Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Quarterly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security
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Wh A t W ill the future sh A pe of the rc look like? There are currently several studies being conducted to determine what the Coast Guard's requirements are for the RC to carry out the four mission sets defined by the Commandant in his 2015 decision memo. Accordingly, it would be inappropriate to forecast a detailed outcome at this time. However, there is no dispute that the RC mission sets defined in the Commandants decision memo and written into DCO's Strategic Planning Guidance will remain the same. The Reserve mission sets are: Defense Readiness, including Expeditionary Warfare requirements of the Port Security Units (PSU), as well as, commitments to Combatant Commanders and other joint commands; Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security (PWCS) with resources focused on responding to or recovering from threats to the Maritime Transportation System (MTS), including traditional boat forces and law enforcement capabilities; Incident Management and Response, focusing on obtaining the competencies required to respond to natural or man-made disasters including command and control (Incident Command System), interagency cooperation (e.g. Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officers to FEMA), marine safety and pollution response; and, Mission Support, including competencies necessary to support deployed forces found in traditional mission support rates (e.g. engineering rates, YNs, SKs) and specific support programs such as Legal and Public Affairs. These are not new missions. The RC has been performing Defense Readiness, PWCS, and Mission Support in one form or another since the RC was founded in 1941. The RC has been doing Contingency Response since the 1970's; the same era during which the Fire Service conceived of the Incident Command System. In 1972, Title 14 was changed to authorize involuntary active duty for Coast Guard reservists to respond to natural or man-made disasters. This authority was first used in 1973, to assist with flood operations in the Midwest. While we continue to improve in how we perform these missions, each of the assigned RC missions is one that the RC has traditionally performed and performed well. Further, the Reserve Force Readiness System, which includes RFRS Full Time Support staff elements at the Areas, the DOL, the Districts, the Sectors, the PSUs as well as the Senior Reserve Officers (SROs) and Senior Enlisted Reserve Advisors (SERAs), is a proven concept and a worthwhile Reserve Program investment. The RFRS system will will be improved through role clarification, but the role of SROs and SERAs is expected to remain. Changes in the shape of the force may require changes in the number of Full Time Support (FTS) personnel assigned to a specific unit. Additionally, as in the past where the PS rate was successfully converted to the ME rate, it might be the case that some rates are disestablished within the RC or converted to another rate. There are a number of factors involved when reviewing reserve ratings including mission-based requirements for that particular skill set, whether a healthy rating pyramid can be maintained in the RC, as well as reviews of past utilization and expectation for future utilization. Accordingly, this issue is being studied and it is too soon to project which rates may be impacted. It is also expected that our current review will further validate the Concept of Reserve Employment (CORE). Previous studies which served as the baseline for CORE remain valid as do Reserve enlisted competencies assigned on the PAL in accordance with the CORE. While the CORE ALCOASTS have expired, the CORE concept remains mostly valid and remains reflected in current assigned PAL competencies. Some changes to billet structure and assigned competencies have (as Force Managers tweak their PAL) and will continue to occur, and the competencies assigned within the PSU, Boat Forces, and Shore Forces construct will remain mostly valid with minor changes expected. Therefore, every RC member assigned a competency associated with their billet on the PAL should continue training toward obtaining and maintaining that competency. c urrent A ctivities of the rcfp WG Currently, the RCFPWG is conducting a review of the Shore Forces construct utilizing a combined sub-working group with membership from interested stake holders. Once this work is complete, it will be pushed out to the larger working group for review and approval. This work should be completed early in 2017. In addition, the working group will begin examining the Mission Support construct in January. Ultimately, the working group will report its proposed course of action to the RCFPWG Executive Steering Group (ESG) which includes Rear Admirals Servidio, Hinrichs, Pelkowski, McKinley, DeQuattro and Reserve Force MCPO Johnson. Those proposed courses of action are expected to be ready by Spring 2017. Following the ESG's review and approval, the recommendations on the future force will be briefed to the Global Force Management Board (GFMB). This brief is tentatively scheduled for May 2017. c urrent G uid A nce on MA n AG in G rc M e M bers W hile AWA itin G f uture f orce outco M es While we await the recommendations of the RCFPWG and the decisions of the ESG and GFMB, every Reservist, but especially those assigned to RFRS positions and those who manage the RC, should review the SPD and maintain a sharp focus on achieving assigned competencies. The SPD is and will continue to be the yearly strategic planning direction that guides the development of area, district, and unit strategic and tactical plans, including the employment of reservists within those plans. RC members with questions relating to the work of the RCFPWG should refer to their Reserve Forces Readiness System staff. The RFRS staff is comprised of the full time RFRS support staff located at the Areas, Districts, and outlaying field units. Senior Reserve Officers and Senior Enlisted Reserve Advisors are also critical SELRES links within the RFRS system. The Office of Reserve Affairs will continue to pass updates on the progress of the RCFPWG through the RFRS system through SRO and FTS conference calls and emails. Accordingly, these RFRS staff elements will continue to have the latest information on the RCFP System developments. Similarly, those assigned RFRS positions should use that system to brief questions or concerns up their chain of command and to seek resolution. � e d's n ote: Additional information and resources can be found at http://reserve.uscg.mil. Issue 1 • 2017 � RESERVIST 33