Senior Leadership Succession

Shipmates,

Today the Secretary recommended to the President the following senior leadership nominations.

Vice Commandant, VADM Dave Pekoske
Pacific Area Commander, RADM Jody Breckenridge
Chief of Staff, RADM John Currier

VADM Papp continues to serve as Atlantic Area Commander and RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara continues as Deputy Commandant for Operations (DCO).

I congratulate these fine officers and look forward to working with them as we continue to modernize our Service. We will also continue to work with the Congress to authorize the establishment of new leadership positions and elevate the DCO billet to the grade of Vice Admiral.

It is a bittersweet announcement as well as we will celebrate the retirements of VADM Vivien Crea and VADM Cliff Pearson. VADM Pearson has been a tremendous force for change in our support community and his counsel has been critical in our modernization efforts. VADM Crea and I first served together in 1986 when she was the military aide to President Reagan and I was the liaison officer to the White House for the celebration of the relighting of the Statue of Liberty. She has been an extraordinary partner, providing wise counsel to me at critical times. It would be difficult to adequately describe the impact she has had on the Coast Guard as a leader, operator, senior manager, and above all, role model.

Navy Flag Executive Conference with Maritime Service Chiefs

The below photographs were taken at this weeks Navy Flags Execute Conference, courtesy of Navy Photographer James Sanderson

MOVREP

Shipmates,

I am posting from Tampa where I just finished a full day of meetings at the Special Operations Command (SOCOM).  I also had dinner with the local COs and met with some very excited prospective chief petty officers.  

It's been a busy week.  On Monday we visited Kings Bay, Georgia.  I held an All Hands with local units (MSST, Maritime Force Protection Unit, SEA DRAGON, and Station Brunswick).  We also met with local Navy commanders.  The local community leaders from Camden County hosted a brunch and I spoke about the Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps partnership.  They were very gracious and declared the day Admiral Thad Allen Day.  Later that day we visited our hard working Auxiliarists up at Lake Lanier north of Atlanta (see earlier post).

Tomorrow I will attend the U.S. Central Command Change of Command.  

VADM Vivien Crea was on the road as well, standing up the Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City due to my commitments in Tampa, the first step in our logistics transformation.  Congratulations to the hard working men and women who run a first operation and keep our aircraft flying.

ADM A

CCG at the Bolger Center with Comdt USMC & CNO.

CCG at the Bolger Center with Comdt USMC & CNO.
Originally uploaded by uscgpress

Shipmates,
This morning Admiral Gary Roughhead, General James Conway, and I spoke to the new Navy flag officers and Senior Executives. we each spoke for 10-15 minutes and took questions for nearly two hours. A terrific demonstration of our shared committement and partnership.

ADM A

CCG with Auxiliarist Larsen standing in the lake bed.

CCG with Auxiliarist Larsen standing in the lake bed.
Originally uploaded by uscgpress

We rarely get to revisit the past and live in the present. Last night I spent some precious time with our Auxiliarists who selflessly serve the public on Lake Lanier north of Atlanta. I promised my Seventh District Aux Commodore Mary Larsen that I would come to Lake Lanier and speak to her Flotilla. That was 2000. In 2008 I kept my promise.

The lake levels are low due to lack of rain and the need for drinking water and power generation. Nonetheless, our Auxiliarists stand the watch and keep Lake Lanier safe.

Thank you Mary Larsen and your shipmates (Allen Brown included).

Combined Federal Campaign ...Be a star in someone's life.

Shipmates:

Today we kicked off the Combined Federal Campaign at Coast Guard Headquarters.

I have been involved with CFC nearly continually since 2000 when I was the Chairman for the South Florida Campaign as the Seventh District Commander. I Chaired the first DHS Campaign in 2003 and have been a member of the Local Federal Coordinating Committee (LFCC) for the National Capitol Area since then. For the 3rd Year in a row I am the Honorary Chair of the CFC for the National Capital Area. In that capacity locally here in Washington, and as your Service Chief nationally, I encourage you all to participate in this year's CFC and be a star in someone's life. I recently discussed the CFC on Federal News Radio Network.

ADM A

FORCECOM videos

PACAREA (Future FORCECOM) is doing a great job leveraging social media to communicate with their workforce. You can see their six-part video series on CGVI, search "FORCECOM". The videos are also available on YouTube at the "uscgimagery" channel.

Did you know?

Shipmates

I just received this video that was presented at a SONY executive meeting from Rear Admiral Rob Parker who is the "ops boss" at U.S. Southern Command. Admiral Stavridis is moving SOUTHCOM into social media as well, including his own blog.

This video is thought provoking and makes a great case for lifelong learning and understanding the current generational gap. We need to start thinking now about how we are going to both manage and leverage the exponentially increasing volume of information.

ADM A

Congratulations to Adolf Adrion

Admiral Allen makes comments to the audience after accepting an Award from NAMMA.
Originally uploaded by uscgpress

This is an addition to the previous post ...

Yesterday after receiving the Joe R. Gerson Humanitarian Award on behalf of the Coast Guard I had the privilege of sharing some quality time with Mr. Adolf Adrion, the CEO of Hapag-Lloyd and a career Seafarer, who started his career with Hapag-Lloyd as a Cadet at the age of 17. Mr. Adrion was recognized by NAMMA with this year's Seafarer Salute Award. His acceptance remarks reminded me once again of the critical role our seafarers play in the vitality and prosperity of the maritime transportation sytem. I too salute Mr. Lloyd and all the World's Seafarers for their vital, yet underappreciated contributions.

In my remarks I reverted to being a child of the 1960's and evoked the lyrics of Leonard Cohen in his song "Susanne" ...

"And Jesus was a Sailor
When he walked upon the water,
And he spent a long time watching
from his lonely wooden tower.
And when he knew for certain
only drowning men could see him,
he said "All men shall be sailors then
until the sea shall free them" ..."

You may recall the last phrase as the title of a book written by Robert Frump that details the loss of the MARINE ELECTRIC. He has also just released a new book TWO TANKERS DOWN, the story of the amazing rescue operations when two tankers split in half off Cape Cod in 1952.

ADM A

World Maritime Day Conference

Shipmates,

Yesterday I attended the World Maritime Day Conference. 2008 marks the 31st observance of World Maritime Day and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the International Maritime Organization (link). The IMO milestone is based on the adoption of the IMO Convention by the United Nations in Geneva in 1948. The celebration traditionally takes place in London where IMO is located and in one other parallel event. The parallel event this year was held in Greece. The United States Coast Guard will host the parallel event next year and you will hear more about that in future months.

The U.S. observance was held today in New York and was sponsored by the North American Marine Environmental Protection Association (NAMEPA) and the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) which provides ministry to seafarers through port chaplains.

I participated in two events, an evening dinner, and conducted several media interviews. At the NAMMA luncheon I accepted on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard the Joe R. Gerson Humanitarian Award . We have worked very hard in the last several years to insure the equitable treatment of seafarers. This award acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our people at the port level who must manage the significant challenges related to the treatment of seafarers in an increasingly security conscious operating environment and limited access to and from waterfront facilities and vessels. It also recognizes our attempts to gain legislation to protect seafarers who are abandoned by less than honorable companies.

I also participated on a NAMEPA sponsored panel with Captain Andy Windbow from IMO and Adolf Adrion, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd one of the world's largest container shipping companies. The topic was the power of partnerships. Topics raised and discussed with the audience included our recent changes to the Marine Safety Program, TWIC implementation, amendments to MARPOL Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships), piracy in the Horn of Africa, and the general challenges associated with global shipping.

We had representatives at two other panels. RADM Brian Salerno participated in the panel; "Terminal Access ? A Barrier to Seafarers." Just this week, RADM Salerno issued an ALCOAST on this topic that is a good reminder of the need to recognize the need for Seafarers to have shore leave opportunities and for Seafarer Welfare Organizations to have reasonable access to the facilities necessary to provide their valued services.

CDR Mike Roldan also participated in the panel; "Oil Reception Facilities ? Tool for Facilitating Compliance"

Captain Bob O'Brien from Sector New York led a group of local Coast Guard participants as well.

Our ability to partner, not only with industry, but non-governmental organizations, associations, and international governing bodies is critical to achieving global solutions and aligning what we are required to do as regulators domestically. These relationships are particularly critical in complex issues such as air emissions from ships, ballast water management/invasive species, and seafarer access in U.S. ports.

We thank both NAMMA and NAMEPA for their support, partnership and leadership.