Modernization Update -- NAPA Study

I sent the Following All Hands E-mail to the Coast Guard workforce today:

I am pleased to announce that we have earned a significant positive endorsement of our Coast Guard Modernization Efforts. In the spring of 2008 we engaged the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct a third-party, independent review of our planned Modernization. Following their comprehensive analysis, NAPA issued a final report that documents their full, unqualified support for Coast Guard Modernization.

NAPA is a non-profit, independent coalition of top public management and organizational leaders who tackle the Nation's most critical and complex challenges. Their year long, in-depth study included an extensive evaluation of our Modernization planning approach, an assessment of its alignment with the Coast Guard's stated goals, critical identification of potential risks and weaknesses, as well as key recommendations to help improve our efforts. Coast Guard Senior Leadership places a high value on their external review and objective assessment.

We remain committed to transparency. Since we all own Modernization, I encourage you to read NAPA's "Coast Guard Modernization Study" and "Financial Transformation Study". Both are being shared with our Congressional and external stakeholders. They are also available under the "Modernization Section" of CG Central. In a separate assessment, the GAO also validated our Modernization efforts by referencing the NAPA report and concurring with their conclusions.

We recently received a thorough out-brief from the NAPA Panel. Echoing the report, the Panel provided a complete endorsement of the objectives of our Modernization plans. They also identified several areas where we must sharpen our focus as we move forward with the organizational changes that will prepare our Service to meet the maritime challenges of the 21st century.

I am fully dedicated to incorporating NAPA's conclusions and the work has already begun. One of NAPA's recommendations is to establish a "Modernization Implementation Guidance Team" to advance our goals, and capitalize on the hard work completed so far.

Over the past two years the Coast Guard Strategic Transformation Team (STT), under the leadership of recently promoted Vice Admiral Jody Breckenridge, has managed the planning of our Modernization Efforts. As we transition to the more detailed implementation phase of Modernization, we have firmly embedded the STT's change management capability into the organization. The result is the Enterprise Strategy, Management, and Doctrine Oversight Directorate (CG-095) which was recently established as a direct report to the Vice Commandant. CG-095 is responsible for synchronizing the various Modernization implementation efforts as we move forward. They will be able to tap the expertise of the Coast Guard's Organizational Performance Consultants (OPC's), who will add great value in developing the performance metrics that the NAPA panel recommended.

I have also directed the Vice Commandant to serve as the single point of accountability to ensure our Modernization objectives are achieved. The goal is to create a change-centric culture that is highly adaptive to changing requirements, new opportunities, and demand signals from the public we serve.

The time is right to finalize a comprehensive business case for our Modernization Efforts. While not published in a single document, the tenets of the business case have been widely reflected in various official documents, including the FORCECOM and DCMS Business Plans, the Modernization Congressional Report, and past GAO & OIG reports on readiness and mishaps. Following one of NAPA's recommendations, I have directed the development of a more clear and quantifiable business case to include the metrics necessary to track Coast Guard Modernization's progress and its effects on mission execution.

NAPA's endorsement of Coast Guard Modernization is an important milestone, but plenty of hard work remains. We will continue to enhance our strong professional relationships with the unions that represent our civilian workforce. We will ensure our organizational changes reflect our commitment to the entire workforce and meet our labor management obligations. In addition, we will remain within the bounds of our current legal authority while we work with the 111th Congress to obtain the critical legislative authority necessary to achieve a fully modernized Coast Guard.

We are creating a better Coast Guard through Modernization. By positioning ourselves to be more flexible, agile, and change-centric, we will improve our service to the Nation and enhance every Guardian's ability to protect, defend, and save. You can stay informed of our Modernization Efforts by visiting these websites:

FORCECOM
OPCOM
DCMS
DCO

Thanks for your continued hard-work, and dedication to our Coast Guard. Semper Paratus!