Editor’s Note: Media are asked to RSVP by no later than 7 a.m., Wednesday, with the Coast Guard Southeast District Public Affairs Office at 305-202-3735 or by emailing Southeastpublicaffairs@gmail.com in order to be authorized access to the Port Everglades facility. Interested media are requested to arrive by 8 a.m., Wednesday, with media credentials, a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance to be processed through port security.

MIAMI — The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to hold a press briefing, Wednesday, highlighting the offload of over 49,000 pounds of illicit cocaine worth more than $362 million at Port Everglades.

The offload is the result of 15 separate interdictions by the crews of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stone, with an embarked Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron aircrews and Tactical Law Enforcement Team-Pacific law enforcement detachment, and with the assistance of partner agencies during operations in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

WHO:  

• Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard
• Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency, Terry Cole
• Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Vice Adm. Nathan Moore
• Director of Joint Interagency Task Force South, Rear Adm. Jeffrey Randall
• U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, Gregory Kehoe
• Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Cutter Stone, Capt. Anne O’Connell

WHAT: Participating members will comment on and provide context for the Coast Guard’s maritime security and joint drug interdiction mission efforts to keep $362 million worth of illicit narcotics from reaching the United States.

WHERE: Berth 22, Port Everglades – 1800 SE 20th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316. The seaport can be accessed by:

Main entrance. Take I-595 East straight into the port (I-595 become Eller Drive once inside the Port). I-595 runs east/west with connections to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, U.S.1, I-95, State Road 7 (441), Florida’s Turnpike, Sawgrass Expressway and I-75.

Note:  Due to anticipated traffic associated with the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, media are encouraged to use the entrances at U.S. 1/State Road 84 and I-595 Eller Drive, to avoid the SE 17th Street Causeway entrance.

North entrance. Take U.S.1 or A1A to 17th Street Causeway in Fort Lauderdale and turn south at the streetlight onto Eisenhower Blvd. US1/Federal Highway entrance. At the intersection of State Road 84 East and U.S.1 (Federal Hwy.), turn east into the seaport.

WHEN: Wednesday, 9 a.m., Nov. 19.

Coast Guard imagery and b-roll of the drug offload will be published in a multimedia release after the press briefing.

USCGC Stone is a 418-foot national security cutter homeported in Charleston, South Carolina.

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.

More information about the U.S. Coast Guard can be found at www.uscg.mil Follow @USCG on X and Instagram, like us on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube and follow LinkedIn – connect with us.

Make a difference on land, at sea or in the air with the Coast Guard. Visit GoCoastGuard.com to find out how to be part of our team.

WASHINGTON – The Coast Guard announced Friday it exceeded its fiscal year 2025 (FY25) recruiting goals, achieving the highest accession numbers since 1991.

The Coast Guard accessed 5,204 active-duty enlisted service members in FY25, which was 121% of its FY25 target of 4,300. This success was the second year in a row that the Coast Guard met its active-duty enlisted recruiting goals after the Service brought in 4,422 new service members last year.

In addition to the success of the active-duty enlisted recruiting efforts, the Service commissioned 371 new officers, to achieve 101% of the overall goal. This represents the largest officer target achieved in recorded history.

In the reserve component, the Coast Guard accessed 777 reservists, which was 104% of the official target of 750. This was the third year in a row that the Coast Guard met its recruiting goals for the Coast Guard reserve.

To support these recruiting efforts, the Coast Guard opened 7 new recruiting offices in FY25. These offices are located in:

• Miami, Florida
• Los Angeles, California
• Long Island, New York
• Austin, Texas
• Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Davenport, Iowa

All enlisted members begin their Coast Guard careers at Training Center Cape May in Cape May, New Jersey, where they complete basic training to prepare for service. Officer accessions occur on board the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, where candidates are trained and commissioned for service as Coast Guard officers.

“The Coast Guard far exceeded our recruiting goals in Fiscal Year 2025, showing that more Americans want to serve in the Coast Guard than ever before,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard. “Thanks to our recruiters for their great success. We aren’t just growing – we are bringing in the best talent from across the United States and building the workforce of the future.”

These results align with the goals of Force Design 2028, a strategic initiative to modernize the Coast Guard’s workforce, enhance readiness and grow its military force by 15,000 members by FY28 to support fleet expansion and meet emerging mission demands.

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 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.

More information about the U.S. Coast Guard can be found at www.uscg.mil Follow @USCG on X and Instagram, like us on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube and follow LinkedIn – connect with us.

Make a difference on land, at sea or in the air with the Coast Guard. Visit GoCoastGuard.com to find out how to be part of our team.