The U.S. Coast Guard has detailed its plan to improve operational efficiency and readiness in its first Operational Posture Statement. At an event held in Washington, D.C., Vice Adm. Peter Gautier, deputy commandant for operations at the Coast Guard, said Friday that the 11-page document will provide transparency to stakeholders and the American people regarding how it can address challenges in workforce and resource shortages amid increasing mission demand.
The Coast Guard Mission
The recently published statement lists the six principles that guide the Coast Guard’s priorities and investments to ensure that it can carry out its operations across the globe. The principles include balancing current operational requirements with future readiness, maintaining global maritime governance and adjusting force structure to maximize operational effectiveness.
Among the Coast Guard missions that was highlighted in the statement is search and rescue, or SAR. According to Gautier, SAR remains a priority for the service because it is a “no-fail mission” and one that it formed as “a sacred trust with the American people.”
The Indo-Pacific was also named as a top regional priority due to its importance to global trade and geopolitics. In the region, the Coast Guard is deploying troops to support capacity-building programs in cooperation with Southeast and South Asia partners and sending National Security Cutters to preserve a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
Coast Guard’s Financial Needs
Although Gautier said the Operational Posture Statement is not a plea for money, he admitted that the Coast Guard cannot continue at its current pace without a budget boost.
“We really, really do struggle, and our path is going to be really challenged unless we get the kind of budget support that we need to keep ourselves on a sustainable track,” he stated.
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