SUBJ: MODERNIZING ATLANTIC AREA, UPDATE 1
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 202019Z FEB 09
1. AS AN UPDATE TO REFERENCE (A), LANTAREA CONTINUES TO TRANSITION
TOWARDS A MODERNIZED ORGANIZATION. ONE OF THE PRIMARY STEPS TOWARD
MODERNIZING ATLANTIC AREA IS THE EXPANSION OF THE ATLANTIC AREA-
DISTRICT FIVE (LANT/D5) COMMAND CENTER. TODAY THE LANT-D5 COMMAND
CENTER EXPANDED INTO TWO COMPONENTS, AN ATLANTIC AREA WATCH SECTION
AND A DISTRICT FIVE WATCH SECTION. THE ATLANTIC AREA WATCH SECTION
SERVES AS ATLANTIC AREAS SINGULAR 24X7 OVERSIGHT NODE FOR ATLANTIC
AREA OPERATIONS. THE DISTRICT FIVE WATCH SECTION WILL CONTINUE TO
FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL FIFTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT MISSIONS.
2. SPECIFICALLY, THE ATLANTIC AREA WATCH SECTION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF OVERARCHING OPERATIONAL INFORMATION,
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION WITH OTHER
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND COMMAND AND CONTROL FOR ALL OPERATIONS
WITHIN THE LANTAREA AOR. TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE, THE LANTAREA
WATCH SECTION COMMENCED A WARMSTART AT NOON TODAY. DURING THIS
WARMSTART PERIOD, LANTAREA WILL TRAIN ALL NEWLY ASSIGNED
WATCHSTANDERS, EXERCISE THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE
COMDT/AREA/DISTRICT/SECTOR COMMAND CENTER SYSTEM, AND INTEGRATE
NON-LANT UNITS, SUCH AS THE MIFCS AND ICC, INTO THE LANTAREA
OPERATING PROCESS. THE LANTAREA WATCH SECTION WILL INITIALLY EMPLOY
5 WATCHSTANDERS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A LANT CDO, TWO OPERATIONS
OVERSIGHT WATCH STANDERS, AND TWO COMMON OPERATING PICTURE
CONTRACTORS. FULL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE LANT WATCH
SECTION IS ANTICIPATED OOA 1 JUNE 2009 WITH THE FOLLOWING WATCH
SECTION COMPOSITION:
A. A CDO.
B. A THREE PERSON OPERATIONS OVERSIGHT WATCH CONSISTING OF A
SAR/IM, PWCS/LE/HLS/HLD, AND MARINE SAFETY WATCH STANDERS.
C. A THREE PERSON INTEGRATION WATCH CONSISTING OF MISSION SUPPORT
PERSONNEL FROM THE FUTURE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MISSION SUPPORT
(DCMS), READINESS PROFESSIONALS FROM THE FUTURE FORCE READINESS
COMMAND (FORCECOM), AS WELL AS PUBLIC AFFAIRS WATCH STANDERS.
D. A THREE PERSON SITUATION AWARENESS WATCH CONSISTING OF AN
UNCLASS COP, CLASS COP, AND INTELLIGENCE WATCH STANDERS.
3. THE ATLANTIC AREA AND DISTRICT FIVE WATCH SECTIONS WILL USE THE
FOLLOWING CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ACCOUNTS TODAY:
A. FIFTH DISTRICT SECTION (EXISTING NUMBERS):
(1) VOICE NUMBER: (757) 398-6390
(2) FAX NUMBER: (757) 398-6392
(3) EMAIL ADDRESS: D05-SMB-LANTCMDCTR(AT SIGN)USCG.MIL
B. LANT SECTION (NEW NUMBERS):
(1) VOICE NUMBER: (757) 398-6700
(2) FAX NUMBER: (757) 398-6775
(3) EMAIL ADDRESS: D05-SMB-LANTCMDCTR(AT SIGN)USCG.MIL (SAME AS D5
SECTION FOR CONTINUITY)
4. ATLANTIC AREA HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN SEVERAL OTHER
AREAS REGARDING MODERNIZATION. OF SIGNIFICANCE, THE NAVIGATION
CENTER (NAVCEN) WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR
OPERATIONS (DCO) TO ATLANTIC AREA. THIS COMMAND, WITH ITS FOCUS ON
OPERATIONAL OVERSIGHT OF STATE-OF-THE-ART NAVIGATION SYSTEMS,
ACCURATE AND TIMELY MARITIME INFORMATION SERVICES, AND THE
MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT OF VESSEL MOVEMENT SERVICES, IS A NEW
COMPLEMENTARY CAPABILITY TO FURTHER THE ATLANTIC AREA COMMANDERS
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
5.  THE ANTICIPATED TIMELINE FOR ATLANTIC AREA TRANSITIONING TO
NUMBERED STAFFS, PER REFERENCE A, PENDS COMPLETION OF UNION
BARGAINING. EFFORTS TO MOVE TOWARD A MORE AGILE ATLANTIC AREA STAFF
WILL CONTINUE. UPDATES REGARDING THE DATE FOR TRANSITIONING TO A
NUMBERED STAFF CONSTRUCT WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN THEY BECOME
AVAILABLE.
6. 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 OR AT THE
OPCOM WEBSITE, WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH LANTAREAS HOMEPAGE
(HTTP://CGWEB.LANT.USCG.MIL/). QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING
OPCOM IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE DIRECTED TO LANTAREA BY SENDING AN
EMAIL TO OPCOM(UNDERSCORE)IMPLEMENTATION(AT SIGN)USCG.MIL.
7. VADM R. J. PAPP, JR., COMMANDER, COAST GUARD ATLANTIC AREA,
SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.