Modernization Background
The Coast Guard is simultaneously and at all times an Armed Force and Federal agency with safety, security, and stewardship missions. We save lives. We protect the environment. We defend the homeland. We are unique in the Nation and the world. However, as our Nation faces the long-term struggle against radical extremism in a period of persistent conflict, the Coast Guard must be prepared to conduct operations across a broad spectrum of threats and hazards. From the oil platforms of the Northern Arabian Gulf, to the interior rivers, to an increasingly open and accessible Arctic, we must ensure the safety, security, and stewardship of our maritime domain, while simultaneously addressing unprecedented growth in maritime trade and tourism.
Therefore, we must position America's Coast Guard to answer the call, to remain always ready, and to execute the mission. The Coast Guard has never been relied upon by the Nation more than we are today. The Service is strong, however we face new challenges that require us to be organized more efficiently, and manage our business practices more effectively. We must honor our past, but not operate in it. Our future lies in a flexible, agile, and responsive force, backed by a transformed command and control structure and a mature mission support organization.
Building on prior studies and analyses, as well as lessons learned from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the Coast Guard Modernization is a holistic review of our Service; focused on ensuring mission execution and positioning the Coast Guard to meet the challenges of today, while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow. As we confront significant growth in commercial shipping, an expansion in coastal development, new energy exploration, and increasing activity in the Arctic, we must continue to adapt to ensure we are employing best practices to meet the needs of our Nation. We must have a command and control structure, as well as a mission support organization that promote mission execution.
Our Service's reputation and successes are predicated on the exceptional professionalism and dedication of our workforce. The Coast Guard Modernization proposal represents an overarching strategy to build on our Service's strengths, while simultaneously capitalizing on today's technologies, ingenuities, and efficiencies to equip our workforce with the infrastructure and capabilities to maintain operational excellence and sustainable mission execution far into the 21st century.
Modernizing the Coast Guard for the 21st Century
The Commandant on Modernization
