http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-7364--2-2--.html

When sudden political or humanitarian events force the a federal response that cannot be sustained, should the CG or Homeland Security create a reserve fleet for immediate deployment?
This fleet of privately commissioned vessels can serve as observers and rescuers using a WHEC or WMEC as a mothership. Economically, it may be less expensive to deploy 10 yachts than coducting random airflights. This small boat fleet can stay on station when the mothership enters port for whatever reason.

For those in the know, is a reserve fleet being considered in light of possible future budget constraints?

""The director for the country's national migration office, Jeanne Bernard Pierre, said since the food crisis, her agency has received more repatriated Haitian boat people in a week than it used to receive in a month or more.

"We have received 212 repatriated last week, we have just received 227 and we are receiving 114 tomorrow," Pierre told Reuters on Tuesday.

"It is clear that more boat people have been leaving the country and you should expect even more if they cannot find an alternative," said Pierre, who urged the government and the international community to set up programs to ease the plight of the poorest and most vulnerable.

The US Coast Guard has intercepted 972 Haitian migrants at sea since October 1, compared with 376 during the same period last year. But the numbers typically fluctuate and it's impossible to link any spike in the numbers to any one event such as the recent food riots, Coast Guard Petty Officer Barry Bena said.

"It peaks at certain points and there's months on end when we get no Haitian vessels at all," he said.""

RBruce:

Not a bad idea, but where are you going to keep the fleet, who is going to maintain the fleet, and for how long? In your proposal, you are still using a cutter. I would think, however, that in the type of plan you have suggested you would need more than one cutter and then you are back to the same problem of do you have assetts. Historically, these large rushes of people last more than a few days. If history is correct, yachts may not be big enough to handle the amount of people if it is a large rush of people: you need larger more stable platforms.

Just my 2 cents worth.

For short term, like one day or less, surge operations that are scheduled in advance the Auxiliary may be able to help. The boats might be better as spotter boats and not take refugees onboard unless absolutely necessary, maybe carrying some inflatable rafts in case of emergency where the migrants have to abandon ship - or as has happened many times before, the ship abandons the migrants by sinking or capsizing.

As I recall Haitians grab every boat that will float and many grab piece's of wood. Anything that will float. The country is very poor.

They don’t have enough to qualify for poor, what little food left in Haiti is so over priced they are baking dirt in the sun to eat.

Question: Would you have the CG reserve or active duty guys man this reserve fleet? The reserves would be the obvious first thought. However, the training for ship operations is a far cry from the boat ops that most reservists get trained in...just my first thought upon reading this one. Good idea though.

During the Mariel Boatlift of 1980, there was a limited involuntary reserve call up. If I remember correctly, the reserves were not used on the cutters. I could be wrong on that, will have to look at the info again. Believe many were used on boats, but not the cutters.

To follow-up on the use of yachts and even Aux. craft, there would be a great danger of overloading. The use as spotters and, as mentioned, throwing out rafts might be of some help. Most Haitians can not swim, so small pleasure craft would have to be very wary of panic-stricken people in the water trying to grab onto anything.

Although not on the "fleet" scale, the CG has tried this in the past. The USCGC VINDICATOR was a TAGOS (I believe) on loan and crewed by a an all TAD crew for the migrant surges of the mid 90's.

Also keep in mind that the CG isn't the only game in town for these contingencies. SOUTHCOM is the CC for this area and has the resources of NAVSOUTH (soon the be 4'th fleet)to pull from.

Could the CG time charter unused offshore crew/supply boats to be manned by merchant mariners with reserve orders? There are many idle service boats that be quickly deployed. Paying the charter would be an economic lift to Gulf Coast ports.

The question then becomes who crews the craft and the legalities of private citizens bringing in undocumented migrants. Hate to sound like a lawyer, but you must also look at the LE aspects of any operation dealing with migrants. If the boats are to be crewed by USCG people, then it again comes back to does the service have the human resources to do this? The use of the other services in this type of operation is also tricky. Largely the U.S. Navy has been used in 1965, 1980, and 1993-94. In the 1993-94 time period, all the services were used in support of the USCG. Remember, however, the other services may be stretched in other locations.

RBruce you pose interesting questions and I am not an expert on this, but I have come to see and understand some of the problems the leadership must face in handling undocumented migrants.