Coast Guard Commandant Gives Hint of Emerging Policies at DC Propeller Club Meeting

Coast Guard Commandant ADM Thad Allen addressed the Propeller Club in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. His talk, centering generally on the Coast Guard's Marine Safety program, gave real indications as to the direction the nation’s fifth, uniformed and armed branch will go in the months and years ahead. The past nine months have not been easy ones for the Coast Guard, the leaders of which have faced intense scrutiny over the failures of the Deepwater recapitalization program and now the perceived shortcomings of their marine safety and regulatory oversight responsibilities.

During his address, Allen gave away few real details of his plans for the future overhaul of the Coast Guard’s marine safety missions. Today, he said, the Coast Guard ensures the safety of maritime transportation and commerce through a layered, interwoven system of authorities, compliance, collaboration, enforcement and public dialogue. The unprecedented growth of the maritime industry in terms of both emerging technologies and numbers of working platforms has not only taxed the system currently in place, but have also exponentially increased their workload with the added security threats from abroad. These dynamics lead to a greater demand for Coast Guard marine safety services and call for a renewed focus on this core Coast Guard mission.

In explaining the way forward, Allen told his industry audience that the Coast Guard had taken steps to improve this system, but also acknowledged that much more must be done. He also said that he was directing the development of a strategy that provides a vision and roadmap for improving the effectiveness, consistency and responsiveness of the Coast Guard Marine Safety program to promote safe, secure and environmentally sound maritime commerce. Through this policy, he hopes to reinvigorate industry partnerships, improve mariner credentialing services, bolster inspector and investigator capacity, improve technical competencies and expand rulemaking capability to ensure that current and future industry needs are met. He vowed that the Coast Guard would develop metrics to continually assess the progress towards achieving marine safety goals and objectives.

The Coast Guard’s new strategy, which Allen says will be developed in consultation with industry partners, will include specific actions (some of which it claims are already underway) to improve marine safety mission effectiveness:

1. Improve Marine Safety Capacity, Competency and Performance

• Increase marine inspector and investigator capacity.
• Strengthen marine inspection and investigation consistency through addition of civilian positions.
• Increase accessions from U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and maritime institutions.
• Strengthen Marine Safety career paths.
• Expand professional Marine Safety training and education.
• Expand opportunities for maritime industry training.
• Enhance engineering capacity for plan review, policy and standards development.

2. Enhance Service Delivery to Mariners and Industry Customers

• Establish Centers of Excellence.
• Improve information technology systems.
• Increase rulemaking capacity to meet regulatory implementation.
• Improve credentialing through greater efficiency, transparency and capacity.

3. Expand Outreach and Advisory Mechanisms for Industry and Communities

• Establish Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship.
• Establish a national council of maritime advisors for the Commandant.
• Exercise leadership at international, national, regional, state, and local safety, security, and environmental committees.

Allen used a metaphor for future improvements -- attributed to Capt. Frank Sturm on staff at CGHQ -- during his remarks before the Propeller Club. In clear reference to U.S. Representative Jim Oberstar's (D-MN) recent proposal to remove some regulatory missions of the Coast Guard, he said, “The Coast Guard's collection of safety, security and stewardship missions are like a tightly-knitted textile, valued for its protective durability and light weight. The Coast Guard fabric draws its strength from the interlocking fibers of safety, security and stewardship (environmental protection), all fastened closely and firmly together. When the fabric is woven tight, it provides strength and support beyond the collective weight and durability of the independent threads. Separate the fibers, and the fabric unravels, weakens and fails to protect.”

Wednesday’s remarks gave Allen’s audience a hint of what is to come. The Coast Guard’s opposition to Rep. Oberstar’s proposal is well known. Whether this -- and its new program to improve service -- will be enough to satisfy those who will someday decide on the size and breadth of the Coast Guard’s future mission mix is not yet clear. The task will not, however, be easy, nor will it be a quick fix. It could also be expensive. Although funding for the Coast Guard has markedly increased, it is arguably not keeping pace with its expanded mission portfolio.

In August, ADM Allen testified at a hearing sponsored by the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. That hearing, which centered on “Challenges Facing the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Program,” also saw a host of industry executives testify about the shortcoming of Coast Guard performance. House committee members asked for a detailed explanation of what the Coast Guard would do in response to these problems and promised that they would hold Allen to a deadline in providing that advice. That document is due in October. What it says will almost certainly determine the direction of marine safety regulation in this country for the next generation, and beyond.

You know, I sure hope that the presentation has more meat to it than these comments. Though this article has probably lost something in the process, I still see a more traditional path (SSDD) and if this is the path, then it will take at least five years to reach levels that will have a noticable impact. I know that is reality, the committee will also perceive this reality, but I don't think it will do. Some of the verbage of the article smacks of past policy failures. I guess we'll wait and see, the testimony is to be given in two weeks, right?

quote:

Originally posted by Big_one:
You know, I sure hope that the presentation has more meat to it than these comments. Though this article has probably lost something in the process, I still see a more traditional path (SSDD) and if this is the path, then it will take at least five years to reach levels that will have a noticable impact. I know that is reality, the committee will also perceive this reality, but I don't think it will do. Some of the verbage of the article smacks of past policy failures. I guess we'll wait and see, the testimony is to be given in two weeks, right?

Most industry folks I know have a much longer institutional memory than does the CG-- they'll see through anything they see as posturing from a mile away.

I'm with you. Looking forward to the testimony.

tacio, since your profile is private, I can't interpret your experience level. By saying past policy failures I was infering that CG leadership has their own agenda or focus. ADM Yost's was for a more military focus. I believe that it was the late ADM Kime that did the TQM thing. Each one went their own way. In fact, I think that it was ADM Kime, or maybe it was ADM Loy that did the Work/Life Program that sent every active duty Coastie a custom printed binder, to put various information concerning the area that your next PCS transfer was located. That must have cost a bunch of money and man hours. It went away upon their relief, just like TQM did.

My point was to take a look at past trip hazards, avoid the bumps and TALK to the customer to see what they need before formulating a plan. The comments given above are pretty nebulous, covering issues and corrective measures that have been identified many times in the past, but no substantial or more importantly LONG LASTING AND CONSISTENT policies were establish or acted upon with any attempt at consistency throughout the "M" units in the field.

I looked at the current issue of the Waterways Journal today, and their summary of the Admirals comments were significantly different in their perception of what was said to the DC Propeller Club. The AWO did not and has not offered supporting testimony for the CG to the Committee purposely to speak with leadership and putting several issues on the table to be addressed by the "M" staff before they offer favorable commentary.

The Navy is not "another option", since they do not have authority to enforce laws and regulations, unless marshall law is declared and the military is free to do so. The only other option is to authorize/create a new department, or a new division of... say, Commerce or back to Transportation. It won't go back to Treasury though. The LE missions maybe, but those aren't being scrutinize right now. Being retired now, it isn't my duty to support the service anymore... it is my pride in the service that drives my support now.

I just don't think that SSDD verbage is going to fly before the Oberstar gang. The saber rattling of the past isn't going to cut it. I like ADM Allen, I've sailed with him in the past. He is a dynamic personality who is a very effective administrator and manager. But he is no little dutch boy and different programs keep springing leaks and shedding/spreading discontent. Lets just say I'm pretty concerned as a retired Coastie and as a Industry representative.

Isn't there an expression that goes like this ...

"(Hu)mankind will fall before pride (and in this particular
case, before prejudice) goes..." I've removed the -eth in
favor of less-stilted speech.

The Coast Guard must adapt to changes in mission and direction.
The Coast Guard is certainly not immune to failure from time to
time, but during my 30 years, it was better than most other
services or federal agencies at adapting and overcoming.

Admiral Allen is a superb leader, but he is not G-d.
He cannot overcome diffidence, inconsistency, and learned
prejudices within the ranks (based on where they lived
and reflecting the values and social biases from where they
came).

Even at my best, I never was NEAR as stellar as Vince Patton or
Admiral Allen on their off-days.

Semper Paratus!

Mark L.

Mark,

Who said that the CG doesn't do things far better than other agencies or the Department of Defense? That they excelled in New Orleans during Katrina is because of these principles. ADM Allen was there to provide a much needed boost in leadership, getting out there with the troops. No doubts. And this is only the most recent example.

What is happening is the service is being called on the carpet concerning a couple of disturbing issues. The Deepwater project and the new class of cutter, the Baltimore Times article concerning Judge Ingolia's issues, the Congressional Transportation committee of Senator Oberstar doubting the capability of the CG to sustain their legacy Marine Safety missions.

Were does Vince Patton enter the picture? Did he not retire at the same time the President of ABS Americas (Opps, I meant ADM Kramek) retire? Oh, about five years before these issues were raised? Since the short coming in the Inspections field began to surface in this time frame, I would think that those two would be, if not the source then they would have perpetuated the problem.

This is also the time frame that the Training Port concept was eliminated. Isn't that one of the suggested innovations that ADM Allen wants to put back on the table as a corrective measure? Seems ironic, eh? A pretty quick full circle. An awful lot hinges on his testimonial reply, like I said above industry wants more just like congress does. They are the customer. Their satisfaction won't hinge on pride or prejudice, indiffidence (?), inconsistency, values or social biases. They want consistency and results. If that testimony follows traditional retoric, then even though it may have the best intentions, you may just see a disaster in the making.

Mark,

Who said that the CG doesn't do things far better than other agencies or the Department of Defense? That they excelled in New Orleans during Katrina is because of these principles. ADM Allen was there to provide a much needed boost in leadership, getting out there with the troops. No doubts. And this is only the most recent example.

What is happening is the service is being called on the carpet concerning a couple of disturbing issues. The Deepwater project and the new class of cutter, the Baltimore Times article concerning Judge Ingolia's issues, the Congressional Transportation committee of Senator Oberstar doubting the capability of the CG to sustain their legacy Marine Safety missions.

Were does Vince Patton enter the picture? Did he not retire at the same time the President of ABS Americas (Opps, I meant ADM Kramek) retire? Oh, about five years before these issues were raised? Since the short coming in the Inspections field began to surface in this time frame, I would think that those two would be, if not the source then they would have perpetuated the problem.

This is also the time frame that the Training Port concept was eliminated. Isn't that one of the suggested innovations that ADM Allen wants to put back on the table as a corrective measure? Seems ironic, eh? A pretty quick full circle. An awful lot hinges on his testimonial reply, like I said above industry wants more just like congress does. They are the customer. Their satisfaction won't hinge on pride or prejudice, indiffidence (?), inconsistency, values or social biases. They want consistency and results. If that testimony follows traditional retoric, then even though it may have the best intentions, you may just see a disaster in the making