USCGC BERTHOLF (WMSL-750) at Base Alameda
Below is a news release. It announces a Request for Information (RFI).
Seems to have a very short fuse. They are accepting responses to this RFI only until Dec. 8, 2025.
Occurs to me, Base Alameda was once used to be a Boot Camp. It might not be too difficult to make it one again and I believe it has some of the facilities referred to already. There is space for construction and it might be possible to get additional land if required from Oakland.
Coast Guard solicits potential locations for additional training center
WASHINGTON — The United States Coast Guard, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, announced a Request for Information (RFI) and market research to identify prospective locations for an additional training center Monday.
The Coast Guard is conducting market research to identify facilities across the country that can be used to support projected service growth of up to 15,000 personnel. To address existing training space deficits and secure infrastructure to support increased throughput for recruit training, minimum requirements for a potential training center are defined as follows:
- Lodging for 1,200 recruits
- A dining facility capable of seating 400 personnel
- A medical facility to support 1,000 personnel (minimum 200 medical encounters and 200 dental encounters per day)
- 14 classrooms sized to accommodate 30-60 students
- An auditorium with a capacity of 500+ students
- A pool with 6 lanes, 25 yards in length, and a minimum depth of 4 feet
- A multipurpose gymnasium/athletic/sports facility suitable for sitting 1,200 personnel
- Office space for 400 staff members
- A land area of 150-250 acres
- Proximity to a small commercial service or larger airport within 30 miles
Through the RFI, the Coast Guard released screening and evaluation criteria to evaluate those locations eligible for consideration. The Coast Guard is providing communities meeting the screening criteria an opportunity to submit potential candidate locations by responding to the RFI at SAM.gov. The Coast Guard is accepting responses to this RFI until Dec. 8, 2025. Additional information regarding the RFI and market research, including location criteria, is available at the Coast Guard’s Force Design 2028 website. Potential candidates will receive additional information from the Coast Guard as part of the assessment process, based on the approved requirements and evaluation criteria.
Earlier this year, Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, announced Force Design 2028 the Coast Guard’s bold blueprint for change to ensure the service is ready for the challenges of the future. By focusing on four campaigns – people, organization, contracting and acquisition, and technology – Force Design 2028 is transforming how the Coast Guard operates and shaping a more agile, capable and responsive fighting force. Growing Coast Guard end strength by up to 15,000 is a cornerstone of this transformation.
For media inquiries, contact mediarelations@uscg.mil.
About the U.S. Coast Guard
With more than 95,000 miles of shoreline, 25,000 miles of navigable rivers and 4.5 million square miles of U.S. exclusive economic zone, the U.S. Coast Guard defends the Nation, protects the marine transportation system, regulates and safeguards ports and waterways, leads the Nation in maritime drug interdiction and secures the maritime border. As a member of the joint force, a law enforcement organization, a regulatory agency and a member of the U.S. intelligence community, the Coast Guard employs a unique mix of authorities to ensure the safety and integrity of the maritime domain to protect the economic and national security of the nation. The more than 76,000 members of the Coast Guard operate a multi-mission, interoperable fleet of more than 220 cutters, 185 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, 1,300 boats and its own dedicated cyber command to protect critical maritime infrastructure.
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Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
Maybe they can repurpose an old college that closed and convert it to another training center
The force is growing and the training pipeline must too. Perhaps an Orlando Bootcamp that serves both USCG and USN who also has a growing fleet and needs to grow the pipeline as well. We (USN) once had three bootcamps (San Diego, Orlando, Great Lakes) of which only one still remains . . . supporting a fleet that is 1/2 the size of the ‘600 Ship Navy’ that is growing too.
Kill two birds with one stone and make Basic Training (first four weeks) synonymous for both…then break them out.
Alameda has been converted to too many other uses over the last 40 years to go back to a Training Command.
I loved being assigned there. Gym and great places to run.
But it has been 34 years since I retired.
Off topic. I love these Damen 5009s. https://www.marinelog.com/news/netherlands-coast-guard-to-deploy-chartered-in-damen-fcs-enforcer/
As you probably know the Webber class WPCs and the Marine Protector class WPBs are also Damen designs.
nice idea, but CG Island is 67 acres and already mostly full- they’re looking for 150-250 acres. But a prefect location would be the old Alameda Navy base which still has a ton of undeveloped land. This could potentially have a lot of advantages- fix up and expand existing CG housing at that end of Alameda and could even leverage the old MSC piers over by Hornet for overflow NSC moorage. Many other advantages- proximity to PAC Area and Petaluma, central location on West Coast, etc.
Singing River Island down in Pascagoula might work. It would probably be cheap, and there is already a USCG facility there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Pascagoula
I agree with Nicky that a defunct college campus would probably be ideal.