE TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON OPERATIONAL
FORCES.
3. THE MODERNIZATION OF ATLANTIC AREA COMMAND AND STAFF BEFORE 1
JUNE 2009 OFFERS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES THAT INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT
LIMITED TO: IMPLEMENTING A MORE RESPONSIVE ORGANIZATION THAT
INCLUDES SEPARATION OF THE LANT/D5 COMMAND CENTER FOR BETTER
MISSION COGNIZANCE AND IMPROVED LANTAREA OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT OF
TACTICAL MISSION EXECUTION, ALIGNING THE CURRENT COMMAND AND
CONTROL CONSTRUCT WITH OPCOMS ENVISIONED ORGANIZATION TO
FACILITATE AN EASY TRANSITION ONCE CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION IS
OBTAINED, IMPLEMENTING A NEW OPERATIONS REQUIREMENTS AND ANALYSIS
DIVISION (LANT-7), AND VALIDATING AND DEPLOYING CRITICAL
OPERATIONAL PROCESSES BEFORE OPTEMPO PEAKS DURING SUMMER SAR AND
HURRICANE SEASONS.
4. AS A FOLLOW-ON TO THIS ALCOAST, LANTAREA WILL RELEASE A VIDEO IN
WHICH I WILL TALK TO OUR OPERATIONAL FORCES ABOUT MODERNIZATION.
THERE WILL BE A TARGETED DISTRIBUTION OF THIS VIDEO AS A DVD TO
OPERATIONAL FIELD COMMANDS. IT WILL ALSO BE POSTED IN THE COAST
GUARDS MODERNIZATION SECTION OF CG CENTRAL AND ON THE OPCOM WEB
PAGE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH HTTP://CGWEB.LANT.USCG.MIL/.
5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING MODERNIZATION, CHARTERED WORK
GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRUCTS, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS,
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINES CAN BE
OBTAINED WITHIN THE MODERNIZATION SECTION IN CG CENTRAL AND THE
OPCOM WEB PAGE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING OPCOM
IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE DIRECTED TO LANTAREA BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO
OPCOM(UNDERSCORE)IMPLEMENTATION(AT SIGN)USCG.MIL.
6. I UNDERSTAND THAT ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IS DIFFICULT ON ALL
PERSONNEL, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. HOWEVER, MODERNIZING
THE ATLANTIC AREA COMMAND AND STAFF WILL IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO
SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS AND BEST POSTURE ATLANTIC AREA
TO TRANSITION EASILY TO OPCOM ONCE AUTHORIZED. I AM EXCITED ABOUT
THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SERVICE, AND AM COMMITTED TO ITS CONTINUED
SUCCESS.
7. PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS TO RDML KEVIN COOK AND CAPT RAYMOND
PULVER ON THE OPCOM IMPLEMENTATION TEAM.
8. RADM J. A. BRECKENRIDGE, DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATION TEAM
SENDS ON BEHALF OF COMMANDER, LANTAREA.
9. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.