With 2011 Budget in Brief

February 2010

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

2010 Posture Statement
Posture Statement

Coast Guard Priorities

The President’s Budget will allow the Coast Guard to:

Recapitalize cutters, boats, aircraft, and 

infrastructure

Deliver value to the Nation

Support and develop a competent, 

capable, diverse, and healthy workforce

Modernize business practices

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Front Cover photo credits: Haiti Rescue Mission: PA2 Etta Smith; 

National Security Cutter Waesche christening: Coast Guard Photo; 

Boat crewmember by YN3 Wesley Heuston; and HC-144A aircraft 

by Dave Silva 

Photo credit this page: IT2 Jose Estrada, crewmember of the CGC 

Tahoma, rushes an injured Haitian girl to an awaiting Coast Guard 

HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter Jan. 19, 2010. Photo by PA3 Brandyn 

Hill
I am pleased to present the United States Coast Guard’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Posture Statement. Since 1790, the Coast 

Guard has fulfi lled Alexander Hamilton’s vision of safeguarding our Nation’s maritime safety and security, natural resources, 

and economic vitality. As a military service, Department of Homeland Security component, National Intelligence Community 

member, and the Nation’s lead representative at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), we leverage public and private 

partnerships and exercise a broad and complementary mission set to save lives, respond to threats, and mitigate risks throughout 

the maritime domain. Our military, multi-mission nature is our greatest value to the American public and the global maritime 

community.

Our unique contributions were clearly evident in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. As our Nation’s 

maritime fi rst responder, we immediately reallocated resources and a Coast Guard cutter arrived in Port Au Prince harbor the 

next morning while our aircraft began evacuating the most severely injured people. Shortly afterwards, the Seventh Coast Guard 

District Commander was leading the Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast in Miami, a key coordination point for the 

Department’s collective response efforts. Our ability to quickly fl ow forces, deploy skilled professionals, establish command and 

control networks, and interact throughout the interagency planning process make us a highly effective instrument of national 

power. 

The Coast Guard pursued other “whole of government” solutions over the past year to safeguard America’s maritime interests 

wherever they were at stake. We worked with our partners to respond to natural disasters around the country; conducted 

icebreaking operations to facilitate billions of dollars in commerce; operated with our federal partners to interdict thousands of 

pounds of cocaine; participated in the President’s Ocean Policy Task Force; promoted a safe Marine Transportation System; and 

supported U.S. Combatant Commanders in anti-piracy efforts, as well as Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. We 

also saved over 4,000 lives last year. 

The demand for our services continues to outpace our capacity to provide them, placing even more importance on effective risk 

management. That capacity, especially the major operational units needed in Haiti, continues to show signs of age. Accordingly,

recapitalizing the fl eet is our top priority. This investment in our future, through improved and proven acquisition practices, 

is absolutely necessary to ensure the readiness of our fl eet which has proven so vital to our Nation’s maritime safety, security 

and environmental protection. We will meet our operational priorities by leveraging all available resources, authorities, and 

partnerships in order to sustain superior service delivery to the maritime public. Enhancing workforce competencies and 

modernizing our business practices will also help mitigate risk and sustain mission performance in any fi scal climate.

Today, people are coming to understand the relevance, value, and indispensability of a maritime presence capable of insuring 

national sovereignty. Like America, other coastal nations are also concerned with the depletion of living marine resources, the

safe development of offshore oil and gas industries, illegal migration, drug traffi cking, and the use of the global commons for 

piracy, terrorism, or other criminal activities. We will continue to thrive in the future because we can adapt and respond to 

emerging risks. The FY 2011 budget will help us do that.

The Coast Guard and our Nation are experiencing signifi cant change. What hasn’t changed over the past 219 years is the 

commitment of our people. Our men and women need the right resources to execute their duties and the support systems to 

sustain our operations; they are America’s Guardians and they deserve nothing less. The American people and our international 

partners should be confi dent that the U.S. Coast Guard is here to protect and ready to rescue at a moment’s notice...now and into 

the future.

Please visit our website, www.uscg.mil/comdt, to learn more about the Coast Guard, our 2009 performance record, and my 

commitment to recapitalize and modernize our Service so future Guardians can meet the maritime challenges of the 21st century.

THAD W. ALLEN

Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard

THE COMMANDANT OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20593-0001
Miracle on the Hudson: 

The Coast Guard is one of 

the fi rst on scene when US 

Airways Flight 1549 made an 

emergency landing on the 

Hudson River in New York on 

Jan. 15, 2009. In this photo, a 

Guardian stands on the wing of 

the plane as part of a response 

boat crew assisting with the 

rescue of passengers. Photo 

courtesy of Lincoln Karim

2009 Highlights

Cutter Waesche accepted: The Coast Guard 

preliminarily accepted the second National Security 

Cutter, CGC Waesche, on Nov. 6, 2009. The National 

Security Cutter is designed to be the fl agship of the 

Coast Guard’s modernized fl eet. Coast Guard photo

Flood rescues: A Coast Guard helicopter lowers a rescue swimmer into the Red River 

fl ood waters in North Dakota during a search and rescue March 26, 2009. The Coast 

Guard saved more than 100 residents in the fl ooded areas around Fargo and Grand 

Forks, N.D. Coast Guard photo

Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom: U.S. 

Coast Guardsmen and U.S. Navy sailors work together 

as a combined task group to conduct port security 

operations in Kuwait. The Coast Guard has 600 

personnel deployed to support Overseas Contingency 

Operations including Operations Iraqi Freedom and 

Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo
Combating piracy: Members of a visit, board, search, 

and seizure (VBSS) team from the guided-missile 

cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and U.S. Coast Guard 

Tactical Law Enforcement Team South Detachment 

409 capture suspected pirates. U.S. Navy photo

Tsunami aid: A Guardian guides a crane worker to 

debris in Pago Pago, American Samoa, Oct. 2, 2009. 

Coast Guard units and personnel as well as other 

federal partners responded with aid and relief support 

after the Sept. 29, 2009, earthquake and tsunami. 

U.S. Air Force photo

Drug interdiction: Guardians offl oad about 2,500 pounds of marijuana with an estimated 

street value of $1.6 million at Coast Guard Base Support Unit Miami. CGC Venturous 

crewmembers seized the drugs along with four suspected smugglers in the Caribbean 

Sea Oct. 1, 2009. Photo by PA3 Nick Ameen

First prosecutions: In 2009, the United States prosecuted the fi rst defendants under the Drug Traffi cking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008. This law 

makes it a felony offense to operate a stateless submarine-like vessel (self-propelled semi-submersible vessel) in international waters with the intent 

to evade detection. In 2009, the Coast Guard interdicted 11 such vessels, all traveling from Colombia. Coast Guard photo
Photo by AETC Richard Ray
Contents

SECTION I: COAST GUARD MISSIONS ............................................................................ 9

Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security ................................................................ 12

Drug Interdiction ...................................................................................................... 12

Aids to Navigation ....................................................................................................12

Search and Rescue ..................................................................................................13

Living Marine Resources ......................................................................................... 14

Marine Safety ............................................................................................................14

Defense Readiness ..................................................................................................16

Migrant Interdiction ..................................................................................................16

Marine Environmental Protection ...........................................................................17

Ice Operations ..........................................................................................................17

Other Law Enforcement ...........................................................................................18

Special Feature: Working with Our Partners ................................................................. 20

SECTION II: STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ............................................................................ 23

Recapitalization of Aging Assets and Infrastructure ............................................ 24

Delivering Value to the Nation .................................................................................26

Workforce Optimization ...........................................................................................28

Modernization of Business Practices .....................................................................30

Special Feature: Underway and Making Way Toward a Greener Coast Guard ........... 32

SECTION III: BUDGET IN BRIEF ......................................................................................37

Fiscal Year 2011 Initiatives and Enhancements ....................................................38

Fiscal Year 2011 Effi ciencies, Reallocations, and Decommissionings ...............40

Fiscal Year 2011 Appropriation Summary .............................................................. 41

Fiscal Year 2011 Appropriation Details .................................................................. 41
Photo by Lt. j.g. Todd Vorenkamp
Coast Guard Missions

Section I

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 9

PORTS, WATERWAYS, AND COASTAL SECURITY ...........................................................................12

DRUG INTERDICTION ..........................................................................................................................12

AIDS TO NAVIGATION ..........................................................................................................................12

SEARCH AND RESCUE ........................................................................................................................13

LIVING MARINE RESOURCES .............................................................................................................14

MARINE SAFETY ..................................................................................................................................14

DEFENSE READINESS .........................................................................................................................16

MIGRANT INTERDICTION ....................................................................................................................16

MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION .........................................................................................17

ICE OPERATIONS .................................................................................................................................17

OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT .............................................................................................................18

U.S. Navy photo Photo by PA3 Patrick Kelley Photo by BM1 Clare Linder
10 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Coast Guard Missions

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the fi ve Armed Forces of the United States and the only 

military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard protects 

against hazards to people, maritime commerce, and the environment, defends our maritime 

borders, and saves those in peril. It responds quickly to disasters to restore the Nation’s 

waterways. It promotes resiliency of the Marine Transportation System. When called upon, it 

defends the nation at home and abroad alongside the other Armed Forces. In the heartland, 

in the ports, on the seas, and around the globe, the Coast Guard is Here to Protect, Ready 

to Rescue.

The Coast Guard is ...

Military – a military service and one of the fi ve branches of the Armed Forces 

of the United States

Multi-mission – has 11 statutory missions and many other statutory mandates

Maritime – America’s oldest continuous seagoing service

Coast Guard Missions

How did the Coast Guard come to have so many missions?

It is America’s oldest continuous seagoing service – since 1790

It is the product of fi ve different agencies merged over time:

Revenue Marine (est. 1790)

U.S. Lifesaving Service (est. 1848)

U.S. Lighthouse Service (est. 1789)

Steamboat Inspection Service (est. 1838)

Bureau of Navigation (est. 1884)

As a result of its long history and demonstrated blend of expertise and capability, 

the Coast Guard has scores of statutory missions and mandates, most of which are 

codifi ed in Titles 14 and 46, United States Code, or contained in other titles of the Code, 

such as Titles 6, 10, and 33.

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Here to Protect, Ready to Rescue
U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 11

Coast Guard Missions

The U.S. Coast Guard 

is the principal federal 

agency responsible 

for maritime safety, 

security, and 

environmental 

stewardship in U.S. 

ports and inland 

waterways, along the 

coasts, on the high 

seas, and in other 

regions where our 

Nation’s maritime 

equities are at stake. 

As such, the Coast 

Guard protects our 

Nation’s vital economic 

and security interests 

throughout the maritime domain, including 

the marine transportation system, our natural 

and economic resources, and our maritime 

borders. Coast Guard personnel are trained to 

address all threats and all hazards, in a manner 

consistent with the law and in alignment with the 

Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) goals 

and objectives. 

The Coast Guard delivers value to the public 

through the execution of its 11 

statutory missions. Execution of these 

complementary missions ensures the 

maritime domain is safe and secure, 

and that care is taken to protect the 

marine environment. The role of the 

Coast Guard in the maritime domain 

is enduring – with long-standing 

responsibilities accrued over more than 

two centuries of service. 

With 11 missions, which often overlap, 

Guardians are able to change focus 

quickly to answer the most pressing 

need. For example, ships or aircraft 

protecting living marine resources 

can be rapidly redirected to rescue 

a mariner in distress, pursue drug 

smugglers, or respond to a pollution 

incident depending upon the evolving 

threats. In addition, the Coast Guard’s 

ability to conduct surge operations and 

leverage partnerships in response to 

nationally signifi cant threats is critical 

to disaster recovery and exemplifi es 

the resiliency of the Service and the 

Department. It is clear that a “whole 

of government” approach is critical 

to achieving national objectives. The 

Coast Guard is a vital player in the 

wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in 

responding to unpredictable events 

such as hurricanes, mass migration, 

terrorism, and H1N1 preparedness.

The Coast Guard provides the primary 

federal maritime presence to enforce 

laws, secure the maritime border, conduct 

response operations, protect the maritime 

environment, and ensure the resilience of 

the Marine Transportation System that is 

vital to the U.S. economy.

It is this multi-mission fl exibility, interagency 

coordination, and DoD interoperability, combined 

with the dedication of the Coast Guard workforce, 

that has yielded over 200 years of operational 

excellence. It must be recognized that the 

Coast Guard remains a unique and invaluable 

instrument for national safety, security, and 

stewardship in the maritime domain. The Coast 

Guard will continue to deliver this valuable service 

to the Nation in this century as the last.

Maritime Domain

The United States has always been a maritime nation. Throughout our 

history, the oceans have served as a form of protection from rivals, 

source of resources and recreation for our people, and means of trade 

with our partners. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), one in six U.S. jobs is tied to the maritime 

industry. 

Technically, the Maritime Domain encompasses all areas and things on, 

under, relating to, adjacent to, or bordering on a sea, ocean, or other 

navigable waterway. The Maritime Domain includes all maritime-related 

activities, infrastructure, cargo, and vessels and other means of water 

transport. Practically, ensuring the safety, security, and environmental 

stewardship of the Maritime Domain requires protection of 95,000 miles 

of U.S. coastline and preservation of sustainable fi sheries in nearly 3.4 

million square miles of our Exclusive Economic Zone – an area larger 

than the contiguous United States (the lower 48) states.

It is the Coast Guard’s goal to protect our Nation from threats to the safety 

and security and natural resources of the Maritime Domain.

Foreign Countries

High Seas

Exclusive Economic Zone

Contiguous Zone

Territorial Sea

PSI, Bilateral Agreements,

International Maritime Organization

Continental Shelf

200 nautical miiles

24 nautical miles

Internal Waters & Ports

12 nautical miles

The maritime zones as they expand out from land
12 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Coast Guard Missions

DRUG INTERDICTION

(Lead federal agency for maritime drug interdiction on the 

high seas)

Reduce the supply of illegal drugs entering 

the U.S. via maritime routes through 

interdiction of smugglers and their illicit 

cargos at sea

Counter drug traffi cking organizations 

through the use of 35 counterdrug bi-lateral 

agreements with partner nations

In 2009 ...

The Coast 

Guard removed 

160.1 metric 

tons of cocaine 

valued at over 

$4.9 billion and 

71,234 pounds 

of marijuana 

valued at $64.6 

million. 

The Coast 

Guard seized 

58 vessels and 

detained 322 

suspected smugglers. 

A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment 

(LEDET) responded to a Self-Propelled SemiSubmersible (SPSS) threat that ultimately led to 

the fi rst conviction under the Drug Traffi cking 

Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008. LEDETs 

performed similar interdictions throughout the 

year. 

The U.S. Coast Guard/Sierra Leone Agreement 

Concerning Cooperation to Suppress Illicit 

Transnational Maritime Activity, signed June 

26, 2009, marks the fi rst permanent, full-fl edged 

bilateral maritime law enforcement agreement 

with a partner nation in Africa. The agreement 

was fi nalized with the concurrence of the 

Department of State.

AIDS TO NAVIGATION

Provide visual and electronic navigational 

aids, navigation information, and vessel 

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PORTS, WATERWAYS, AND COASTAL 

SECURITY

Develop maritime security 

regimes

Detect, deter, and disrupt 

maritime terrorist attacks, 

sabotage, or subversive 

acts 

Respond to and recover 

from attacks that may 

occur

Work with port partners 

and review vessel and 

facility security plans to 

ensure responsible security 

planning in the private 

sector

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard 

conducted:

49,276 armed 

waterborne 

patrols near 

maritime critical 

infrastructures 

or key resources

18,690 security boardings of small vessels 

4,000 escorts of high-capacity passenger 

vessels (such as ferries and cruise ships)

1,855 security boardings of high interest 

vessels (those posing a greater-than-normal 

risk to the U.S.)

1,429 escorts of high-value U.S. naval vessels 

transiting U.S. waterways

660 escorts of vessels carrying dangerous 

cargoes

The Coast Guard also began full-time enforcement 

of Transportation Worker Identifi cation Credential 

(TWIC) regulations nation-wide on April 15, 2009. 

Since then, the 

Coast Guard 

has inspected 

more than 

48,000 TWICs 

in port facilities 

throughout the 

United States.

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Photo by PA3 Erik 

Swanson

The Self-Propelled Semi-Submersible 

vessel is a diffi cult-to-detect, submarinelike craft used to illegally transport drugs. 

Coast Guard photo

The Coast Guard has 14 canine 

explosive detection teams that 

support law enforcement and security 

missions. 

Did you know?

Photo by BM1 Jason Kuzmicki
U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 13

Coast Guard Missions

SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR)

Provide immediate 

response to save lives 

and property in peril 

Minimize loss of life, 

injury, and property 

damage 

Coordinate SAR efforts 

of afl oat and airborne 

Coast Guard assets 

with those of other 

federal, state, and local 

responders 

Coordinate response 

efforts on waterways 

after accidents or 

disasters, exercising our Captain of the Port 

authorities and responsibilities 

Partner with the world’s merchant fl eet to 

rescue mariners in distress around the globe 

through the Automated Mutual-assistance 

Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system 

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard responded 23,555 times to 

people and vessels in distress resulting in 4,747 

lives saved and nearly $95 million in property 

preserved. 

The Coast Guard enhanced its ability to detect 

and locate persons in distress with continued 

installation of Rescue 21, which now covers 22 

major coastal areas encompassing over 34,900 

miles of the Nation’s coastline. In FY 2009 Rescue 

21 was installed in 

six major coastal 

areas (e.g., Coast 

Guard Sectors) 

and 75 Command 

Center watchstander 

positions were 

added to support 

the monitoring 

and operation of 

Rescue 21 and other 

Command Center 

functions.

Guardians worked 

with countries such 

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traffi c management 

services for 

U.S. navigable 

waterways

Ensure that bridges 

and causeways 

allow for the 

safe passage of 

waterborne 

commerce and 

other marine traffi c

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard facilitated the safe and effi cient 

movement of vessels on the Nation’s 25,000 miles 

of waterways, 12,000 miles of inland waterways, 

and 95,000 miles of coastline comprising the 

U. S. Marine 

Transportation 

System, a critical 

enabler of 

commerce.

The Coast Guard 

facilitated safe 

passage of nearly 

1.3 million 

commercial vessel 

transits in 12 of 

the Nation’s most 

congested ports.

The Coast Guard 

initiated contracts 

to rebuild bridges 

obstructing 

navigation in 

Texas, Alabama, 

Iowa, and Illinois 

through funding appropriated via the American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

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With more than 51,000 fi xed and fl oating federal aids to 

navigation (mostly buoys), the Coast Guard maintains the 

largest such system in the world. That’s more than one aid for 

every military member in the Coast Guard. 

Did you know?

Photo by Ensign Shea 

Winterberger

Photo by FM Rebekah 

Runner

In Haiti, two Guardians from Air 

Station Clearwater, Fla., carry an 

injured woman onto the loading 

ramp of an HC-130 aircraft Jan. 

14, 2010, before departing for the 

Dominican Republic. Photo by PA1 

Mariana O’Leary

Guardians aboard CGC Osage 

prepare to replace the buoy’s hull in 

the Ohio River. This 65’ inland river 

tender, homeported in Sewickley, Pa., 

maintains approximately 800 aids 

to navigation along the Allegheny, 

Monongahela, Ohio, Kanawha and 

Big Sandy rivers. The crew’s area of 

responsibility covers more than 600 

miles of river and is critical to the 

Nation’s river system commerce. Photo 

by PA2 Thomas Blue
14 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Coast Guard Missions

as Mexico and Malta to provide them access to our 

state-of-the-art search planning tool (SAROPS), to 

perform SAR within their own waters.

LIVING MARINE RESOURCES (fi sheries 

law enforcement)

(Lead federal agency for at-sea enforcement of the 

Nation’s fi sheries and marine protected species laws and 

regulations)

Project federal law enforcement presence over 

the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, 

covering nearly 3.4 million square miles of 

ocean

Ensure compliance with fi sheries and marine 

protected species regulations on domestic 

vessels 

Prevent over-fi shing, reduce mortality 

of protected species, and protect marine 

habitats by enforcing domestic fi shing laws 

and regulations 

In 2009 ...

The Coast 

Guard conducted 

more than 

5,400 fi shery 

boardings. 

Coast Guard 

enforcement 

of regulations 

yielded an at-sea 

compliance rate 

of 96.7 percent.

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MARINE SAFETY

(Primary agency 

responsible for 

developing and 

enforcing federal marine 

safety, security and 

environmental protection 

regulations)

Enforce safe and 

environmentally 

sound operation of 

U.S. fl agged vessels 

throughout the 

world

Assert authority 

over foreign vessels 

operating in U.S. Port State Controlled 

waters to enforce safe, secure, and 

environmentally sound operations in U.S. 

waters

Issue licenses and 

documents to qualifi ed 

mariners, and 

promote competency 

through a combination 

of training courses, 

requisite experience, 

and examinations

Conduct inspections 

of U.S. and foreign 

vessels, marine 

facilities, and 

review plans for 

vessel construction, 

alteration, equipment, 

and salvage

Develop and monitor 

vessel construction 

and performance 

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The Coast Guard is responsible for protecting stressed fi sh 

stocks in the world’s largest Exclusive Economic Zone, 3.4 

million square miles – an area larger than the contiguous United 

States (the lower 48 states). This vital service protects U.S. 

waters from being over-fi shed, protects endangered marine 

animals and plants, and prevents foreign poaching out to 200 

miles offshore.

Did you know?

Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Caleb S. Flippin (AST3)

Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Caleb S. Flippin, an aviation survival technician 

(AST) with Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, has participated in 

several life saving missions along the Gulf Coast. Of particular note AST3 

Flippin recently assisted a seriously injured mariner. Without hesitation, 

AST3 Flippin deployed to a small boat from the MH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter, 

located the mariner and carried him to the top level of the vessel. He placed the mariner 

in a Stokes litter to be lifted into the helicopter. For this and other heroic rescues, AST3 

Flippin has received several medals including the Coast Guard Air Medal.

CGC Naushon pulls into Craig, Alaska, 

to conduct a number of inspections and 

boardings of the local fi shing fl eet. Photo 

by Lt. Brook Sherman

A Coast Guard Auxiliary 

inspection team member 

climbs the rigging of 

a commercial fi shing 

vessel to perform a 

safety inspection. Trained 

Auxiliarists volunteer 

countless hours to help 

with Coast Guard missions. 

Photo by William Giers
U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 15

Coast Guard Missions

standards 

to enhance 

boating safety

Conduct 

investigations 

and casualty 

analysis to 

develop new 

standards to 

prevent future 

accidents

Act as the 

primary U.S. 

representative 

to the 

International 

Maritime 

Organization, a body of international 

conventions that for over 50 years has 

supported the governance of every facet of 

shipping including safety, environmental 

concerns, legal matters, technical cooperation, maritime security and the 

effi ciency of shipping

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard issued nearly 1,700 Certifi cates 

of Inspection to U.S. commercial vessels. 

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The number of 

Merchant Mariner 

Credentials 

(MMC) issued by 

the Coast Guard 

increased by 135 

percent, and the 

time to process 

an application was reduced by 49 percent. The 

process for issuing MMCs was centralized in West 

Virginia. Under previous regulations, the Coast 

Guard issued up to four mariner credentials, now 

consolidated into one MMC. 

As a result of the National Recreational Boating 

Safety Program administered by the Coast Guard, 

state law enforcement conducted over 1,676,700 

recreational vessel boardings, issued over 125,000 

citations and nearly 300,000 warnings, responded 

to over 10,000 search and rescue cases, and 

assisted over 43,600 persons and 18,600 vessels.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power 

Squadrons completed over 130,000 vessel safety 

checks.

The Coast Guard established seven National 

Centers of Expertise to provide technical support 

and standardization 

to enhance safety 

and security within 

specifi c aspects 

of the maritime 

industry such 

as cruise ships, 

suspension and 

revocation of 

merchant mariner 

credentials, vintage 

vessels, towing 

vessels, liquefi ed 

gas vessels, and 

investigations 

expertise. The fi rst 

two centers are fully 

operational and the 

other fi ve will be 

fully staffed by mid2010.

Coast Guard Hero

Auxiliarist Patricia C. Swope

Coast Guard Auxiliarist Patricia C. Swope has displayed perseverance and 

dedication to serve the greater good of others for nearly 30 years earning 

her the nickname of “AUXMom.” Ms. Swope has volunteered more than 

14,800 hours of service (equal to more than seven years of full-time work), 

providing administrative support to 1,800 Auxiliarists who support the 

Coast Guard in her region. Ms. Swope has also logged many hours as a communications 

watchstander for Coast Guard Station Los Angeles and has served as a qualifi cation 

examiner for the Auxiliary Boat Crew Qualifi cation Program and as a team coordination 

training instructor not only for the Auxiliary but also for many Coast Guard active duty 

units. Ms. Swope has served in several elected offi ces including fl otilla commander, 

division captain, and rear commodore. She currently serves as chair of the District Training 

Conference Committee and as president of the Past Captains Association. With an everpresent smile, Ms. Swope has been an outstanding mentor to the entire Auxiliary chain of 

leadership from new enrollees to District Commodores and Directors of Auxiliary.

The Coast Guard provides 

specialized counter piracy efforts 

in foreign waters.

Did you know?

A Coast Guard 41’ boat from 

Station New London, Conn., with 

a boarding team aboard prepares 

to come alongside an inbound 

Liberian-fl agged tank-ship. Photo by 

Auxiliarist Charles Stevens
16 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Coast Guard Missions

Coast Guard personnel conducted in-theater cargo 

container inspections on war materials returning 

from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring 

Freedom. 

Over 100 Coast Guard mobile training teams 

delivered maritime training and capacity-building 

assistance to more than 60 nations worldwide.

Two Coast Guard ships completed out-ofhemisphere deployments in support of DoD: 

USCGC Boutwell in the U.S. Pacifi c, Central, 

European, and African Command theaters of 

operations and USCGC Legare in the U.S. African 

Command theater of operations.

MIGRANT INTERDICTION 

(Lead agency for maritime migrant interdiction)

Reinforce the Nation’s border security by 

providing a layered defense to deter, detect, 

and interdict undocumented migrants 

attempting to enter 

the United States 

illegally 

Preserve safety 

of life at sea and 

respect the human 

rights of migrants 

while aboard Coast 

Guard assets 

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard 

interdicted nearly 

3,700 undocumented 

migrants attempting 

to illegally enter the 

United States.

The Coast Guard 

used a biometricsat-sea system to 

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DEFENSE READINESS

Support U.S. Combatant 

Commanders, including: 

Deploying law 

enforcement teams 

aboard U.S. Navy 

ships to stem the fl ow 

of illegal drugs

Train Iraqi maritime 

security forces and 

secure Iraqi ports and 

off-shore oil platforms

Train foreign nations 

in maritime law 

enforcement, security, 

and search and rescue

Conduct alert, 

intercept, 

communication, 

surveillance, and 

escort activities for 

National Air Defense 

Provide capabilities and resources in support 

of naval warfare mission areas 

Function as a service under the Navy in time 

of war or when directed by the President

In 2009 ... 

The Coast Guard continued deployment of six 

patrol boats, two law enforcement detachments, 

and over 6,400 personnel in the Arabian Gulf.

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Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 2nd Class Paul H. Newnam (FS2)

Food is one of the biggest factors contributing to the morale of the crew on 

a ship, and Food Service Specialist (FS) Petty Offi cer Newnam has kept 

morale soaring onboard CGC Adak. His enthusiasm, love for cooking, and 

concern for his shipmates are evident in the presentation of the delicious 

meals he provides to the 22 crew forward deployed in the Northern Arabian Gulf. Even 

after completing a high-risk boarding or assisting in the launching of the small boat, FS2 

Newnam always has a smile on his face while serving a delectable meal from a variety 

of world regions while being mindful of special diets and allergies. He personally delivers 

breakfast to-order up to the bridge watch standers every morning CGC Adak is underway. 

FS2 Newnam’s positive attitude is contagious to all onboard and has truly improved the 

Arabian Gulf experience of each crewmember.

CGC Legare and its overthe-horizon smallboat, 

under the direction 

of Commander, U.S. 

Naval Forces EuropeAfrica, work with the 

Moroccan Royal Navy to 

share boarding tactics 

and law enforcement 

procedures. Photo by 

PA2 Thomas Blue

When a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment embarks on 

a Naval ship to conduct boardings, the Naval ship temporarily 

shifts tactical control to the Coast Guard to provide enforcement 

actions (under Title 14 U.S. Code). 

Did you know?
U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 17

Coast Guard Missions

hazardous substance accidents and reduce 

their impact on the marine environment 

Develop environmental regulations and 

standards for domestic vessels and marine 

facilities 

In 2009 ... 

The Coast Guard performed more than 17,300 

inspections of facilities to ensure compliance with 

safety, security, and environmental protection 

regulations.

The Coast Guard investigated and responded to 

approximately 3,600 pollution incidents.

ICE OPERATIONS

Keep critical 

Great Lakes and 

northeastern U.S. 

waterways open 

for commercial 

traffi c, assist vessels 

transiting in icefi lled waterways, free 

vessels stuck in ice, 

and break ice dams 

to prevent ice related 

fl ooding

Provide the means 

in ice-laden waters 

to allow scientifi c 

research

Broadcast information 

on iceberg locations to vessels transiting the 

North Atlantic between North America and 

Europe

In 2009 ...

Coast Guard icebreakers facilitated the shipment 

of vital heating oil and prevented fl ooding by 

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•

identify felons and repeat 

offenders attempting 

to enter the country 

illegally. The Coast Guard 

collected data from 2,749 

individuals – 711 were 

found to have criminal 

records – resulting in 

the prosecution of 333 

individuals by the U.S. 

Attorney’s Offi ce.

MARINE 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

PROTECTION

Stop unauthorized 

ocean dumping 

and regulate 

the discharge of 

oil, hazardous 

substances, and 

other shipboard 

wastes into U.S. 

and international 

waterways

Protect marine 

mammals 

Regulate the 

introduction of 

invasive species into 

waterways 

Respond to oil and 

•

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•

The Coast Guard is successfully using at-sea biometrics to 

identify and prosecute repeat offenders, felons, and persons on 

watch lists attempting to illegally enter the United States. 

Did you know?

Photo by OS1 Thomas Doyle

In 2009, the Coast Guard worked with NOAA and the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers to remove 32 tons of derelict fi shing 

nets and other harmful trash from the coral reefs in the 

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument near Hawaii.

Did you know?

A Guardian waits to receive 

a sample of ballast water 

from a commercial vessel’s 

crewmember. The Coast 

Guard inspects all vessels’ 

ballast water before they 

enter the Great Lakes to 

prevent invasive species from 

inhabiting the ecosystem. 

Photo by PA3 William Mitchell

The Canadian Coast Guard 

Ship Louis S. St-Laurent 

and the CGC Healy work 

on a multi-year, multiagency Arctic survey that 

will help defi ne the Arctic 

continental shelf. Photo by 

PA3 Patrick Kelley

The Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol, created after the 

aftermath of the Titanic sinking, locates and tracks icebergs to 

prevent further vessel collisions with icebergs. No ship-iceberg 

collisions have been reported since the International Ice Patrol 

has been in existence. 

Did you know?
18 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Coast Guard Missions

breaking ice in Maine’s Kennebec and Penobscot 

Rivers and New York’s Hudson River.

The International Ice 

Patrol tracked more 

than 1,200 icebergs 

that drifted into the 

transatlantic shipping 

lanes, fulfi lling its 

mission to prevent ship 

collisions with icebergs.

The Coast Guard icebreaker Healy performed 

seafl oor mapping and data collection missions in 

the Arctic. These operations will help the United 

States defi ne the limits of its outer continental 

shelf.

OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT (OLE)

Enforce foreign fi shing vessel laws 

Patrol the 

U.S. Exclusive 

Economic Zone 

boundary areas 

to reduce the 

threat of foreign 

poaching of U.S. 

fi sh stocks

Monitor 

compliance with 

international 

living marine 

resource 

regimes and 

international 

agreements

Deter and 

enforce efforts to 

eliminate fi shing 

using large 

drift-nets, a 

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method of high seas 

fi shing considered 

to be one of the 

main obstacles 

to sustainable 

world fi sheries 

and healthy ocean 

ecosystems

In 2009 ...

The Coast Guard 

detected 112 

illegal incursions 

by foreign fi shing 

vessels into the U.S. 

Exclusive Economic 

Zone. 

The Coast Guard 

boarded 57 foreign vessels to ensure compliance 

with fi shing regulations.

The preceding section offered select performance highlights 

from 2009. The U.S. Coast Guard FY 2009 Performance Report 

offers a summary of performance results for all missions. It 

also highlights the many extraordinary accomplishments 

Coast Guard men and women have achieved over the past 

year, to review these accomplishments visit www.uscg.mil/

posturestatment.

Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Jimmy L. Rodriguez

Petty Offi cer 3rd Class Jimmy Rodriguez, a Coast Guard Reservist and 

winner of the 2009 League Of United Latin American Citizens Excellence 

In Military Service Award, provided signifi cant contributions to the Naval 

training team in Umm Qsar, Iraq while deployed in support of Operation 

Iraqi Freedom. He conducted more than 45 vessel inspections, safeguarding high interest 

targets which serve as the backbone of the Iraqi economy. He also trained more than 

30 Iraqi marines in comprehensive procedures and processes associated with maritime 

boardings and tactical law enforcement duties. His efforts greatly contributed to the 

transitional road map strategy for coalition forces in the region. Port Security Specialist 

Rodriguez also distinguished himself as a humanitarian, skillfully organizing a two-day 

community service event for joint forces during a port call in Kingston, Jamaica. This 

multi-national force team repaired the failing roof at a non-profi t school, improving quality 

of life for island residents.

A People’s Republic of China 

Fisheries Law Enforcement Command 

(FLEC) offi cer, in cooperation with the 

U.S. Coast Guard, seized a Chinese 

fi shing vessel suspected of illegal 

large-scale high-seas drift net fi shing 

460 miles east of Hokkaido, Japan. 

Coast Guard photo

With the help of Coast Guard domestic icebreaking in the winter, 

a single barge can deliver as much heating oil to the northeast 

as 125 tanker trucks.

Did you know?

Photo by IT1 Bryan Goff
Guardians aboard the CGC Escanaba hold on to nets on the fl ight 

deck when the ship rolls in 15-foot seas Dec. 17, 2009. The cutter 

was able to safely tow a disabled Gloucester, Mass., lobster boat for 

261 miles over two and a half days while trying to stay ahead of an 

approaching powerful winter storm. Coast Guard photo 
Working with

Combined Service Escort: A Coast Guard Marine Safety and Security Team and New York City Police Department marine and air units escort the 

Navy vessel USS New York as the ship sails into New York Harbor Nov. 2, 2009. The Coast Guard conducts safety and security escorts regularly with 

its port partners throughout the Port of New York/New Jersey. Photo by PA3 Barbara Patton

Joint Partners: A Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter brings injured Haitians 

from a landing zone at the Haitian Coast Guard base to the USNS 

Comfort for medical treatment Jan. 20, 2010. Photo by PA1 Robert 

Nash

International partner: A Coast Guardsman aboard the CGC Legare 

demonstrates proper handcuffi ng procedures during a joint training exercise 

with members of the Moroccan Royal Navy while underway in the Atlantic 

Ocean July 18, 2009. Photo by PA2 Thomas Blue

Royal visit: Britain’s Prince 

Harry talks with a Coast Guard 

Academy cadet while aboard a 

45-foot medium response boat 

in New York May 30, 2009. 

During Prince Harry’s fi rst 

offi cial visit to the United States, 

he toured New York Harbor with 

the Coast Guard on the way to 

Governor’s Island. Photo by 

PA3 Annie Berlin
Our Partners

DHS partner: The CGC Diamondback receives agents from a Customs 

and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter during a training exercise Sept. 15, 

2009. The CBP aircraft fl ies near the top of the mast as it prepares for a 

line drop, and the Diamondback moves steadily ahead in the port of Miami. 

Photo by SN Gary Gonzalez

Fueling from Dutch Navy: The CGC Spencer is fueled at sea in the eastern 

Caribbean by a Dutch Navy ship during a summer 2009 international 

exercise. Coast Guard photo

Wildlife conservation study: Two Coast Guard auxiliarists take 

water samples from the Crystal River for research being done by 

the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to monitor 

red tides in Florida gulf waters. Photo by Auxiliarist Morris Harvey

First responder partners: A rescue basket is lowered from a Coast 

Guard rescue helicopter onto a small boat from the Jefferson Parish 

Sheriff’s Department during a joint agency hoist training exercise 

Oct. 14, 2009, on Lake Pontchartrain near New Orleans. During 

the exercise, the Coast Guard tested new fi rst responder radios 

that allow the Coast Guard to communicate with local and state law 

enforcement agencies to improve joint agency responses. Photo by 

PA2 Thomas Blue
Photo by Lt. j.g. Charlie Kelly
U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 23

Strategic Priorities

Section II

RECAPITALIZATION OF AGING ASSETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ..........................................24

Air and Surface Fleets ...........................................................................................................24

Aging Shore Infrastructure, Including Military Housing .....................................................25

DELIVERING VALUE TO THE NATION ..........................................................................................26

Targeted Operational Enhancements ...................................................................................27

Maritime Domain Awareness .................................................................................................27

WORKFORCE OPTIMIZATION ..................................................................................................... 28

Military Housing .....................................................................................................................28

Diversity ..................................................................................................................................29

MODERNIZATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES ............................................................................30

Photo by Lt. Cmdr. C.T. O’Neil Photo by Auxiliarist Sal Ciappetta Photo by SN Tianna Klineburger
Strategic Priorities

24 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

RECAPITALIZATION OF AGING ASSETS 

AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The FY 2011 President’s Budget provides funding 

to continue replacement or refurbishment of 

increasingly outdated and unreliable assets:

Cutters

Aircraft

Boats

Command, Control, Communications, 

Computers, Intelligence Surveillance and 

Reconnaissance (C4ISR)

Infrastructure

This is the Service’s top budget priority. 

The recapitalization is crucial to preserving 

future surface, air, and shore asset capability and 

remains a critical investment for the Nation. The 

assets built today will allow the Coast Guard to 

continue securing the maritime borders, rescuing 

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those in peril, 

defending 

the Nation, 

preserving 

our economic 

resources and 

vitality, and 

protecting the 

environment for decades to come.

Air and Surface Fleets

Preserving the Coast Guard’s maritime capability 

through recapitalizing air and surface assets is a 

strategic imperative for DHS and the Coast Guard. 

Some of the most important new assets under 

production are National Security Cutters (NSC), 

HC-144A Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), Fast 

Response Cutters (FRC), and Response BoatsMedium (RB-M). 

The timely replacement of aging 378-foot High 

Endurance Cutters (HECs) through the 418-

foot National Security Cutter (NSC) program 

is the Coast Guard’s top recapitalization 

priority. 

Specifi cally, FY 2011 recapitalization 

priorities include funding for the 

production of NSC #5. NSCs will replace 

HECs, a fl eet of 12 vessels that has 

served the Coast Guard for more than 40 

years. Other replacements include the 

HC-144A MPA for the 26-year-old HU-25 

Falcon aircraft, the 150’ FRC for the 110’ 

Island Class Patrol Boat, and the 45’ RBM for the 41’ Utility Boat. All of the assets 

being replaced have reached the end of 

their service lives.

The FY 2011 President’s Budget provides 

funding to operate these newly acquired 

assets and also funds the critical logistics 

and C4ISR investments needed to 

support them.

In general, replacement assets such as 

the NSC, MPA, FRC, and RB-M provide 

vastly improved capability over the 

outdated legacy assets they are replacing. 

Additionally, replacing assets with new, 

more reliable ships and aircraft reduces 

The average age of a ship in the Coast 

Guard’s 378-foot fl eet is 42 years.

Did you know?

The NSC replaces the 378’ Hamilton-class High Endurance Cutter. Left photo by 

PA3 Wes Shinn; Right photo by Steven Blount

The FRC replaces the 110’ Island-class patrol boat. Left photo by Auxiliarist 

Carolyn Fay; Right is a Coast Guard photo

HC-144A Ocean Sentry Medium Range Surveillance aircraft replaces the HU-25 

Falcon jet. Left photo by PA2 Thomas Blue; Right photo by PAC Sarah Foster
Strategic Priorities

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 25

fi rst FRC will begin 

operations in Miami 

in FY 2011. The 

range, endurance, 

surveillance, and 

command and control 

capability of these 

assets will visibly 

improve the Coast 

Guard’s capabilities 

as compared to 

those assets they 

are replacing. In the 

long-term, continued 

timely replacement 

of aging assets will 

signifi cantly increase 

the Coast Guard’s 

overall performance 

to the Nation.

Aging Shore 

Infrastructure, Including 

Military Housing

The FY 2011 

President’s Budget 

also provides 

funding to address the Service’s most urgent shore 

infrastructure recapitalization requirements. 

Most of the Coast Guard’s command centers, 

hangars, piers, and other infrastructure are 

located in the harsh marine environment, hence 

require reconstruction or replacement to restore 

operational capabilities. Continued investment 

in aging Coast Guard facilities is critical to 

sustaining operations and mitigating occupational 

safety risks. 

For example, the President’s Budget funds 

rehabilitation of an existing pier face for three 

Coast Guard buoy tenders homeported in 

Newport, R.I. The current moorings are in the 

process of being condemned by the U.S. Navy 

due to progressive deterioration. The President’s 

Budget also provides new funding for construction, 

renovation, and improvement of Coast Guard 

military family housing. 

unplanned maintenance liabilities, currently 

experienced with the HECs and HU-25 aircraft. 

CGC Bertholf 

(NSC#1) is 

operational and 

already delivering 

results. On her 

maiden patrol, she 

prosecuted drug 

traffi ckers yielding a 

drug bust of over two 

tons of marijuana 

and $8 million 

worth of other 

drugs. Six HC-144A 

MPAs are currently 

operational, saving 

lives and securing 

the maritime border 

in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Three additional 

HC-144A aircraft 

will enter service 

in FY 2011. The Here to Protect, Ready to Rescue

Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Michelle M. Roberts (MK1)

Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy’s Petty Offi cer Michelle “smalls” Roberts 

is a Machinery Technician (MK) responsible for working on engines and 

mechanical systems. 

With almost 20 years of service, CGC Monomoy’s mechanical equipment experiences 

signifi cant wear and tear as a result of the extremely demanding operational pace in 

the Middle East. Petty Offi cer Roberts’ hard work, leadership, and great sense of humor 

have played a major role in keeping these systems operational and crew morale high 

in order to meet the demands of the Coast Guard’s overseas contingency operations. 

As one of the go-to people for all engineering issues she is extremely knowledgeable 

about the mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems aboard. Resulting from her 

hard work and leadership, Monomoy was able to complete the most days at sea of the 

eleven ships assigned to Combined Task Group 55.6 (Patrol Forces South West Asia) 

in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in FY 2009. Additionally, MK1 Roberts has been 

a Boarding Team Member for ten different Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure boardings 

while conducting maritime security operations around Iraq’s off-shore oil platforms in the 

Northern Arabian Gulf.

An Electrician’s Mate with 

Coast Guard Sector Baltimore’s 

engineering department installs a 

new breaker and inspects the wiring 

of a 27’ utility boat. The boat was 

brought to the sector for installation 

of the Scalable Integrated 

Navigation System package 

which includes a new radar, depth 

sounder, heading sensor and GPS. 

Photo by PA3 Brandyn Hill
Strategic Priorities

26 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

The President’s entire request for the Coast Guard 

acquisition programs is further detailed in the 

enclosed Budget in Brief (Section III).

DELIVERING VALUE TO THE NATION

In FY 2011, the 

Coast Guard 

will continue 

to perform its 

11 statutory 

missions, 

allocating 

resources to the 

highest order of 

maritime safety, 

security, and environmental protection needs. The 

FY 2011 President’s Budget leverages effi ciencies, 

decommissionings, and capability reallocations. 

This will allow the Service to direct resources to 

its highest priorities which include recapitalizing 

aging assets and operating new assets delivered 

through ongoing acquisition programs. 

Coast Guard operational commanders are armed 

with surface and air assets, competent people 

and timely information. Guardians in the fi eld 

make choices every day on how to best employ 

this capability. Commanders assess risks and 

understand the desired outcomes in order to take 

the initiative required to deliver value to the 

Nation. In recent Coast Guard history, there is 

no fi ner example than that of the January 2010 

response to the earthquake in Haiti.

The Principle of On-Scene Initiative

The nature of our operations demands that Coast Guard men 

and women be given latitude to act quickly and decisively within 

the scope of their authority, without waiting for direction from 

higher levels in the chain of command. Personal initiative has 

always been crucial to the success of our Service.

Many of our operations are of an emergent, unpredictable 

nature. History has shown that situations like these are best 

handled locally. Thus, we push both authority and responsibility 

to the lowest possible level. 

This style of operational command is based upon the trust 

that senior commanders place in their subordinates’ judgment. 

Decisive action requires unity of effort—getting all parts of a 

force to work together. Rapid action, on the other hand, requires 

a large degree of decentralization, giving those closest to the 

problem the freedom to solve it. To reconcile these seemingly 

contradictory requirements, we use the tools known as the 

“commander’s intent” and the “concept of operations.”

The commander’s intent conveys the objective and the desired 

course of action. The concept of operations details the elements 

of a plan, i.e., what is to be done, and how the commander plans 

to do it. A signifi cant change in the situation that requires new 

action will alter the concept of operations, but the commander’s 

intent—their overriding objective—usually remains unchanged. 

Good decisions are made in unpredictable situations when 

Coast Guard personnel on the scene of an emergency or 

a crisis are trained rigorously to act as part of a cohesive, 

cooperative team. Guardians internalize the expected outcome 

and understand how unique incidents or situations are normally 

handled. This shared understanding lies at the heart of effective, 

decentralized command and control.

Due in large part to Coast Guard 

programs, vessel collisions and 

groundings have decreased 23 

percent over the last decade. 

Did you know?

This sequence shows a sample of Coast Guard activities in response to the earthquake in Haiti.

An HC-144A aircraft from Aviation Training 

Center Mobile, Ala., launched to immediately 

survey damage. Coast Guard aircraft fl ew 

multiple missions to support early operations 

in Haiti, Jan. 2010. Photo by PA3 Nick Ameen

Coast Guard ships arrive 17.5 hours after 

the fi rst earthquake shook Haiti. Coast 

Guard small boats carry medical and 

humanitarian aid supplies into Port-auPrince. Coast Guard photo

Guardians are equipped with competencies 

to perform varied Coast Guard missions. BM3 

Jussen, of CGC Oak, serves as a translator 

for the Univision television network. Photo by 

PA3 Brandyn Hill 
Strategic Priorities

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 27

Maritime Domain Awareness

As we strive to be more effective and effi cient, 

and to improve our ability to allocate resources 

based on risk, it becomes increasingly important 

to enhance our Maritime Domain Awareness 

(MDA). MDA is the effective understanding of 

anything associated with the global maritime 

domain that could impact the security, safety, 

economy or environment of the United States. 

MDA does not eliminate risk or hostile acts, but 

provides heightened situational awareness and the 

necessary mechanisms through which partners 

share information to help identify risks or threats. 

Consistent with the Coast Guard’s strategic 

plan, in FY 2011 the Coast Guard will leverage 

prior year funding to continue to deploy high 

priority MDA capabilities through the NAIS and 

Interagency Operations Centers (IOCs) projects. 

In addition, the FY 2011 President’s Budget funds 

continued enhancements to surface and air C4ISR.

As a full member of the intelligence community 

since 2001, the Coast Guard continues to build 

closer ties with national intelligence and local 

law enforcement agencies to increase MDA. The 

maritime community is very large and diverse. All 

Targeted Operational 

Enhancements

The FY 2011 

President’s Budget 

brings 18 deployable 

Law Enforcement 

Detachments (LEDETs) 

to full capacity in order 

to mitigate emergent 

terrorism and border 

security risks. The Coast 

Guard will continue to 

work closely with DoD and international partners 

to leverage the unique authority presented by 

LEDETs.

The President’s Budget 

also annualizes new 

funding provided by 

Congress in FY 2010 for 

counterdrug operations 

and new watchstanders. 

It also provides funds to 

operate and maintain newly 

acquired assets delivered 

through Coast Guard 

recapitalization programs. 

These assets include the 

NSC, HC-144 aircraft, FRCs, new RB-Ms, and 

armed helicopters which offer substantially 

improved capability over the legacy assets they 

are replacing. Follow-on funds also support new 

shore assets including the Nationwide Automatic 

Identifi cation System (NAIS), Rescue 21 and 

Defense Messaging Systems, and the new Rescue 

Swimmer Training Facility.

Photo by PA3 Casey Ranel

Photo by FN Jeff Sheets

The Coast Guard has specialized forces that can be deployed 

in response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and 

explosive disasters and attacks.

Did you know?

The Coast Guard coordinated closely with the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Several critical FEMA 

communications trucks were fl own to the disaster area. The Coast 

Guard C-130 aircraft can be confi gured to carry a combination of 

people, cargo, and mission equipment. Photo by PA3 Rob Simpson

Earthquake refugees stand in line at Port-au-Prince to board a 

Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft from Air Station Clearwater, Fla., that 

will take them to Homestead, Fla., Jan. 16, 2010. Approximately 60 

people boarded the aircraft, including children and elderly. Photo 

by PA3 Pamela Manns
Strategic Priorities

28 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

maritime members can contribute to and benefi t 

from improved shared awareness. The Coast 

Guard has been a leader in advocating for and 

coordinating efforts between national and local 

entities. These national and local partnerships 

provide Coast Guard operational commanders with 

more robust and timely information to make better 

risk-informed decisions. 

The Coast Guard’s work on the DHS Small Vessel 

Security Strategy is just one example of this effort. 

As the USS Cole attack vividly demonstrated, 

small vessels can pose a large threat. The Small 

Vessel Security Strategy addresses these concerns 

in the domestic maritime environment. The goal 

is a coordinated effort of federal, state, local, and 

tribal authorities, together with international 

partners, private industry, and the recreational 

users of the waterways to improve maritime 

security and safety through MDA.

Another example is America’s Waterway Watch. 

This nationwide program, similar to the well 

known and successful Neighborhood Watch 

program, asks community members to report 

suspicious activities in and around the Nation’s 

waterways to local law enforcement agencies. 

WORKFORCE OPTIMIZATION 

In FY 2011, the Coast 

Guard will sustain 

previous enhancements to 

the acquisition, fi nancial 

management, and marine 

safety workforce. The 

Coast Guard will continue 

to promote a diverse and 

competent workforce that 

can adapt to employ new 

and improved assets to 

meet evolving mission 

demands. As we implement 

consolidation initiatives and 

decommission legacy assets 

over the next several years, the Coast Guard 

will leverage our pool of personnel with diverse 

operational experience and highly specialized skills 

to operate and maintain new cutters, aircraft, 

and small boats, and staff a modernized support 

structure. In order to manage the size of the 

workforce, recruiting efforts, training, and policy 

will adapt to changing demands.

Military Housing

As a branch of the Armed Forces, the Coast 

Guard military workforce support initiatives must 

mirror those authorized by the National Defense 

Authorization Act (NDAA). Included in the NDAA 

is the support of military families through child 

care, housing, and health care benefi ts. As a sister 

military service and fellow armed force, the Coast 

Guard must maintain parity with DoD. 

One area that needs improvement is military 

housing. The Coast Guard currently owns 4,020 

military housing units. The purpose of owning 

these units is to provide housing to our military 

service members and their families stationed in 

geographic locations where market conditions do 

not provide an affordable, suitable house. The 

average age of the Coast Guard’s housing portfolio 

is over 40 years. Many of the Coast Guard’s 

housing assets require recapitalization due to 

safety and habitability issues. Furthermore, due 

to changing conditions and operating needs, the 

Coast Guard’s housing footprint in some locations 

is inadequate. In FY 2011, the Budget provides 

funds for family military housing projects.

The Nation’s Marine Transportation System (MTS) is the 

lifeblood of America’s national economy and a key enabler of 

its national security. Over 90% of the world’s trade is carried on 

the water. In the United States, the MTS carries 78% of all our 

international trade – including 66% of all crude oil consumed 

– and generates thousands of jobs. These numbers, while 

staggering, are expected to increase in the next 15 years.

Did you know?

Photo by PA1 NyxoLyno 

Cangemi

The Coast Guard spearheaded the development of forceful 

procedures to stop narcotics smugglers from entering the country 

via small, fast-moving boats. These “airborne use of force” 

procedures include the use of warning shots and disabling fi re 

from aircraft to stop boats from fl eeing and evading capture.

Did you know?
Strategic Priorities

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 29

has opportunity 

to prosper. In 

2009, the Coast 

Guard launched 

its Diversity 

Strategic Plan. 

This plan builds 

upon the signifi cant 

progress we have 

achieved to date and 

provides direction 

for our collective 

efforts to make 

the Coast Guard a 

leader in diversity 

development and 

a model for the 

Nation.

The goals of the 

Diversity Strategic Plan are to:

Assure a diverse workforce through an 

all-hands commitment with leadership 

accountability

Fully utilize 

communication 

and focus groups 

to improve the 

workforce

Expand outreach 

to achieve access 

opportunity for 

underrepresented 

populations

Ensure equitable 

hiring and career 

opportunities

•

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•

Diversity

The Coast Guard is committed to building and 

sustaining an organizational climate in which 

people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, races, 

religions, and ethnicities are fully included, valued, 

and respected. As an organization, we provide 

premiere service in ensuring the safety and 

security of our maritime public and the protection 

of our precious environment. To ensure that we 

continue this level of excellence and thus maintain 

our hard-earned credibility, it is imperative that 

our workforce be refl ective of the society that we 

serve.

Through strong efforts and a commitment to 

the workforce, the Coast Guard will continue to 

foster an environment in which every individual 

Coast Guard military housing (left) as compared to DoD housing (right): Because the Coast Guard is a military service and an armed force, 

benefi ts outlined in the National Defense Authorization Act apply to the Coast Guard’s military workforce. In FY 2011, the Budget funds 

incremental improvement in this area.

Coast Guard Hero

Mr. Esteban Morales

Esteban Morales, a GS-13 Civilian Recruiter, began his civilian Coast 

Guard career in December 2003 working at Coast Guard Headquarters 

in Personnel Management. He was accepted to the United States 

Department of Agriculture Executive Potential Program (EPP) in January 

of 2009. After completing an assignment at the Department of Homeland Security, he 

began work at The White House for Vice President Biden taking on roles in areas such 

as intergovernmental affairs, domestic and economic policy, and correspondence and 

communications. Mr. Morales was the fi rst civilian Coast Guard member to participate in 

this type of assignment. Due to his signifi cant contributions, exposure to the value of the 

EPP continues to grow at the highest levels in government.

Photo by PAC Sarah B. 

Foster
Strategic Priorities

30 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Optimize 

training and 

education to 

underscore 

the value of 

workforce 

diversity

Outreach and 

recruiting have 

been a major 

focus to improve 

diversity. In an 

effort to advance 

these diversity initiatives and promote awareness 

of military and civilian career opportunities, 

the Coast Guard is increasing exposure through 

targeted outreach efforts. Examples of these efforts 

include: 

Establishment of relationships with minority 

serving institutions

Engagement with Alaskan Native Tribal 

Councils

Sustainment of existing scholarship programs 

One area that has provided sustained positive 

results is the College Student Pre-Commissioning 

Initiative (CSPI) Scholarship program. This 

program has up to 60 participants at any given 

time and funds two years of college tuition, 

military pay, and benefi ts, with attendance to 

Offi cer Candidate School upon graduation. Nearly 

50 percent of the current CSPI students are 

minority and 38 percent are women. 

Diversity is not a 

program or a policy, 

but a state of being, 

and it is an enabler 

of readiness and 

mission execution. 

The Coast Guard will 

continuously promote 

and foster diversity, 

and thus strengthen 

our ability to meet 

mission demands and 

expectations of the 

public.

The Coast Guard’s 

Active Duty, Reserve, 

Auxiliary, and Civilian 

•

•

•

•

workforce remains 

strong, capable, and 

well trained. Today, 

more than ever, 

Coast Guard men and 

women possess highly 

specialized skills to 

operate and maintain 

state of the art 

technology as well as 

sustain aging assets. 

The demands of the 

Coast Guard service require personal sacrifi ce, 

courage, and devotion to duty. In order to maintain 

this pool of talented men and women, and keep 

pace with the needs of the organization, recruiting 

programs will continue to seek the best, brightest, 

and most diverse workforce.

MODERNIZATION OF BUSINESS 

PRACTICES

Coast Guard Modernization is the centerpiece of 

an overarching strategy to transform our legacy 

command and control structures, support systems, 

and business processes into an adaptive, changecentric, learning organization. This transition from 

a geographically based structure to a functionally 

aligned organization enables the Coast Guard to 

optimize sustained mission execution and support, 

and increase alignment within DHS and with our 

fellow Armed Forces. 

Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Michael C. Curran (MST1)

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Michael Curran, a marine science technician 

(MST), currently serves as an investigating offi cer at Marine Safety Unit 

Galveston. With over six years experience in marine safety, MST1 Curran 

has expertly served in leadership positions on multiple high-profi le marine 

casualty investigations conducted in the largest petrochemical complex in the United 

States. Recently, MST1 Curran prepared the Coast Guard’s case for a complex mariner’s 

license suspension and revocation hearing, and then served as an expert witness, 

providing technical expertise critical to ensure a fair and comprehensive proceeding. He 

also conducted eight marine casualty investigations that included responding to three 

vessel collisions and a vessel fi re.

Photo by Angela Daniel

Photo by BM2 Jeff Quinn
Strategic Priorities

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 31

During the Second Session of the 111th Congress, 

the Coast Guard will continue to seek legislation 

to complete its strategic modernization effort—the 

cornerstone of its legislative program.

Critical elements of the Coast Guard’s strategic 

modernization include: (1) the creation of a Coast 

Guard Operations Command and Coast Guard 

Force Readiness Command, which streamlines 

the Service’s fi eld command and control structure, 

and enhance fl eet standardization and readiness, 

respectively; (2) designation of a Deputy 

Commandant for Operations, consolidating and 

unifying operations policy, planning, requirements 

and capabilities; and (3) the designation of a 

Deputy Commandant for Mission Support, 

harmonizing personnel, acquisitions, research and 

development, engineering, information systems, 

and logistics support management across the 

Service. Certain statutory prescriptions pertaining 

to the organization of the Service preclude fi nal 

alignment at the leadership level; the Coast 

Guard’s proposal addresses these limitations.

Modernization enables our support systems to 

be more responsive to our operators, our force 

structure to be more responsive to mission 

execution, and the Coast Guard to be more 

responsive to our Nation.

2009 Milestones

In 2009, Modernization efforts established fi ve Logistics and 

Service Centers:

Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center (SILC) 

Personnel Service Center (PSC) 

Legal Service Center (LSC) 

C4IT Service Center (C4ITSC) 

Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) 

These centers consolidated fi eld support by providing improved 

24-hour customer service, one-stop technical support, and 

assistance for all matters that go beyond the expertise of the 

fi eld unit. Maintenance Logistics Centers and Integrated Support 

Commands were disestablished and incorporated into these 

Centers to align, standardize, and streamline mission support 

and business processes across the Service.

•

•

•

•

•

Modernization Milestones
The Coast Guard is proud to report that, as a leader in maritime stewardship, it is underway and making way toward 

becoming more “green.” What does this mean? As a green Coast Guard, the organization is making choices today 

that reduce, minimize, and may even reverse the negative impacts of its actions on the earth and its resources. 

The Coast Guard is in the midst of a comprehensive review of its energy management program, including shore, 

fuel, and resource components. Concurrently, the Coast Guard is seizing opportunities to leverage renewable 

energy sources, minimize environmental impacts, and reduce life-cycle costs while sustaining infrastructure and 

capabilities necessary to execute missions.

Coast Guard Yard Baltimore Landfill Gas

The Coast Guard’s fi rst Landfi ll Gas 

Renewable Energy Center was opened on 

Earth Day, April 22, 2009, at the Coast Guard 

Yard in Baltimore, Md. In collaboration with 

Ameresco Federal Service Group, and 

the City of Baltimore, the Coast Guard’s 

Renewable Energy Center is burning 

methane from a Baltimore-owned landfi ll 

and converting the gas into steam and 

electricity for shipyard use. The Renewable 

Energy Center has the capability to 

provide 100 percent of the Yard’s electricity 

requirements for approximately 15 years. 

For each year this center operates, the 

reduction in greenhouse gas emissions 

will be equal to removing 33,000 cars from 

local roads.

Training Center Petaluma Solar 

Energy and Conservation

“Petaluma Green” is an innovative program at Training 

Center Petaluma, Calif., that uses renewable energy 

and conserves water and natural resources. In Sept. 

2009, Training Center Petaluma installed a four-acre 

solar array as part of a Power Purchase Agreement 

(PPA) with SilRay, Inc. With no up-front costs to the 

Coast Guard, this PPA, the fi rst in the history of the 

Coast Guard, allows the contractor to build, own, and 

operate the solar photovoltaic system on Coast Guard 

property and sell the energy back to the facility at a fi xed 

rate over the life of the 25-year contract. The panels will 

provide the Training Center with up to one megawatt of 

renewable energy. 

Coast Guard photo

Underway and making Way Toward
Base Support Unit Honolulu Conservation

Base Support Unit Honolulu has teamed with interns from the 

University of Hawaii to implement sustainability measures. The 

interns completed a solid waste management study, and developed 

a new recycling program wherein plastic bags were banned at the 

base exchange. Winners of the Commandant’s Environmental 

Award for Sustainability, the team piloted an Energy Auditing class 

and completed a renewable energy optimization study through 

the National Renewable Energy Lab.

Coast Guard Cutter Healy

The CGC Healy completely eliminated the discharge of 

non-food solid waste while at sea through a recycling and 

waste management program that incorporates active and 

robust sorting, and aggressive recycling. 

They currently recycle corrugated cardboard, 

white offi ce paper, individual drink containers 

(aluminum, glass, plastic), and scrap metal. 

As a leader in maritime stewardship and marine 

environmental protection, the Coast Guard feels 

strongly that continued progress toward a greener 

Coast Guard is the right thing to do. Opportunities, 

such as the great promise of waste woody biomass renewable fuel heating plants at Coast Guard facilities 

in Ketchikan, Sitka, and Kodiak, Alaska, continue to be pursued. Water conservation, energy conservation, 

and renewable energy – these are the necessary fi rst steps for the Coast Guard to reduce its impact on the 

environment, reduce operating costs, and to make a difference for our planet.

Coast Guard Hero

Warrant Offi cer Charles D. Crabb (F&S2)

Finance and Supply Specialist (F&S) Charles D. Crabb of the U.S. Coast 

Guard Academy Logistics Branch is a driving force that is critical to advancing 

the Academy’s sustainability practices and recycling efforts. F&S2 Crabb’s 

leadership and dedication resulted in the contribution of 241,436 pounds 

of material for reuse and recycling, representing 24.1% of the Academy’s overall recycling 

endeavors. He championed the Academy’s Qualifi ed Recycling Program, a trial recycling 

program for wood and pallets; the massive donation of Cadet personal property; and the 

“Cadet Swap Shop.” He also made signifi cant contributions to the Academy’s Federal 

Electronics Challenge and the Federal Electronics Reuse and Recycling Campaign. All of 

these efforts saved the Coast Guard over $9,000.

a Greener Coast Guard

The Operations Building at Base Support Unit 

Seattle is the fi rst Leadership in Energy and 

Environmental Design (LEED) certifi ed new 

construction building in the Coast Guard. 

Other LEED certifi ed buildings can be found 

throughout the Coast Guard from Emerald Isle, 

N.C. to Cordova, Alaska, to Marquette, Mich., to 

New York, N.Y. Coast Guard photo

Training Center Cape May, N.J. is planning to install two 1.6 

megawatt wind turbines in late 2011 that will supply the training 

center with over 70% of its electricity.

Did you know?
Photo by FS1 Douglas van Kampen

The CGC Venturous, with both of its onboard small boats, transports 

107 bales of marijuana that it seized from a suspect vessel spotted 

while the cutter was en route to its homeport of Miami Oct. 3, 2009. 

Photo by ENG4 Karyn Terry 
Budget in Brief

Section III

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 37

FISCAL YEAR 2011 INITIATIVES AND ENHANCEMENTS .......................................................... 38

Recapitalize Operating Assets and Sustain Infrastructure ............................................... 38

FISCAL YEAR 2011 EFFICIENCIES, REALLOCATIONS, AND DECOMMISSIONINGS .............40

FISCAL YEAR 2011 APPROPRIATION SUMMARY ...................................................................... 41

FISCAL YEAR 2011 APPROPRIATION DETAILS ........................................................................41

Operating Expenses.............................................................................................................. 41

Environmental Compliance and Restoration ......................................................................43

Reserve Training ...................................................................................................................43

Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements .................................................................. 43

Alteration of Bridges ............................................................................................................. 43

Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation ................................................................... 43

Health Care Fund Contribution ............................................................................................ 44

Retired Pay.............................................................................................................................44

Boating Safety ....................................................................................................................... 44

Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund ................................................................................................. 44

Photo by Ensign Jason Radcliffe Photo by Cmdr. Andrew Dutton Photo by PA3 Brandon Blackwell
Budget in Brief

38 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

The FY 2011 President’s Budget continues funding 

for recapitalization of aging assets (e.g., cutters, 

aircraft, boats, and C4ISR) and infrastructure. 

Recapitalization is vital to preserving future 

surface, air, and shore asset capability, and is an 

essential investment for the Nation. In addition 

to recapitalization, the FY 2011 President’s 

Budget includes pay and standard personnel costs 

associated with the military workforce, training, 

operating funds for new assets, and unit and depot 

maintenance.

FISCAL YEAR 2011 INITIATIVES AND 

ENHANCEMENTS

Recapitalize Operating Assets and Sustain Infrastructure

Surface Assets

$856.0M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $856.0M for surface asset 

recapitalization or enhancement initiatives: 

production of National Security Cutter (NSC) #5; 

continued analysis and design of the Offshore 

Patrol Cutter (OPC); production of Fast Response 

Cutters (FRC-Bs) #9 - #12; production of Cutter 

Small Boats – one Long Range Interceptor and 

one Short Range Prosecutor; and operational 

enhancement of three Medium Endurance Cutters 

at the Coast Guard Yard through the Mission 

Effectiveness Project.

Air Assets

$101.0M, 0 FTE 

The budget provides $101.0M for the following air 

asset recapitalization or enhancement initiatives: 

production of HC-144A Maritime Patrol Aircraft 

#15; HH-60 engine sustainment and avionics, 

wiring and sensor upgrades for eight aircraft; 

HC-130H avionics and sensor development and 

testing, and the acquisition of components for two 

center wing box replacements; and HC-130J fl eet 

introduction.

Asset Recapitalization – Other

$155.5M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $155.5M for the following 

equipment and services: continued development 

of logistics capability and facility upgrades at 

shore sites where new assets will be homeported; 

and design and development of command, 

control, computer, communications, intelligence, 

surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) 

integrated hardware and software systems for 

surface and air assets.

Response Boat-Medium (RB-M)

$42.0M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $42M to order 10 boats to 

replace the aging 41-foot utility boat and other 

non-standard boats with an asset more capable 

of meeting the Coast Guard’s multi-mission 

requirements. 

Rescue 21

$36.0M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $36.0M to complete 

deployment at Sectors Detroit, Mich.; Los Angeles/

Long Beach, Calif.; Honolulu, Hawaii; San Juan, 

P.R.; Guam; and Buffalo, N.Y.; and continue 

deployment at Sectors Lake Michigan and Sault 

Sainte Marie, Mich.; Ohio River Valley, Ky.; Upper 

Mississippi River, Mo.; and Lower Mississippi 

River, Tenn. The Rescue 21 system is the Coast 

Guard’s primary communications, command, and 

control system for all inland and coastal missions.

Shore Facilities and Aids to Navigation 

(ATON) Recap Projects

$69.2M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $69.2M to recapitalize shore 

infrastructure for safe, functional, and modern 

shore facilities that effectively support Coast 

Guard assets and personnel. FY 2011 funding 

supports: 

Survey and Design – Planning and 

engineering of out-year shore projects.

Minor Shore Projects – Completion of 

minor shore construction projects that are 

less complex but enable the Coast Guard 

to respond to critical operational and life 

safety issues associated with degraded shore 

facilities.

ATON Infrastructure – Improvements to 

short-range aids and infrastructure.

Chase Hall Barracks – Continued renovations 

to the Coast Guard Academy’s Chase Hall by 

modernizing and improving habitability of 

the cadet barracks.

Newport, R.I. Pier – Improving an existing 

pier face to provide over 800+ linear feet of 

moorings for Coast Guard Cutters Juniper, 

•

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•

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•
Budget in Brief

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 39

Willow, and Ida Lewis, and create the 

necessary pierside support facilities.

Aviation Technical Training Center 

– Building upon efforts funded under the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act (ARRA) to rehabilitate Thrun Hall at 

the Aviation Technical Training Center in 

Elizabeth City, NC.

Housing

$14.0M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $14.0M for the construction, 

renovation, and improvement of Coast Guard 

military family housing. The Coast Guard 

currently owns 4,020 military housing units, the 

average age of which is over 40 years. Funding is 

critical to improving Coast Guard-owned housing 

facilities, enhancing the quality of life of the 

military workforce and their families, and reducing 

the overall shore infrastructure maintenance 

backlog.

Military Workforce

$86.2M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $86.2M to maintain parity 

of military pay, allowances, and health care with 

the DoD. As a branch of the Armed Forces of the 

United States, the Coast Guard is subject to the 

provisions of the National Defense Authorization 

Act (NDAA), which includes pay and personnel 

benefi ts for the military workforce. The Coast 

Guard’s multi-mission military workforce is unique 

within DHS. This request includes funding for 

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), childcare 

benefi ts for Coast Guard members, Permanent 

Change of Station (PCS) costs, and military health 

care costs.

Shore Facilities

$4.3M, 0 FTE

The budget provides $4.3M for the operation 

and maintenance of Acquisition, Construction 

and Improvement (AC&I) shore facility projects 

scheduled for completion prior to FY 2011. 

Funding is required for daily operating costs for 

energy, utility services, grounds maintenance, 

routine repairs, and housekeeping. These costs 

also include the operation and maintenance of the 

ATON’s day/night/sound/electronic signal, power 

system, and support structure. 

•

Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) Maintenance

$2.0M, +5 FTE

The budget provides $2.0M for FY 2011 operations 

and maintenance costs associated with delivery 

of 18 RB-Ms. This request also includes electrical 

support personnel and associated personal 

protective equipment to support the platform’s 

increased capability. 

Rescue 21 Follow-on

$7.1M, +1 FTE

The budget provides $7.1M for follow-on funding 

to operate Rescue 21, the Coast Guard’s primary 

system for performing the functional tasks 

of command, control, and communications in 

the inland and coastal zones for Coast Guard 

operations including search and rescue and 

maritime security missions. This funding will 

support fi ve distinct cost categories that sustain 

Rescue 21: equipment operation and maintenance, 

circuit connectivity, property and power, training, 

and technology refresh. 

Rescue Swimmer Training Facility (RSTF)

$1.9M, +7 FTE

The budget provides $1.9M for the operation and 

maintenance of the RSTF and its Modular Egress 

Training Simulator (METS), or dunker, as well as 

recurring training costs. The RSTF will directly 

support Aviation Survival Technician (Rescue 

Swimmer) training and qualifi cation standards, as 

well as egress certifi cation and recertifi cation for 

air crews and some small boat crews.

Surface and Air Asset Follow-on

$62.5M, +173 FTE

The budget provides a total of $62.5M to fund 

operations and maintenance of cutters, boats, 

aircraft, and associated subsystems delivered 

through major cutter, aircraft, and associated 

C4ISR acquisition efforts. Funding is requested for 

the following assets:

NSC – Shoreside logistics support and 

maintenance funding necessary for three 

NSCs located in Alameda, Calif.; unit 

operations and maintenance funding for the 

third NSC scheduled for delivery in FY 2011.

Training System Personnel – Funding 

and training personnel for the NSC C4ISR 

training suite at Training Center Petaluma, 

Calif.

•

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Budget in Brief

40 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

FRC – Operating and maintenance funding 

for the fi rst fi ve FRCs scheduled for delivery 

in FY 2011 and homeported in Miami, Fla.; 

shore-side maintenance personnel needed to 

support FRCs being delivered in FY 2011; 

and, personnel to operate and maintain 

the seventh and eighth FRCs scheduled for 

delivery early in 2012.

Transition Aviation Training Center Mobile 

and Air Station Miami to HC-144A Maritime 

Patrol Aircraft (MPA) – Funding to support 

a change in aircraft type, allowance, and 

programmed utilization rates at Aviation 

Training Center Mobile, Ala. and Air Station 

Miami, Fla.

HC-144A MPA – Operating and maintenance 

funding and personnel for aircraft #12 and 

personnel for aircraft #13; logistics support 

personnel and maintenance funding for the 

HC-144A product line.

Armed Helicopters for Homeland Security 

Follow-on – Recurring funds to maintain 

Airborne Use of Force (AUF) Kit “A” 

equipment for 22 HH-65C helicopters.

C4ISR Follow-on – Funding to maintain new 

high-speed Ku-band satellite communications 

systems installed on major cutters prior to FY 

2011.

FISCAL YEAR 2011 EFFICIENCIES, 

REALLOCATIONS, AND 

DECOMMISSIONINGS

The FY 2011 President’s Budget includes 

effi ciencies, consolidation initiatives, 

decommissionings, and operational restructuring. 

Savings associated with targeted effi ciencies and 

consolidation initiatives have been redirected 

to support operations and maintenance and 

recapitalization priorities. 

Maritime Safety and Security Teams

-$18.2M, -196 FTE

In FY 2011, fi ve Maritime Safety and Security 

Teams (MSSTs) will be decommissioned. The 

seven remaining MSSTs will deploy regionally to 

mitigate the highest prevailing port security risks 

in the Nation’s critical ports.

MSSTs will continue to escort vessels, patrol 

•

•

•

•

•

critical infrastructure, perform counter terrorism 

activities, enforce laws aboard high interest 

vessels, and respond to unanticipated surge 

operations (e.g., mass migration response, 

hurricane response, terrorist attack, etc.) 

consistent with regional threats.

As part of this initiative, the Coast Guard will 

reinvest partial MSST savings in the Law 

Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) program to 

address increased demand for LEDET services in 

support of Coast Guard missions. The FY 2011 

investment increases the roster of all 17 existing 

LEDETS from 11 to 12 members per team, and 

creates one new 12-person LEDET. LEDETs 

are high return-on-investment National assets 

that augment Defense operations in support 

of Combatant Commanders and counter drug 

operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacifi c. 

High Endurance Cutters

-$28.2M, -383 FTE

In FY 2011, the Coast Guad will decommission 

four High Endurance Cutters (HEC). The average 

age of the HEC fl eet is 42 years. A disproportionate 

share of the depot level maintenance budget 

is being used to sustain these aging assets. 

With two NSCs anticipated to be operational 

by 2011, the Coast Guard is positioned to begin 

decommissioning these legacy assets.

Medium Endurance Cutter

-$2.8M, -43 FTE

In FY 2011, the Coast Guard will retire the 

Medium Endurance Cutter Acushnet. Acushnet 

is well past its useful service life and has unique 

systems that are costly and diffi cult to sustain.

HU-25 Aircraft

-$7.7M, -32 FTE

In FY 2011, Coast Guard will decommission four 

HU-25 fi xed winged aircraft. Three aircraft will 

be immediately replaced by the new HC-144A 

aircraft. The fourth HU-25 will be retired from 

service at Coast Guard Air Station (A/S) Cape Cod, 

Mass., reducing aircraft allowance at this station 

from four to three until a replacement HC-144A 

arrives. Three aircraft provide the minimum 

manning required to maintain 24x7 Search and 

Rescue capability.
Budget in Brief

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 41

Rotary Wing Capacity

-$5.5M, -34 FTE

In FY 2011, the Coast Guard will realign rotary 

wing capacity to provide four medium-range 

HH-60 helicopters to the Great Lakes region. To 

facilitate this delivery of enhanced multi-mission 

capability, two HH-60 helicopters from Operations 

Bahamas Turks & Caicos and two HH-60s from 

Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) in 

Chesapeake, Va. will be permanently relocated 

to Coast Guard Air Station A/S Traverse City, 

Mich. Upon arrival of the four HH-60s, fi ve HH65 helicopters presently stationed at A/S Traverse 

City will be removed from active service.

The HH-60 helicopter has the added capability 

over the HH-65 to operate in extreme cold weather 

conditions, including icing, which persist in the A/S 

Traverse City area of responsibility approximately 

fi ve months per year. In addition, the HH-60 

helicopter has double the fl ight time endurance 

of the HH-65 providing additional operational 

range for Search and Rescue (SAR) missions and 

security patrols in the Great Lakes region and 

along the northern maritime border. Enhancing 

the operational capability of A/S Traverse City 

helicopters will also enable the closure of two 

seasonal Coast Guard Air Facilities at Muskegon, 

Mich. and Waukegan, Ill. while still meeting SAR 

program response requirements.

FISCAL 

YEAR 2011 

APPROPRIATION 

SUMMARY

Table 1 on page 42, 

provides a summary 

by appropriation 

of the FY 2011 

President’s Budget 

for the Coast Guard. 

Additional details 

are listed for each 

appropriation. 

Because of the 

Coast Guard’s 

multi-mission 

character, funding 

is not appropriated by its 11 statutory missions. 

Instead, the substantial portion of discretionary 

funding is appropriated for Coast Guard 

“Operating Expenses,” which supports all Coast 

Guard missions. Table 2, on page 42, provides an 

estimation of the FY 2008 - FY 2010 budgets by 

mission.

FISCAL YEAR 2011 APPROPRIATION 

DETAILS 

Operating Expenses (OE)

Actual, FY 2009 ........................................$6,428,718

Appropriation, FY 2010 ......................... $6,563,888*

Budget estimate, FY 2011 .......................$6,650,950

Change from FY 2010 ...............................$87,062

*For comparitive purposes, excludes $241.5M for 

Overseas Contingency Operations and $54.0M 

transferred from the National Science Foundation for 

Polar Operations. these programs are funded through 

reimbursements in other years.

Appropriation Description

The Operating Expenses (OE) appropriation 

provides funding for the operation and 

maintenance of multi-purpose vessels, aircraft, 

and shore units strategically located along the 

coasts and inland waterways of the United States 

and in selected areas overseas. This is the primary 

Coast Guard Hero

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Jessica A. Wolchak (BM1) 

Petty Offi cer 1st Class Jessica Wolchak, a boatswain’s mate (BM) stationed 

at Coast Guard Station New York on Staten Island, N.Y., serves as a 

coxswain on a 25-foot small response boat. BM1 Wolchak was recently 

selected as the Coast Guard recipient for the United Service Organizations 

(USO) Military Leadership Award, which was given to one female from every branch of 

service as part of the 43rd annual Woman of the Year award ceremony held in New York 

City on April 7, 2009. Wolchak was selected in part for her role during the U.S. Airways 

Flight 1549 crash landing on the Hudson River - the multi-agency response to the crash 

resulted in the rescue of 155 passengers and crew onboard the downed aircraft. (Photo 

by PA3 Barbara Patton)
Budget in Brief

42 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Table 2: FY 2011 Budget Authority Breakout by Mission1

1

The Coast Guard budgets by Congressionally established Appropriations (see Table 1) rather than Mission Programs. In 

order to display budget allocated by Mission program, we use an activity-based cost model that averages past expenditures 

to forecast future spending. The FY 2009 and FY 2010 funding amounts are revised from the estimates previously reported. 

Actual FY 2010 and FY 2011 expenditures may vary.

Table 1: Appropriation Summary
Budget in Brief

U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement • 43

appropriation fi nancing operational activities of 

the Coast Guard. 

Environmental Compliance and Restoration (EC&R)

Actual, FY 2009 .............................................$11,317

Appropriation, FY 2010 ................................$13,198

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ............................$13,329

Change from FY 2010 ....................................$131

Appropriation Description

The Environmental Compliance and Restoration 

appropriation assists in bringing Coast Guard 

facilities into compliance with applicable federal 

and state environmental regulations; conducting 

facilities response plans; developing pollution and 

hazardous waste minimization strategies; and 

conducting environmental assessments. These 

funds permit the continuation of a service-wide 

program to correct environmental problems, 

such as major improvements to storage tanks 

containing petroleum and regulated substances. 

The program addresses Coast Guard facilities and 

third-party sites where Coast Guard activities 

have contributed to environmental concerns. 

Reserve Training

Actual, FY 2009 ...........................................$130,102

Appropriation, FY 2010 ..............................$133,632

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ..........................$135,675

Change from FY 2010 ................................ $2,043

Appropriation Description

The Reserve Training appropriation provides 

for the training of qualifi ed individuals who 

are available for active duty in time of war or 

national emergency, or to augment regular Coast 

Guard forces in the performance of peacetime 

missions. Program activities fall into the following 

categories:

Pay, Benefi ts, and Allowances – Funds the costs 

associated with salaries, benefi ts, and other 

compensation for full-time staff that support 

members of the Selected Reserve.

Operations, Maintenance, and Administration

– Funds the costs related to training Reservists, 

administering the Reserve program, and the 

portion of organizational costs shared by the 

Reserve Training appropriation for the day-today operation and maintenance of the Coast 

Guard Reserve program.

Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements (AC&I)

Actual, FY 2009 ........................................$1,242,280

Appropriation, FY 2010 ...........................$1,536,280

Budget estimate, FY 2011 .......................$1,381,228

Change from FY 2010 ...........................($155,052)

Appropriation Description

The Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements 

appropriation fi nances the acquisition of new 

capital assets, construction of new facilities, and 

physical improvements to existing facilities and 

assets. The appropriation covers Coast Guardowned and operated vessels, aircraft, shore 

facilities, and other equipment such as computer 

systems and personnel needed to manage 

acquisition activities.

Alteration of Bridges

Actual, FY 2009 ...........................................$155,997

Appropriation, FY 2010 ..................................$4,000

Budget estimate, FY 2011 .....................................$0

Change from FY 2010 ...............................($4,000)

Appropriation Description

The alteration of unreasonably obstructive 

bridges improves navigational safety and freedom 

of mobility to facilitate commerce, emergency 

response, and U.S. Government operations, by 

providing suffi cient clearances for the type of 

vessels that transit through the bridge. 

Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E)

Actual, FY 2009 .............................................$19,592

Appropriation, FY 2010 ................................$24,745

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ............................$20,034

Change from FY 2010 ................................ $4,711

Appropriation Description

Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation 

funding allows the Coast Guard to sustain and 

enhance mission performance through applied 

research and development conducted at the Coast 

Guard’s Research and Development Center in New 

London, Conn., as well as through partnerships 

with DHS and DoD.
Budget in Brief

44 • U.S. Coast Guard Posture Statement

Health Care Fund Contribution (HFC)

Actual, FY 2009 ...........................................$257,305

Appropriation, FY 2010 ..............................$266,006

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ..........................$265,321

Change from FY 2010 ....................................$685

Appropriation Description

The Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund 

Contribution provides funding to maintain the 

cost of accruing the military Medicare-eligible 

health benefi t contributions to the DoD MedicareEligible Retiree Health Care Fund. Contributions 

are for future Medicare-eligible retirees currently 

serving on active duty in the Coast Guard, retiree 

dependents, and their potential survivors. The 

authority for the Coast Guard to make this 

payment on an annual basis was provided in 

the 2005 Defense Appropriations Act (P.L. 108-

375). While this expenditure requires no annual 

action by Congress, it is considered discretionary 

spending.

Retired Pay

Actual, FY 2009 ........................................$1,281,414

Appropriation, FY 2010 ...........................$1,361,245

Budget estimate, FY 2011 .......................$1,400,700

Change from FY 2010 ................................$39,455

Appropriation Description

The Retired Pay appropriation provides payments 

as identifi ed under the Retired Serviceman’s 

Family Protection and Survivor Benefi ts Plans, 

as well as other retired personnel entitlements 

identifi ed under the National Defense 

Authorization Act. It also provides payments 

for medical care of retired personnel and their 

dependents.

Boating Safety

Actual, FY 2009 ...........................................$145,587

Appropriation, FY 2010 ..............................$128,889

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ..........................$119,000

Change from FY 2010 ...............................($9,889)

Appropriation Description

The Boating Safety appropriation funds the Coast 

Guard’s Boating Safety program. This program 

minimizes loss of life, personal injury, property 

damage, and environmental impact associated 

with the use of recreational boats. In its role as the 

designated National Recreational Boating Safety 

Program Coordinator, the Coast Guard manages 

dedicated user fee funding to support the National 

Recreational Boating Safety Program provided 

from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust 

Fund. Under the provisions of the Sportfi shing and 

Recreational Boating Safety Act of 2005 (Subtitle 

A, Title X, P.L. 109-59), the Coast Guard receives a 

percentage distribution of total trust fund receipts 

from the preceding fi scal year, and a portion of the 

funds drawn out of the Boating Safety Account of 

the trust fund. 

Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF)

Actual, FY 2009 ...........................................$139,464

Appropriation, FY 2010 ................................$91,000

Budget estimate, FY 2011 ............................$92,000

Change from FY 2010 .................................$1,000

Appropriation Description

The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund provides a 

source of funds for removal costs and damages 

resulting from oil spills, or the substantial threat 

of a spill, into navigable waters of the U.S. In 

accordance with the provisions of the Oil Pollution 

Act of 1990 (OPA 90), the President may make 

available up to $50 million annually from the fund 

for oil spill removal activities. The fund supports 

the Coast Guard’s stewardship role by providing 

payment for all valid claims for removal costs and 

damages including claims for natural resource 

damages resulting from oil spills.

Photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman
Photo by PA2 Luke Pinneo
The bow of CGC Polar Sea moving through pancake ice at dawn in 

the Arctic Ocean Sept. 30, 2009. Photo by PA3 Pamela Manns

Here to Protect, Ready to Rescue

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