2011-2016

Great Lakes 

Maritime Strategy

A Strategic Framework for the 

Coast Guard on the Great Lakes
The last thing an explorer arrives at is a complete map

that will cover the whole ground he has traveled, but for

those that follow, his map is the first thing with which

they will begin. So it is with strategy...we must get our

theory clear before we can venture in search of practical

conclusions.

Sir Julian Corbett, 1911

British Naval Historian and Strategist
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Contents

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................... 3

GEOSTRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT............................................................................................................ 4

Shared and Interconnected System............................................................................................................. 4

Diverse Geography..................................................................................................................................... 5

Region of Binational Importance ............................................................................................................... 6

Strategic Context ........................................................................................................................................ 7

VISION .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

COMMANDER’S INTENT........................................................................................................................... 9

People ........................................................................................................................................................10

Professionalism..........................................................................................................................................10

Partnerships...............................................................................................................................................10

NINTH DISTRICT MISSION ETHOS.........................................................................................................11

ACHIEVING OUR VISION.........................................................................................................................12

Excel at mission execution ........................................................................................................................12

Inspire and serve our people ......................................................................................................................13

Enhance binational cooperation and governance.......................................................................................14

Optimize force allocation and resources....................................................................................................15

Strengthen strategic partnerships...............................................................................................................16

Share our story...........................................................................................................................................17

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN......................................................................................................................18

Framework for Action ...............................................................................................................................18

Tasks..........................................................................................................................................................20

Governance and Measures.........................................................................................................................21
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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INTRODUCTION

The Coast Guard’s Great Lakes Maritime Strategy frames a five-year vision, the District 

Commander’s intent and guiding principles, mission ethos, and the strategic objectives 

for the Ninth Coast Guard District. It is a call to action that will guide the years ahead.

The Coast Guard’s broad authority combined with multi-mission competencies and 

capabilities deliver tremendous value to the American public. Given our unique vantage 

point of the shared system that is the Great Lakes, the time is right for us to lead. We 

will do so with humility and an unwavering respect for our shipmates, our partners, and 

the constituencies we serve. The Coast Guard family, constituted by the men and 

women of our active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary forces, represent some of the 

finest maritime and military professionals in the world. We bring unique talents to bear 

in bridging the interagency, joint, and combined operational environments in which we 

operate. 

The Great Lakes are a binational treasure and one that the Ninth Coast Guard District is 

particularly well suited to serve and safeguard. Achieving the vision and promise set 

forth herein requires an enduring focus on Mission, People, Canada, Force Allocation, 

Partnerships, and Sharing our Story.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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GEOSTRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT

The Great Lakes are a national treasure of the 

United States and Canada. As the shared internal 

waters of two sovereign nations, it is one of the 

most unique bodies of water in the world.

The region is characterized by its fresh water, its 

diverse communities, its historic marine trade, and 

its immense recreational boating population. The 

Great Lakes Basin is governed by two nations, eight 

states, three provinces, several tribal nations and 

hundreds of local communities. It is equally 

represented by historical industrial interests as by 

growing environmental interests. This national 

treasure and the system that supports it are unique 

in their complexity and size.

Shared and Interconnected System

The U.S.-Canadian maritime border environment is characterized by its shared 

transportation systems and resulting shared governance. No better example of this 

reality exists than in the Great Lakes, a contiguous body of water that is a vital artery to 

the economies of both countries. Encompassing 1,500 miles of the shared border, the 

entirety of Great Lakes border between ports of entry is equivalent to the southwest 

border between Brownsville, Texas and San Diego, California. But in the Great Lakes, 

with the exception of bridges defining specific ports of entry, our shared border with 

Canada is maritime.

As a continuous, interconnected, and interdependent system shared by both countries, 

the Great Lakes are also unique for the access it grants to a wide variety of commercial 

and recreational vessels. Upon entering the Great Lakes, a foreign-flagged commercial 

vessel may enter U.S. waters as many as 17 times in transiting the system even when 

not making a U.S. port call. This reality requires a shared governance of the system as a 

whole. Once a vessel is in the Great Lakes system, it has equal opportunity access to 

both countries. Similarly, the threat of invasive species and other natural and man-made 

threats require complementary systems of governance capable of protecting and 

restoring shared resources.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Diverse Geography

The Ninth District area of responsibility (AOR) generally encompasses the federal 

navigable waters of the eight Great Lakes states and connecting waterways, including 

portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway, boundary waters, finger lakes, Illinois River, Lake 

Winnebago, New York State Barge Canal and various tributaries. It consists of more 

than 6,700 miles of U.S. shoreline, the equivalent of a round trip from Miami, Florida to 

Seattle, Washington. 86 counties line the shores of the Great Lakes. Forty-seven boat 

stations on five Great Lakes make up 27 percent of the stations in the Coast Guard. The 

seasonal nature of the AOR, including ice and sometimes harsh winter conditions, poses 

additional challenges to executing the Coast Guard’s statutory mission mandates.

The Great Lakes are bodies of fresh water that are truly “Great.” Thinking of them 

merely as “lakes” belies their size and complexity as well as the threats and challenges 

they present to those involved with their protection and security. The citizenry of the 

region is, for the most part, unaware of the fishermen, sailors, and shippers who still 

transport a wide variety of goods to and from Great Lakes ports. The recreation and 

cruising industries are booming, but the maritime professions are hidden. The Great 

Lakes maritime culture is nearly invisible to the rest of the world as are its individual 

threats and challenges.
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Region of Binational Importance

The Great Lakes system is North America’s industrial heartland. It supports not only a 

critical economic highway of agriculture, industrial and manufacturing goods but also a 

multi-billion dollar outdoor recreation and tourism industry. It is a region of binational 

importance that has been the focus of significant international and domestic attention 

for more than a century. 

While diverse and complex, the maritime communities and stakeholders of the Great 

Lakes are unified in their view of the lakes as a system, and the criticality of that system 

to the region’s economic and environmental vitality. This reality combined with the

attention and sustained effort by a wide range of local and regional stakeholders often 

sets the national agenda for both Canada and the United States. For example, a series of 

events in the 1960s – most notably the Cuyahoga River fire in 1969 – focused attention 

on the need to clean up the Great Lakes and helped lead to the eventual passage of the 

Clean Water Act in 1972. While the fire lasted only approximately 30 minutes, it 

prompted lasting improvements to national water quality standards and governance. 

Similarly, the threat of invasive species to the Great Lakes has driven a number of 

national and international policy initiatives and raised public awareness on ways and 

means to prevent the spread of harmful, non-native species across ecosystems. 

Did you know?

 The Great Lakes -- Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario -- and their 

connecting channels form the largest fresh surface water system on earth. 

 Nearly 25 percent of Canadian agricultural production and 7 percent of American 

farm production are located in the Great Lakes basin. 

 More than 30 million people live in the Great Lakes basin - roughly 10 percent of 

the U.S. population and more than 30 percent of the Canadian population.

 Covering more than 94,000 square miles and draining more than twice as much 

land, these Freshwater Seas hold an estimated 6 quadrillion gallons of water - 84 

percent of North America's surface fresh water and about 21 percent of the 

world's supply. 

 Spread evenly across the contiguous 48 states, the lakes' water would be about 

9.5 feet deep. 

 From Lake Ontario, the water from the Great Lakes flows through the St. 

Lawrence River all the way to the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,000 miles away.

 Within the U.S., ten federal agencies administer more than 140 different federal 

programs helping fund and implement environmental restoration and 

management activities in the Great Lakes basin.

 Governance of the Great Lakes system is shared between the United States, 

Canada, eight U.S. states, two Canadian provinces, nearly 40 Tribal nations, more 

than half a dozen major metropolitan areas, and numerous county and local 

governments.
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Strategic Context

The Ninth District arrived at our current arrangement of forces and priorities through a 

long legacy of mission execution, external influences and changing priorities. That legacy 

is critical to understand and draw from as we prepare and ready our forces for the 

future. Additionally, a variety of strategy documents and analyses inform us about what 

the future might hold. The Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR) is a 

cornerstone document to guide our efforts. The Great Lakes region is ideal to pursue 

the tenets of a homeland security enterprise envisioned by the QHSR. In all, from recent 

National Ocean Council decisions to ongoing efforts to devise a unified strategy for our 

shared border with Canada, these national priorities also inform the Ninth District’s 

future. Similarly, the Coast Guard’s own Project Evergreen takes a long view of 20-25 

years to help describe the types of adaptations that will be needed to the form or 

function of our operational missions and priorities.

Several themes – integrated operations, unity of effort, partnerships, awareness, and 

many more – echo across a variety of strategic initiatives. And in the Great Lakes, the 

entirety of our effort must be ‘watermarked’ with Canada. We share the system of the 

Great Lakes and we must share the solutions through strengthened collaboration.

External events or internal changes may move us back and forth across a spectrum of 

mission emphasis. But we will seek to steady and align our efforts through the pursuit of 

a clear vision in the nearer term (five years) that supports Department of Homeland 

Security and Coast Guard goals and priorities.
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VISION

As we assess the strategic environment and our own history, there are many recurring 

themes. Search and Rescue has been a stalwart from the days of Light Ships and 

Lifesaving stations. It has been enabled throughout a long regional history of 

indispensable Auxiliary volunteers. But we also have a long legacy of marine safety, 

icebreaking, maritime law enforcement and border security missions. In fact, many 

pioneering non-compliant vessel use of force tactics were bred on the Great Lakes 

during prohibition when rum runners took advantage of the Great Lakes geography to 

move illegal contraband. Further, the presence of the Vintage Vessel Center of Expertise 

in the Ninth District is a testament to a long history of marine safety experience and 

expertise.

Looking to the future, the below vision statement is a signpost for the five year horizon. 

It is compatible with longer views but will remain a center of gravity in the near term 

around which to rally our efforts. There will be events and external influences that may 

occasionally cause us to focus on a particular mission area, contingency, or other 

demand. But when that “tyranny of the present” passes, we will rapidly reset our focus 

on achieving the below vision.

Leaders serving at every level within the Ninth District shall review our vision regularly 

to ensure we’re prioritizing our own efforts and those of our subordinates on initiatives 

in connection with this vision.

Ninth Coast Guard District Vision

We will relentlessly pursue mission excellence through an unwavering 

commitment to the professionalism of our people. 

We will safeguard the Great Lakes system and their maritime 

communities, advancing national objectives and shaping maritime 

border policy through a seamless binational enterprise of safety, 

security and stewardship. 

We will promote resiliency, manage risk, and deliver value through 

superior mission performance and servant leadership. 
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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COMMANDER’S INTENT

The Commander’s Intent outlines the District Commander’s expectations for members 

serving in the Ninth District, collectively the Ninth District family – the dedicated active 

duty, reserve, civilian and auxiliary personnel that bring life to our mission mandates. It 

provides guiding principles that will be adhered to in order to meet enduring objectives.

Its purpose is to inform all members of the Ninth District of those enduring strategic 

objectives that we will work toward as well as the guiding personal and leadership 

principles, direct from the District Commander, which should inform the conduct of 

daily duties. 
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Ninth Coast Guard District Commander’s Intent

Our primary purposes are safe and effective mission execution, and taking care of our 

shipmates and families. Strategically, we are pursuing the following long-term objectives: 

 Excel at mission execution;

 Inspire and serve our people;

 Enhance bi-national cooperation and governance;

 Optimize force allocation and resources;

 Strengthen strategic partnerships; and 

 Share our story.

We are anchored by our core values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty and will 

accomplish our objectives through three guiding principles: People, Professionalism and 

Partnerships. 

People. The priority is taking care of and respecting our shipmates. We must work 

collaboratively, value diversity and grow as individuals and teams. Our people must be

properly trained, healthy and committed to assure their safety and prevent avoidable 

casualties. We must uphold the highest ideals of public service and create environments 

where diversity of background and thought are embraced as moral and mission 

imperatives. We cannot be afraid to challenge the status quo. We are an organization 

with a bias for action. That bias requires we take care of each other and know when to ask 

for help. We must trust our chains of command, take care of our families, be prepared for 

our missions and bring solutions to our challenges. 

Professionalism. The priority is fielding ready assets, crews and teams to safely meet our

mission responsibilities. We are a mission-centric organization. Our greatest value to the 

public is the ability to respond safely, swiftly, and effectively to maritime calamity, threats 

to the homeland and environmental disasters. This requires each of us to do our absolute 

best every day. We must strive to be masters of our respective crafts and exhibit personal 

and collective professionalism. I cannot provide tactical direction for every operational 

scenario and recognize we will face limiting factors involving assets, crews, weather 

and/or other elements. Act independently. Pay attention to detail. Exercise good 

judgment and on scene initiative. In return, I will always have your back.

Partnerships. The priority is full collaboration and communication with Canadian, Federal, 

state, local, tribal and private sector partners. Truth and transparency breeds trust. It is 

the foundation of building bridges that improve the reach and efficacy of our operational 

services. Partnerships can and should be key enablers of mission excellence. Ensure the 

public understands our commitment to transparency, compassion and mission execution. 

Engage in important causes and leave our communities better than we found them. Build 

strong internal partnerships with each other and support elements. We do not have the 

luxury of inefficiency or waste in any of our mission execution or support processes.

We have the most rewarding professions in the world. To achieve success we must stay 

motivated to do our best, enjoy our jobs, take care of our shipmates, and leave our units 

and communities better than we found them.
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NINTH DISTRICT MISSION ETHOS

District Nine personnel have built a legacy of Search and Rescue (SAR) excellence, 

codified most directly in the SAR ethos that is used to describe and define the character 

with which we execute SAR missions. While it remains applicable and a key tenet of our 

SAR doctrine in the Ninth District, achieving our vision requires a mission ethos that 

translates to all mission areas and instills the same bias for effective action. Below is our

Mission Ethos.

Ninth Coast Guard District Mission Ethos

The Coast Guard’s service to the public is a serious responsibility. Personnel at every 

level must approach their duties with swiftness, vigor, passion and bottom-line 

accountability to the maritime communities that reside and operate within the

inland seas that are the Great Lakes. 

We are entrusted with missions and authorities that impact citizens directly and 

personally, often with life or death consequences. We owe every potential subject 

and next-of-kin, every member of the maritime community, the Great Lakes region, 

and indeed nation, our best effort: from communications watch to aircraft, boat and 

cutter crews, to command center controllers, marine safety inspectors, pollution 

investigators, command cadre and support personnel -- our actions make the 

difference. Every Coast Guard family member owns a piece of mission success.

Ninth Coast Guard District personnel should treat every potential victim as one of 

our own family members and every potential safety and security threat as serious. 

Let genuine care and compassion for our citizens and shipmates guide us in every 

aspect of mission execution. Exercise operational curiosity and initiative. If it’s 

happening on the water in the Great Lakes, we should ‘own’ some part of it within 

the scope of our authorities. Prepare, prevent, and respond accordingly.

Demanding operating tempo and missions viewed as ‘routine’ may tempt us to go 

through the motions or take shortcuts – but that philosophy is unacceptable. A true 

Coast Guard professional prosecutes every case, every sortie, every boarding, every 

inspection, and every mission activity with zeal until the subject is located and 

rescued, threat is fully investigated, compliance is assured, risk is mitigated, or all 

reasonable doubt is eliminated. 

We revere and dedicate ourselves to an unfailing preparedness to prevent and 

respond. Take good care of our shipmates by continually managing operational risk. 

And when in doubt: respond earlier rather than later; do more rather than less; 

search longer rather than shorter.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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ACHIEVING OUR VISION

Achieving our vision demands an enduring strategic commitment to core objectives that 

enable mission execution, serve our people, and foster partnerships that contribute to 

national interests. The below strategic objectives are enduring and intended to guide 

not only our current effort but that of our successors. 

 Excel at mission execution;

 Inspire and serve our people;

 Enhance bi-national cooperation and governance;

 Optimize force allocation and resources;

 Strengthen strategic partnerships; and

 Share our story.

It is incumbent on each of us to govern our daily activities and priorities such that 

together we make tangible and measurable progress toward these objectives, and by 

extension achieve our vision.

Excel at mission execution

Our first and primary responsibility is safe and effective mission execution in the 

maritime domain. We must grow and sustain the best watchstanders, cuttermen, 

aircrews, boat crews, and marine inspectors in the entire service. The nation expects 

and the Great Lakes region relies on our ability to accomplish our missions. They are the 

central purpose for our existence and it is through their execution that we are relevant. 

This reality demands not just qualification but proficiency. It also demands a continuing 

focus on knowledge management and data integrity. Attention to detail and shared 

awareness are critical functions to operational decision superiority. If we’re not safely, 

effectively, and efficiently accomplishing our operational missions, then little else 

matters.

Operational Lens – Excel at mission execution

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Providing clear mission 

guidance and expectations; 

 Setting reasonable mission 

and readiness targets along 

with systems of transparent 

metrics to foster 

accountability and positive 

results.

 Developing masters of 

operational art, mission 

cognizance, and execution.

 Tactical mission planning in 

support of CG/D9 mission 

goals; 

 Overseeing unit training 

programs & results to 

ensure maximum readiness.

 Growing ‘masters of our 

craft’ through robust unit 

training programs & 

accountability; 

 Understanding mission 

guidance & goals and 

translating those goals to 

operational results at the 

water’s edge.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Inspire and serve our people

Mission execution depends on command and organizational climates that encourage 

excellence from every member of the Coast Guard family – active, reserve, auxiliary and 

civilian. We must foster a mutual respect of our shipmates, champion diversity of 

background and thought, reward innovation and ensure transparent communications. 

We rely on each other and that reliance demands trust. Trust is not guaranteed or a 

condition of employment, it is earned. The Ninth District and subordinate command 

elements will strive to inspire and serve our people, and thereby achieve organizational 

and individual excellence.

Operational Lens – Inspire and serve our people

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Instill a collegial and 

productive climate; 

 Provide tools and incentives 

for field commands to use in 

doing the same.

 Promote and ensure unity of 

effort among Active Duty, 

Reserve, Auxiliary, and 

Civilian personnel.

 Ensure all hands understand 

their role in operational risk 

management and oversight; 

 Recognize outstanding 

achievement and 

consistently evaluate and 

improve command climate.

 Involve and maximize 

talents & capacity from 

every part of CG family.

 Ensure transparency in 

expectations and a 

respect for all;

 Take care of our

shipmates and ensure all 

know and understand the 

value they bring, and feel 

empowered to 

contribute.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Enhance binational cooperation and governance

While we have broad organizational authority and substantial capability, we do not 

control the entirety of the system in which we operate. The Ninth Coast Guard District 

enjoys a unique view and responsibility within the Great Lakes system that has helped 

build and sustain a diverse set of relationships, formal and informal, with our Canadian 

peers. As such, it is incumbent on us to humbly and effectively lead by informing 

national maritime and border policy with Canada. It is only through combined and 

interagency effort that daily and contingency mission requirements can be met.

Operational Lens – Enhance binational cooperation and governance

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Lead and contribute to binational initiatives with 

Canada; 

 Help set the agenda and 

pursue new authorities, 

competencies and 

capabilities that better 

enable field commands to 

accomplish cross-border 

missions.

 Seek to host Canadian 

liaison positions on District 

staff.

 Prioritize partnerships with 

Canadian peers and 

Integrated Border 

Enforcement Teams (IBET); 

 Nearly everything we do 

must be ‘watermarked’ with 

Canada; 

 Seek opportunities to better 

integrate operations and 

harmonize mission goals.

 Know and understand 

current border policies 

and priorities; 

 Set the example for 

maritime professionalism 

and skill with our 

Canadian and interagency 

partners.

 Embrace opportunities to 

train & harmonize 

operations with Canadian 

and interagency partners.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Optimize force allocation and resources

Resources are scarce and finite and thus we must be diligent in ensuring resources are 

applied based on data-driven mission requirements and not just historical legacy. We 

must focus available resources based on analyses of current and projected mission 

requirements and strive to arrange those resources to the maximum benefit of all 

missions, the communities we serve, and the strategic objectives outlined herein. Doing 

so requires knowledge 

management to ensure data 

integrity is interwoven in 

our support processes and 

ultimately our results. While 

we may not always be able 

to control our ability to 

relocate resources, we can 

assure the mission 

requirements we place at 

locations are appropriate 

and sustainable.

Operational Lens – Optimize force allocation and resources

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Ensure readiness and 

mission expectations are 

founded on real, data-driven 

mission requirements and 

not just historical or 

perceived need; 

 Ensure our system of 

prevention (inspectors, 

investigators) and response 

(aircraft, boats) is

appropriately trained, 

equipped and ready for 

every mission.

 Employ contingency and 

steady-state operational risk 

metrics.

 Apply risk management 

principles to prioritize 

resources to carry out multimission operations; 

 Know and understand 

mission priorities and target 

available resources at the 

highest priorities; 

 Be proactive in 

recommending changes in 

mission requirements to 

enable progress toward 

strategic objectives.

 Focus unit personnel on 

what’s important –

mission execution and 

training to be ready for it; 

 Ensure the chain of 

command knows when 

mission requirements 

can’t be met;

 Be proactive, lean 

forward, and anticipate

seasonal training and 

readiness challenges.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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Strengthen strategic partnerships 

We cannot meet every mission priority alone. The public expects and our missions 

demand that we seek out sustainable partnerships at every level of maritime interest.

The complexity and strategic importance of the Great Lakes region has spurred many 

longstanding regional partnerships that should be leveraged and strengthened to 

promote harmony among mutually reinforcing goals. We do not seek partnership for its 

own sake or to do each other’s work; we must seek and strengthen strategic 

partnerships that enable the mission and contribute to our strategic objectives. With 

more than 40 federally recognized tribal nations in the Great Lakes region, specific effort 

on tribal partnerships merit increased attention. Similarly, we must ensure our internal 

partnerships across area of responsibility boundaries and every component of the Ninth 

District (active duty, reserve, auxiliary, civilian) are vibrant and mutually supportive.

Operational Lens – Strengthen Strategic Partnerships

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Leverage D9’s vantage point 

to a position of humble but 

effective regional 

leadership;

 Seek to combine joint and 

interagency capabilities to 

maximum mission effect.

 Ensure seamless mission 

execution across internal 

organizational and 

community boundaries.

 Identify and know strategic 

partners and lay 

groundwork for successors 

to build on; 

 Seek sustainable and 

executable partnerships that 

accomplish strategic 

objectives and enable 

mission execution.

 Seek opportunities to 

partner with those that 

have common mission 

goals or like-minded 

priorities;

 Understand their policies 

and procedures and share 

our own; 

 Waiting until the ‘heat of 

battle’ to get to know 

mission partners is much 

too late.
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Share our story

The Great Lakes maritime environment is complex and often misunderstood by those 

outside it, and in some cases even stakeholders within it underestimate the operational 

complexity and challenges. Few organizations enjoy a broader vantage point of the 

Great Lakes maritime system than the Ninth Coast Guard District. It’s incumbent on us 

to proactively share our story, internally and externally. We must orient ourselves to the 

issues that regional and national leadership care about and ensure they understand the 

tremendous relevance and value the Coast Guard brings to the effort.

Operational Lens – Share our story

District Sector/Air Station/Cutter Unit

 Execute considered and 

prioritized engagement 

plans that contribute to 

strategic objectives; 

 Understand the Great Lakes 

environment and 

constituencies and be 

proactive in engaging it on 

mutual goals.

 Engage early and often with 

local stakeholders; drive 

your calendars rather than 

being driven by them; 

 Proactively conduct

engagement and outreach 

that assists mission goals 

and priorities. 

 Be proactive citizensailors and positive

examples for your 

communities; 

 We are at all times 

representing the Coast 

Guard, Department of 

Homeland Security, and 

nation.
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Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

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STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

Translating the above Commander’s Intent and Strategic Objectives into an enduring 

legacy of action requires detailed and measurable tasks that are accompanied by a 

sustainable governance plan. Daily mission execution and support demands will always 

intrude on our ability to act with strategic intent. But we must prioritize achievable and 

specific tasks that contribute to our strategic objectives and remain the frame of 

reference to which we consistently return.

Framework for Action

Our framework for task development and action will be founded on our mission ethos, 

guided by the Commander’s Intent and guiding principles, organized around specific 

strategic objectives, and with a constant eye toward the vision we seek to achieve. 

Figure 2 displays our framework for action.
We will 

mission exc

unwavering 

professiona

We will sa

Lakes system 

communitie

objectives a

border polic

binational e

security and 

We will 

manage ris

through 

performanc

leadership.

Framework for Action

Commander’s Intent 

Guiding Principles

PEOPLE

PROFESSIONALISM

PARTNERSHIPS

Strategic Objectives

Excel at mission 

execution

Inspire and serve our 

people

Enhance binational

cooperation and 

governance

Optimize force 

allocation and resources

Strengthen strategic 

partnerships

Share our story

Ninth Coast Guard District

MISSION 

ETHOS

19

Figure 1 – Ninth District Framework for Action
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Tasks

Specific tasks and initiatives will be developed that contribute to the strategic objectives 

outlined above. This strategic work list will be a living annex to the Great Lakes Maritime 

Strategy. For each task, a detailed action and milestone summary will be prepared and 

maintained by the assigned task owner. As importantly, the tasks and supporting action 

and milestone summaries will leave a record of progress upon which our successors can 

build.

Tasks are sorted into one, three, and five year time horizons and further prioritized into 

two tiers of effort. The tiered priorities generally reflect an assessment of task 

importance and executability. Tier one tasks are the most important and most 

executable (e.g., we generally control the ability to complete the task and it’s a high 

priority in support of the designated strategic objective). Tier two tasks may be of lesser 

importance or may be of equal importance but less feasible due to factors perhaps 

beyond our control.

Tasks are generally limited to district-wide priorities and initiatives that cross multiple 

organizational boundaries or disciplines. Sector Commanders and unit commanding 

officers will develop internal tasks and priorities consistent with the strategic objectives 

but tailored as appropriate to their local area of responsibility. While not regularly 

reportable to the Senior Leadership Group (SLG), unit commanders will align their 

efforts with that of the SLG to develop a cascade of mutually reinforcing priorities that 

advances this strategy’s objectives toward the articulated vision.
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Governance and Measures

Governance is a critical component to achieving our strategic objectives. Our goal is not 

to create metrics and scorecards for their own sake but to identify and prioritize finite 

time and resources to ensure we make tangible progress on those “important few”. 

They are the legacy upon which our successors will build upon and sustain our 

momentum. Realizing that goal will require sustained commitment and reliable 

governance of our efforts.

Primary ownership of the strategic framework for action lies with the Ninth District 

Senior Leadership Group (SLG). The SLG will develop, prioritize, and approve tasks that 

contribute to the strategic objectives outlined above. Careful scrutiny by the SLG is 

critical so as not to overwhelm limited time and capacity. Focus must be given to those 

most important and achievable tasks and initiatives that contribute directly to our 

objectives and vision.

Strategic Objective Coordination. To coordinate action within each strategic objective, a 

member of the SLG will be assigned as a strategic objective coordinator for each of the 

six objectives outlined herein. The primary responsibility of the coordinator is to 

monitor completion of tasks within each objective area, foster collaboration as 

appropriate across divisions and units to assist with task completion, and assist in the 

compilation of required updates and reports to the SLG as a whole. 

Task Ownership. Each task will be assigned ownership to a single member of the SLG. If 

appropriate, task ownership can be assigned below SLG membership but not below the 

branch chief level of District staff. While many tasks will require contributions across 

multiple divisions and/or commands, the execution and tracking of milestone 

accomplishment will reside with this single point of accountability to the maximum 

extent practical.

Formal SLG Strategic Objective Review. At a minimum, the SLG will meet semi-annually, 

typically in the Fall and Spring, to formally review and record task accomplishment, 

validate priorities, and make recommendations to the District Commander and Chief of 

Staff. Assigned strategic objective coordinators, assisted by the Ninth District quality 

performance consultants, will be responsible for coordinating and compiling such 

reviews. 

Informal Reviews. Designated strategic objective coordinators will provide informal 

updates and reviews to the Chief of Staff for each strategic objective area at least once 

in the months between formal SLG meetings. Informal review schedules will be 

promulgated by the Chief of Staff and generally follow the sequence outlined in the 

table below.
USCG District Nine

Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

22

Measures. Specific task and objective measures will be defined in action and milestone 

summaries. The point of accountability will be the task owner directly.

Strategic Objective Strategic 

Objective 

Coordinator

Formal Review Informal Review

Excel at mission execution D9(DR) Fall, Spring SLG November, June

Inspire and serve our 

people

D9(DX/DM) Fall, Spring SLG November, June

Enhance binational 

cooperation and 

governance

D9(DP) Fall, Spring SLG January, July

Optimize force allocation 

and resources

D9 (DX/DM) Fall, Spring SLG January, July

Strengthen strategic 

partnerships

D9 (DR) Fall, Spring SLG February, August

Share our story D9 (DE) Fall, Spring SLG February, August
USCG District Nine

Great Lakes Maritime Strategy

23

Commander

U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District

1240 East Ninth Street

Cleveland, OH 44199

http://www.d9publicaffairs.com

http://www.youtube.com/USCGD9/

http://www.flickr.com/ninth_cg_district/

http://www.uscgd9.blogspot.com