The Coast Guard Compass has announced the issuance of an ALCOAST that provides initial information on the results of a “Stem to Stern” review of Deployable Specialized Forces and includes a link that provides the ALCOAST in pdf format. If you would rather not download the pdf, Ryan Erickson has provided the entire text of the ALCOAST at 1790.us.
Below are specific actions the Commandant listed to be taken:
A. I WILL SOON PROMULGATE THE DSF OPERATING CONCEPT AND SNMR CONOP. ONCE RELEASED, THE DSF OPERATING CONCEPT WILL DESCRIBE HOW DSF ARE ORGANIZED AND EMPLOYED IN SYNCHRONIZATION WITH OTHER FORCES TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSIONS, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE QHSR. THE SNMR CONOP WILL DESCRIBE HOW DSF WILL BE EMPLOYED IN SYNCHRONIZATION WITH OTHER FORCES TO MEET SHORT-NOTICE MARITIME THREATS TO THE U.S. B. I AM ENGAGED WITH AND BRIEFING DHS LEADERSHIP AND THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES ON THE INTEGRATION OF DSF INTO THE MARITIME TRIDENT OF FORCES UNDER THE OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL OF THE AREA COMMANDERS. THIS PLAN WILL ENSURE THAT EFFECTIVENESS OF FRONT LINE OPERATIONS IS FULLY SUSTAINED. THIS IS NOT A RETURN TO THE PAST, BUT A RECOGNITION THAT UNITY OF COMMAND DEMANDS THAT THE AREA COMMANDERS, AS SENIOR OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS, BE RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR LEADING, MANAGING AND EMPLOYING OPERATIONAL FORCES. THIS FOLLOWS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF SERVICE DOCTRINE. C. DCO SHALL PROMULGATE AND MANAGE POLICY, REQUIREMENTS AND CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT FOR DSF, CONSISTENT WITH HOW THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE MANAGED FOR ALL CG FORCES. D. DCMS SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CAPABILITY ACQUISITION AND PRODUCT LINE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINMENT SUPPORT THROUGH THE DCMS ENTERPRISE, CONSISTENT WITH HOW THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE MANAGED FOR ALL CG FORCES. FORCECOM AND SUBORDINATE UNITS, INCLUDING JMTC, SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DSF STANDARDIZATION, TTP/DOCTRINE DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND EVALUATION. JMTC WILL BECOME A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (COE) FOR DSF TO DEVELOP, ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN STANDARDIZATION, TRAINING AND PROFICIENCY OF DSF. THIS WILL INCLUDE CREATION OF A NEEDED HIGH-RISK TRAINING PROGRAM AND TRANSITION PRIMARILY TO COAST GUARD INSTRUCTORS. E. THE COAST GUARD WILL ESTABLISH A SECOND ENHANCED TEAM (MSRT) ON THE WEST COAST, DRAWN FROM EXISTING DSF RESOURCES. THE ENHANCED TEAMS WILL CONSIST OF COAST GUARDSMEN WHO HAVE ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY AND EXPERIENCE FROM PRIOR ASSIGNMENTS TO OTHER DSF UNITS. THE ENHANCED TEAMS SHALL CONDUCT OPERATIONS TO COMBAT TERRORISM, ENGAGE IN INTERDICTION, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND ADVANCED TACTICAL MARITIME SECURITY OPERATIONS TO ADDRESS KNOWN OR POTENTIALLY ARMED SECURITY THREATS, INCLUDING NONCOMPLIANT ACTORS AT SEA, AND PARTICIPATE IN HOMELAND SECURITY, HOMELAND DEFENSE, AND COUNTERTERRORISM EXERCISES IN THE MARITIME ENVIRONMENT. F. MSSTS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS WITH PROFICIENT WATERSIDE SECURITY SECTIONS TO MEET EMERGENT AND PLANNED MISSION REQUIREMENTS. SIMILARLY, NATIONAL STRIKE FORCE, TACLETS, PSUS AND REGIONAL DIVE LOCKERS WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DEPLOYABLE, SPECIALIZED CAPABILITIES TO ENSURE OUR OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS AND INTERAGENCY PARTNERS HAVE THE CAPABILITIES NEEDED TO MEET THE NATIONS MARITIME RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS. G. DCO SHALL IMMEDIATELY CHARTER AND LEAD A DSF STS IMPLEMENTATION TEAM (I-TEAM) TO EXECUTE THESE DECISIONS AND WAY FORWARD. H. PERSONNEL SUPPORT COMMAND (PSC) SHALL ESTABLISH A SELECTION AND SCREENING PROCESS FOR CERTAIN DSF BILLETS, TO INCLUDE CENTRALIZED SCREENING BY PSC-OPM FOR ALL DSF COMMANDING OFFICER POSITIONS. THIS FOLLOWS MY BROADER DIRECTION THAT PSC-OPM PREPARE AND CONDUCT CENTRALIZED SCREENING OF CANDIDATES FOR ALL COMMANDING OFFICER POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE, STARTING AFTER AY12. I. PSC-EPM WILL IMPLEMENT 6 YEAR TOUR LENGTHS FOR ENLISTED BILLETS AT SELECT DSF UNITS THAT REQUIRE SUSTAINED PROFICIENCY IN ADVANCED TACTICAL OPERATIONS. J. THE COAST GUARD WILL IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TACTICAL FLOTATION AND BUOYANCY WORKING GROUP, INCLUDING STANDARDIZING THE TACTICAL OPERATOR EQUIPMENT KIT (INCLUDING MAXIMUM WEIGHT) AND ADOPT A STANDARD AUTO-MANUAL SELECTABLE TACTICAL FLOTATION SURVIVAL SYSTEM FOR DSF UNITS.
