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Commandant's Holiday Message |
 The holiday season is upon us. It is the time of year we reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. This year was one of the most successful in Coast Guard history, and I am confident that 2007 will be no different.
Each of you has a reason to be proud of your contributions, not only to the Coast Guard, but also to your community and the nation. All of you, from the north Arabian Gulf to the Great Lakes, are vital to the safety and security of all americans. You save lives, defend our nation, protect our environment and preserve our way of life. You are America's maritime guardians, and America depends on your courage, your strength and your dedication. I Am incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to lead our Coast Guard during these challenging times.
The new year also marks a time of renewal. I resolve to lead the Coast Guard through one of the most important periods of transformation that we have ever seen. Through a laser-like focus on mission execution, we will develop and implement a number of critical organizational changes and enhancements. These will optimize our ability to serve the American people in the performance of our maritime safety, security and stewardship missions. As we improve the way we manage and support those missions, I will continue to keep you informed of our progess. I Thank you for your confidence in me and our senior leadership to do what needs to be done for the Coast Guard and the American people.
As you make plans to spend well-earned time with friends and family this holiday season, I also ask that you remember our fellow service members deployed overseas and throughout the United States. They are sacrificing time with their loved ones to stand the watch to help preserve America's safety and security. I am extremely proud of each of you. Be safe in all that you do, at work and at home, and take care of your shipmates.
Pam and I wish you and your family a happy and healthy Holiday Season and best wishes for a successful New Year. Semper Paratus!
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Coast Guard Raises Ire of Congress |
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Washington — The Coast Guard withheld from Congress warnings raised more than two years ago by its chief engineer about structural design flaws in its new National Security Cutter, a $564 million ship now near completion in Mississippi, Democrats and Republicans said in interviews this week.
The lack of full disclosure about that and other problems in the Coast Guard's $24 billion modernization effort, known as Deepwater, has created a credibility gap that some members of Congress say now jeopardizes the endeavor.
“The Coast Guard clearly does not understand that transparency and accountability are essential to a program of this magnitude,” said Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, the chairwoman of the Senate panel that oversees the service's operations.
Snowe and other congressional leaders said they were unaware until this past week that the Coast Guard's chief engineer, Rear Adm. Erroll Brown, had written in March 2004 to the Coast Guard official in charge of the Deepwater program, Rear Adm. Patrick M. Stillman, to warn him that the design for the National Security Cutter had “significant flaws” and that construction should not begin until they were addressed.
“Importantly, several of these problems compromise the safety and viability of the hull, possibly resulting in structural failure,” said the letter, a copy of which was posted on The New York Times Web site last Saturday as part of reporting on the Deepwater project.
Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., who heads the House panel that oversees the Coast Guard budget, said the lack of full disclosure was distressing.
“Withholding information leads to poor decisions for the nation, as we are witnessing now with this cutter modernization initiative,” Rogers said.
Coast Guard officials said Wednesday that they have tried to keep Congress fully informed about progress on the Deepwater project, which is replacing or rebuilding almost all of the service's ships, planes and helicopters. “The Coast Guard takes very seriously its obligation to keep its authorizers and appropriators informed,” a spokesman, Cmdr. Jeffrey Carter, said.
Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., said the shortcomings in the Deepwater program are so severe that the contract should be terminated. Two military contractors, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, were hired in 2002 to design the ships, build them and oversee most of the other project details.
“This has now threatened our national security,” said Filner, the ranking Democrat on the House panel that oversees the Coast Guard. “After four years and billions of dollars, we have nothing to show for it.”
Washington
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Aboard the CGC Midgett, Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Lothrop stands an early morning watch on the decks of the CGC Midgett while underway in the Indian Ocean, Dec 10, 2006. Midgett, a 378-foot high endurance cutter homeported in Seattle is currently deployed in the Indian Ocean in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Mariana O'Leary.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 December 2006 )
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Once a Chief
Always a Chief
In respect for those who have gone before us and as a guide for those who follow.
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All members please read information concerning the proposed changes to the National Board of Directors restructioning and give your comments to Chapter president
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