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Thursday, August 21, 2008

Guest post: The thing speaks for itself
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]The Bulletin, which calls itself "Philadelphia's Family Newspaper," published yesterday an interview with Captain Paul Ratté, the CO of Air Station Atlantic City. The interview, by Chris Freind, captures one of the essential elements that makes Coast Guard aviation great: standardization.

The article isn't long, and it's worth reading.

We made over 33,000 rescues. It speaks to a culture that pushes both responsibility and leeway out to operational commanders in the field.

Another major reason for that kind success is the guard's level of standardization.... Particularly in U.S. Coast Guard aviation community, we don't have a West Coast and an East Coast way of doing things. We have one set of trainers, one curriculum, one operation manual and one ethos for how to operate. In that case, it's very easy to grab a flight mechanic from one air station, a pilot from another, a co-pilot from another and just fuse them together. Same thing with the maintenance philosophy. All of the sudden, we had all these helicopters [that needed servicing during Katrina], and we were able to pull aircraft mechanics together from all over the country and make it work. Standardization has always been the goal. It's just that we've improved it quite a bit over the years.
Those who participated on the ground know he speaks the truth. Crew met pilots they had never seen before the pre-flight brief, then got into helicopters and helped a lot of folks in hazardous conditions. That's possible only through a deeply embedded culture of standardization.

Which brings me back to the title of the post, taken from the top line of the newspaper's site: Res Ipsa Loquitur. Standardization spoke during Katrina.

Picture with this post is by Kyle Niemiand lifted from CGVI.

This post was written by a loyal reader, a Coast Guard pilot, who believes that bringing aviation standardization to the rest of the CG using modern logistics tools is more than the right thing to do.

Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
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Labels: Aviation, guest post, modernization





Some Coasties will definitely want in on this: Arctic Domain Awareness Conference
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

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With all the talk about melting ice and the Coast Guard's world of work expanding in the north, this proposed conference -- Arctic Domain Awareness Conference --  sponsored by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, might be of interest to some Coast Guard personnel.

Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
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Labels: Arctic, by Peter Stinson



Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Sadly, even the big eyes sometimes don't let us see the shoal waters
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

Sometimes, it pays to get ahead of the news to snuff out the flames. To use a nautical term, it takes the wind right out of the sails. My sails have no wind tonight.

Sad to read a story like this, as the situation is painful for the entire Coast Guard family. A career perhaps washed down the drain.

While there is a presumption of innocence until proved guilty, this is one decorated career that's clearly over; I hope the help he needs, apparently desperately, is given.

Picture with this post is from CGVI.

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson





We will not operate the ship until it is in compliance
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]Our favorite topic, the national security cutters, was covered in the August edition of National Defense. Wrote Mr. Magnuson,

The month of June marked the coming out party for the Coast Guard’s shiny new national security cutter.

Making its way north up the eastern seaboard, the flagship vessel of the much maligned Integrated Deepwater System, held on-board parties for VIPs and tours for the media and public.

Adm. Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard, after riding from Washington, DC, to a Baltimore pier, said he believed that the program had “turned a corner.”

Deepwater, a system of boats, aircraft and a software and communications backbone that will one day tie them all together, has suffered from cost overruns, delays, and a radical change in the management structure. It is also the subject of one FBI probe.
In the middle of his article, Mr. Magnuson came to what we might consider a key element in the current status of the national security cutters and Deepwater in general.
National security cutters will be the service’s command-and-control ships, so it is crucial to ensure that all sensors and communications systems work seamlessly, and that they can communicate with Defense Department and other agencies.

“How the Coast Guard structures . . . the [network] is fundamental to the success of the Deepwater program,” the GAO pointed out.

Allen told reporters that some of this technology will be installed on the cutter during three maintenance periods scheduled to take place during the next year.

“We will start integrating the command-and-control structure inside the Coast Guard and with our partners,” Allen told reporters on the pier beside the ship.

GAO said the service’s new management structure “is not fully positioned to manage these aspects under its not paradigm.”

Allen said, “We will not operate the ship until it is in compliance.”

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, Deepwater





Coast Guard Innovation Expo: Evangelizing Intelink-U
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

Each year, the Coast Guard hosts a Coast Guard Innovation Expo. The Expo is part trade show, part Coasties showing off cool stuff, and part professional development.

Coast Guard personnel can host a spot on the Expo floor to show off and talk about innovations they’ve developed or use. We’ve had things like home-grown data base applications, and using non-standard, off the shelf products to increase effectiveness or efficiency.

The Expo also provides the opportunity for Coast Guard programs and communities of practice to meet for conferences, seminars, or training.

I’m thinking this year of having Intelink-U as a part of the performance excellence program’s exhibit. I’m also thinking of hosting a half day “Intelink User Group” to begin to build more community around Intelink and the tools provided.

The Expo this year is in Virginia Beach, 17-20 November. For information about the Expo, please see the Innovation homepage for the Coast Guard. Coasties, if you think you’d like to either help out with the exhibit or the IUG or just attend the user group, please get in touch with me. As things firm up, I will post further details only at From Inside the Firewall.

Cross posted at AN UNOFFICIAL COAST GUARD BLOG and From Inside the Firewall.

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, Innovation Expo, Intelink





USCGC Dallas to the Rescue in Georgia
Posted by Jim Dolbow

Just moments ago, CNN's Barbara Starr reported that the USCGC Dallas will shortly be delivering humanitarian assistance to the Republic of Georgia. The Dallas will be joined by two U.S. Navy ships.

Great to see the National Fleet Policy in action!

More to follow...

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
 1 comments Links to this post  

Labels: by Jim Dolbow





The 4-8 watch is secure
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]Wrote a regular reader, "Here is a picture worth sharing."

Indeed.

The picture is lifted from Admiral Allen's Facebook profile and was taken recently on the HEALY during the Commandant's trip to Alaska.

Yes, the Commandant has a profile on Facebook. See Zachary Tumin's post Admiral Allen: Meet Prof. McAfee at A Fire Under Embers.

Hat tip to Jeremy R.

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
 2 comments
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, social media, technology





Cyclone-class patrol boats headed back to the Navy
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

Noted the Navy Times yesterday:

The Coast Guard will return the patrol coastals Monsoon and Tempest to the Navy later this month. The Coast Guard will operate three other PCs, Tornado, Shamal and Zephyr, until returning them to the Navy in 2011.
H/t to Jeremy R.

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
 3 comments
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Labels: by Peter Stinson



Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Commander selection on the ADPL
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

I knew the message with O-5 selections was near as a couple of people I know received phone calls last week.  (For those that don't know, when a Coast Guard officer is not selected for promotion, or passed over, he or she gets told either in person or by phone from someone in their chain of command, somebody who knows them.  This makes it so when the message hits the street, they're not blindsided).  Well, it's out.

I went looking for the Precept and Commandant's Guidance, which is on the Personnel Command's website, but my ADD kicked in and I found myself looking at the O-4 Register of Officers for 2008.  And I was suddenly struck that, while the message said the selectees were listed in ADPL order, the order (at least at the top of the list) didn't seem to match what was on the Register of Officers.  Looks like there might have been some re-ordering.  Anyone care to offer some insight?

As to the PY09 Commandants Guidance to Boards and Panels, I did finally find it, having followed the bright shiny things for only a couple of minutes...

Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
 1 comments Links to this post  

Labels: by Peter Stinson





Old News Lingering: An official response from CG-9
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

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The following comment was left on my earlier post Bringing Back Old News: Revisiting the 123s.  I thought I'd bring it to the front page as it deserves spotlighting.
I appreciate that you pointed out to readers of the CG Blog that you only had one source for your recent posting about the 123' patrol boats. I hope the post didn't cause any anxiety amongst our Coast Guard crew members about their safety. Anytime you have questions about Coast Guard information, feel free to contact us here at public affairs. We'll be happy to find the information.

Here are the facts--

In response to your statements about inward opening doors to machinery spaces on the 123' patrol boats, this is not a design flaw. The hatches on both the 123' and 110' patrol boats are in compliance with specifications.

During a fire response on both the 110' and 123' patrol boats, a personnel muster would be taken and the Commanding Officer would ensure 100% personnel accountability prior to authorizing Halon or CO2 activation. Crews would secure a series of louvers in the ventilation system. These louvers are secured from outside the space. While the louvers provide enough closure to allow the suppression agents such as Halon or CO2 to work, they are not air tight enough to create the positive pressure that would prevent the doors from being opened from the inside, thereby impeding egress. In addition, there is an escape hatch in the overhead of the engine room that opens outward. So, in the improbable circumstance that a member had not exited the engine room prior to CO2 or Halon release, the space is not pressurized, so he or she would be able to exit by one of the doors or the escape hatch.

We would appreciate you posting a correction to your original post.

Laura Williams,
Communications Director for the Coast Guard’s Acquisition Directorate
The full story from CG-9.

My thanks for the clarification.

Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, clarification, retraction





Direct from Training Center Cape May: Second installment from Christiann Conover
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]I apologize for not getting this up in a timely manner.  Things have been haywire between the new addition to the family and everything else.  Be that as it may, Mr. Conover, now on the downhill side of basic training, hasn't forgotten his readers.

Sunday, 10 August 2008, 1030

This past week we've been doing some interesting things.  On Monday, we went to the shooting range, which was a lot of fun.  I'd never shot a pistol before, so I didn't qualify, but I was only a few shots away.  It's gotten a little less intense with our company commanders since our physical fitness assessment, since most of the company passed.  This past Friday, we took our mid-term, so we'll be moving on to more exciting hands-on parts of training.

This coming week we'll be in seamanship training.  I've already done the seamanship stuff at Mass Maritime, so I should have no problems with it.  I'm looking forward to it, and expect that this week should go by quickly.

We're moving to a new barracks this week, from James Hall to Healy Hall.  It's annoying because we'll have to pack all our stuff up and unpack again.  We'll only be there for three weeks until we graduate, so it's not bothering me too much.

Beyond the usual expected bood camp routine, not much else is happening.  If you have any questions, feel free to write.

Semper paratus!

SR CONOVER, C. H.
CHARLIE 180, HEALY HALL
USCG TRACEN
1 MUNRO AVE
CAPE MAY, NJ 08204-5083

Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
 1 comments Links to this post  

Labels: by Christiaan Conover, joining the Coast Guard





Hitting the service like a Coast Guard-blue tsunami
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

If you haven't yet read it, see Art Pine's article, Admiral Allen's Blue Tsunami, in the August issue of the Naval Institute's Proceedings.

I heard from someone (I can't remember who), that Admiral Allen called the piece "the best balanced piece on modernization" yet published.

I, of course, am particularly found of this bit:

Expectedly, the massive revamping, which is hitting the service like a Coast Guard-blue tsunami, is causing some angst among more senior ranks -- flag officers, captains, commanders, and some civilian workers -- particularly at the Coast Guard's dowdy headquarters building at Buzzard Point on the Anacostia River in Washington, where insiders say the change-fatigue is palpable. Even so, Allen remains a popular figure among rank-and-file Coasties of all stripes, and both Coast Guard personnel and outside critics appear to be largely behind the new Commandant, applauding his drive for change.
Of course... ;-)

Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, modernization



Monday, August 18, 2008

Still more questions on the U.S. Navy SEALs and USCG DOG mix
Posted by Ryan R. Erickson

It’s amazing that the news of Coast Guard members being able to attend the U.S. Navy SEAL training hasn’t gained more traction as far as the web community is concerned. Taking a look over at Fredsplace or USMILnet, it’s almost not existent. Though if you want to know about the battle of ‘should we call ourselves Coasties or Guardians?’ Fredsplace is abuzz.

My first take on the matter of the SEALs and CG members is most likely the reason there isn’t much talk about it- none of us really know what to think of it, though it's pretty cool. Jim Dalbow, asking on behalf of An Unofficial Coast Guard Blog (thank you Jim) was part of the phone interview with ADM Atkin of the DOG. The general tone of the questions being asked were on the lines of “what is this going to do for the Coast Guard mission?”

Hmm, I’ve been wondering the same thing. ADM Atkins answered a question along the same lines with

...the folks coming back are going to provide for us is just a little better competency level. They're going to be more specialized. The other thing they're going to be able to bring back is a esprit de corps that you learn within the SEAL community. We don't always have that.1
Still, what is this going to do for the organic Coast Guard? Even more questions arise when you throw into the mix what ALCOAST 367/08 says:
PERSONNEL WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SEAL TRAINING CAN EXPECT TO BE ASSIGNED TO NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, WHICH COULD INCLUDE THREE TO FIVE OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS.
Oh man, so now we have Coasties (Guardians?) who are to be specifically assigned to NSW for five to seven years? I really wished this would have been addressed in the interview. So for now we will have to speculate.

Upon completion of their required time with the Navy, our members are to come back (maybe?) over to do their jobs in the Coast Guard and will be, albeit permanently, assigned to the Deployable Operations Group. With only 28 people (four per year) attending BUDS/SEAL training, this is looking like a long-term deal. The only thing I can really think of happening here is these selected individuals will be the ones who go around to other DOG units and tell everyone how to have ‘esprit de corps,’ as we seem to lacking this. (no, I'm not putting down the deal, keep reading)

Anyways, it still begs the question, what is the goal here of only sending 4 (2 officers, 2 enlisted) people a year? I’m not questioning this, I just want to know where they got this number.

So now that we have even more questions than what we started with, let’s start with the opinion part of the post. I, as a former Army type, have a great admiration and clear understanding of the teamwork involved in work and play alike within the SOCOM world. When you start to compare our "teams" that is, the MSST's and the likes to Rangers, SEALs , or even Para-Rescue... we, my friends, are way off. Not so say our service isn't capable of doing their assigned tasks, but the mentioned 'esprit de corps' is, and rightfully stated by the ADM, not their.

I've gotten my share of an ear full from fellow Coasties about the "long work hours," and the "always training" aspect of these jobs, and it's far more common at the MSRT as I'm told. My answer to this? Suck it up! The MSST's and the MSRT are in place to do a job at our nations worst times. Though I realize out MSST's are always deploying to other parts of the US for security details, this, in my opinion is not what they were originally designed for and can be chalked under training... I digress.

The teamwork issues at hand can fall into this little phrase "your mission family is just that, family- eat, sleep, and play as a family and you act as one- you train to do your job, until that 'job' arises, training is your job, and it shall be done as a family."

So back to where the SEAL training comes into place. It is my speculation, again, speculation, that someone up top saw this problem coming, and had to come up with a motivator and a plan on how the USCG's DOG 'should' be conducting business. Now isn't that simple? It's laid out: 'You (DOG types) want to be considered the best of the best? These (Coasties > SEALs) are the ones who were selected to show us how it's done... now listen up!'

On an end note I got to say I feel luck to be part of the Coast Guard during these times. With news like this, OPCOM, and future missions capabilities, the Coast Guard is going to be an interesting place to work.
1http://www.defenselink.mil/dodcmsshare/BloggerAssets/2008-08/08150815330220080815_RearAdmAtkin_transcript.pdf

Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008
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Labels: BUD/S, by Ryan Erickson, DOG, MSST, Navy Seals





World War II activity was closer than many think in the Gulf of Mexico
Posted by Jim Dolbow

While reviewing a google word search of the word "coast guard" I stumbled across the above mentioned article which I wanted to share with you, gentle readers.
Author C.J. Christ writes in today's Houma Today,

Everyone along the Gulf Coast in the spring and summer of 1942 knew how serious the U-boat situation was, especially the fishermen. Debris from sunken ships, stories along the waterfronts, calls for help on the radio and new restrictions on travel, especially offshore, confirmed the suspicions of those who were doubtful.
To read the rest of the article, click here.

CGBlog.org salutes the members of the Navy-Coast Guard team that defeated the German U-boat menace.

Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008
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Labels: by Jim Dolbow, Coast Guard history



Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Long Road to the USCG-Navy SEALS Partnership
Posted by Jim Dolbow

The U.S. Navy commissioned its first SEALS in 1962. Given the 2-centuries plus relationship between the world's best Navy and Coast Guard, what took so long for Coast Guardsmen to be eligible for the SEALS? Afterall, inquiring minds wanted to know including CGBlog.org. So we asked RADM Atkin during round two of questioning: why did this partnership take so long to initiate?

According to RADM Atkin,
... I don't know if we ever tried it before. I don't know if we ever thought of it before. So I really can't answer that question. What I can tell you is how we look at it today... And it's something that came up about a year ago. And we said, why not? This makes sense. This is the best way we help support the nation, both from our Title 10 and our Title 14 hat. It makes sense from the maritime strategy where we have -- the maritime strategy signed out by the CNO, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Coast Guard, where we want to be more integrated and more interoperable. So the timing is right for what we need to do as a nation in this new world order in which we're operating. So I can't tell you why we haven't done it in the past, but it makes sense for today.
The Coast Guard and our nation will be better off for traveling this road!

Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008
 6 comments
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Labels: by Jim Dolbow, Navy Seals



Saturday, August 16, 2008

Debunking Myths about the USCG-Navy SEALS Partnership
Posted by Jim Dolbow

is what Rear Admiral Tom Atkin, USCG, did during yesterday's DOD Bloggers Roundtable.

Fully embracing the opportunities offered by new media such as blogging, RADM Atkin used the roundtable as an opportunity to dispel several myths that have been floating around the blogosphere.

myth #1: This new partnership represents DHS mission creep.
Atkin:  We're both a Title 14 and a Title 10 service. In other words, we're both a military service and a law enforcement service at the same time at all times. We wear both hats and we've worn them --both hats -- for 218 years. So within the Coast Guard, we've always been participating in military operations as well as law enforcement operations. I really -- this is not really mission creep. We have a military mission. We have a counterterrorism mission. We have an anti- terrorism mission. And we also have a mission to conduct high-end specialized lawenforcement operations both in the Caribbean, western Pacific -- or I should say eastern Pacific -- as well as around the homeland to protect our folks. So what this does do is provides us better capability, increased competencies, more experience and greater knowledge to do the things that we're already doing today.
Myth #2: The Coast Guard will assign its SEALS to our southern border.
Atkin: I don't really see it as a threat. They're maritime experts, not land-based experts.
Atkin concluded the roundtable by saying, "It's been a great conversation. I'd love to do it again any time." Full Transcript and MP3 here.

Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2008
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Labels: by Jim Dolbow, Navy Seals





Unprecedented: Ways of business we likely would not have seen before
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

Modernization is not just about re-organizing the service or acquiring new platforms or tools. Modernization is also about becoming more transparent, opening up, and embracing learning and knowledge sharing. This message, about the Coast Guard's progress with the required environmental analysis for the modernization effort, is just one more example that things are changing, for the better.

Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2008
 5 comments
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, modernization



Friday, August 15, 2008

Admiral Allen on leadership, change, and blogs
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

Just a snippet from Admiral Allen's keynote address at the Florida Sterling Conference this past May.

This page contained an embedded video. Click here to view it.


The full video is here.

I will likely be post additional snippets over the next little bit.

Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008
 14 comments
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, Media





Breaking News: USCG Reservists Can Apply to Become U.S. Navy SEALS
Posted by Jim Dolbow

So said Read Admiral Tom Atkin, USCG, in today's DOD's Bloggers Roundtable about the new partnership between the USCG and U.S. Navy SEALS. In response to a fellow blogger's question, RADM Atkin said that reservists can submit a package to try-out for the Navy SEALS. Obviously, if selected, the reservist would have to pick up an Extended Active Duty contract since this is a lengthy assignment.

For those of you wondering, this post is labeled "Breaking News" because the application instructions said "Only active duty male personnel are eligible for this training."

To apply start here. Deadline is 15 September 2008.

More to follow. Lunch break is over..

Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008
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Labels: by Jim Dolbow, Navy Seals





Bringing Back Old News: Revisiting the 123s
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]
Standing at the Newport News railroad station earlier this week, I struck up a conversation with a gentleman who happened to be a retired DC. As we were talking the subject of the infamous 123’s came up. And he said something that I found quite intriguing.

From what he said, the 110’s have an installed halon firefighting system in the engine room. During the 123 upgrade the halon system was changed out for a CO2 system. He said that when he walked onto the first 123, he noticed right away a design flaw: installed CO2 systems require that hatches open outward so that someone who is trapped in the space when the CO2 goes off can get out. The space becomes pressurized and the air becomes unbreathable. If the hatches open inward, as they did, it would impede egress from the space.

When he pointed out the design flaw to his superiors, he was told that he hadn’t been brought to the boat to look for issues like that. They didn't want to hear about it.

I asked if the hatches had been corrected so that the were in compliance with requirements and specifications, and he said he wasn’t sure. He’d been on three of the 123’s, and each had the same problem.

Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008
 22 comments
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, Deepwater



Thursday, August 14, 2008

UAV Pilots: Who's got the joy stick?
Posted by Peter A. Stinson

[image]We’ve previously discussed the Coast Guard’s use of UAVs. Clearly, UAVs are headed to the Coast Guard. Whether they can be launched from a cutter is another issue; at the “worst” we’ll have land-based UAVs. Some UAVs can stay aloft for quite a while, and some have some decent legs, so land-based UAVs would certainly be a help, particularly in maintaining Maritime Domain Awareness.

Sandra Erwin has an interesting article in August’s National Defense: Cultures Collide: Drones in the military – Infatuation or true love? One of the primary points that Ms. Erwin raises is one that we’ve mentioned here previously merely as an aside: Who flies the UAV?

Notes Ms. Erwin,

The Air Force assigns only commissioned aviators with previous cockpit experience to fly the Predator and Global Hawk. And the service so far has been adamant that the practice continue. . . . the Air Force has been crediting UAV hours toward pilot’s flight pay calculations to improve both compensation and morale . . . In the Navy, Army and Marine Corps, drone pilots are often drawn from the enlisted ranks.
She also notes that the U.S. has also used civilian contractors to pilot UAVs.

What tack is the Coast Guard going to take? Will we contract out the piloting of land-based UAVs to some Beltway Bandit? Will we have enlisted members in a current rating pilot UAVs? Will we create a new rating, and bring back enlisted pilots? Will we have commissioned officers who are qualified pilots to man the joystick?

I suspect that we’ll have a mix. I could see land-based UAVs piloted by contractors. And, I could see us using enlisted members to pilot cutter-based craft, and perhaps even land-based UAVs.

Any of you gentle readers have either good gouge or good speculation? We’d love to hear it; comment below.

Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008
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Labels: by Peter Stinson, Deepwater

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