Reservist

ISS2 2013

Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Bi-monthly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security

Issue link: https://uscgreservist.epubxp.com/i/140140

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 7 of 55

The View from the Bridge Vice Admiral Robert C. Parker Commander, Atlantic Area I t is no small matter that The View from the Bridge for this edition of the Reservist is under dual authorship from both Area Commands. This same cooperation is inherent in the way we operate, under the banner of "Two Areas, One Operational Concept." While there are certainly some differences in the people, assets, and missions between the coasts, (Kodiak is obviously not the same operating environment as Key West), achieving consistent success in these environments requires a similar degree of collaboration and teamwork. The principle that undergirds this cooperative concept is the very same that fully integrates the contributions of the Reserve Component across the full spectrum of Coast Guard missions performed daily around the world. In today's austere fiscal environment, our reliance on the contributions of the Reserve has never been higher. We need only look to the very recent past to validate this fact, for when it comes to complex catastrophes and requests for forces, our nation has benefitted from a Coast Guard Reserve that was ready to answer the call. During the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the critical transportation node – the port of Port Au Prince, was rendered out of commission by a devastated infrastructure. Relief supplies were facing gridlock due to the constraints of the Port Au Prince International Airport. Since most of Haiti's international commerce travels by sea – not unlike the U.S., it was imperative to re-open the seaport. Working in support of U.S. Southern Command, over 118 reservists from multiple Port Security Units (PSU) formed up to answer the call on extremely short notice. They fully demonstrated the value of their bivouacked self-sufficiency, integrating with the Maritime Transportation Support Response Unit (MTSRU) to restore the time-critical flow of commerce into Port Au Prince. Less than four months later, the largest oil spill in U.S. history emerged with the explosion aboard the MODU Deepwater Horizon that would discharge over 200 million gallons of crude oil over a period of three months into the Gulf of Mexico. The ensuing response swelled to more than 47,000 responders, 6,500 vessel and 120 aircraft at its peak, numerically larger than the entire Coast Guard. As the mobilization period for involuntary call-up neared its expiration date, hundreds of reservists transitioned to Active Duty for Operational Support (ADOS) billets, filling key positions across the five-State response including liaison officers to each Governor, mayor and parish president along the Gulf Coast. 6 RESERVIST � Issue 2 • 2013 Vice Admiral Paul F. Zukunft Commander, Pacifc Area PSU 311 is currently standing the watch in Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), with PSU 301 on deck for an August relief as national policy pertaining to the GTMO detention camp remains open to debate. PSU 313 recently deployed to South Korea as part of the 10,000 forces participating in FOAL EAGLE at a time of extreme tensions with North Korea. This was the first deployment of the Generation IV, 32' Transportable Port Security Boats, supporting a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore proof of concept that was quite similar to the operation in Haiti, using floating piers to re-establish a port, except in this case in a much less temperate climate. Time and again, the Reserve has answered the call, showcasing operational excellence as in each of the missions mentioned above. Despite the fact that many reservists travel far and wide for their drill periods and do not enjoy the day-to-day camaraderie of our active duty units, their commitment to the Commandant's four guiding principles and our service's core values resonate with each and every member. In particular, our PSUs face daunting challenges when it comes to proficiency, working in an exclusively Title 10 rules of engagement environment that is unique to our otherwise Title 14 centric Coast Guard. A review of current readiness metrics is very encouraging. High operational and administrative readiness, the implementation of the Concept of Reserve Employment, and individual training and development plans compliance rates near 100% are the result of a great deal of effort. We need to continue to work towards maximizing our readiness posture. Earning and maintaining proficiencies required by our numbered plans will ensure our preparedness in responding to unthinkable disasters. And furthermore, a wellprepared Reserve Component will prove crucial when our service and nation require an agile response to unimaginable catastrophes which eclipse our deliberate planning capabilities. With the threat of hurricanes, floods, security incidents, marine casualties and mass migration or search and rescue cases always looming, our reservists must remain ready to rise to such challenges and keep an eye towards preparing for emerging threats in the Arctic and cyber domains. Operational excellence is the watch word for both Areas, whose missions extend literally around the globe. As your Area Commanders, we deeply appreciate the commitment of service before self, to readiness and proficiency demonstrated by our Reserve, which has been standing the watch for 72 years.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Reservist - ISS2 2013
subscribe to email alerts