Status of Senior Service School Program



`Purpose: CCG has been asked to provide a “USCG Perspective” at the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Flag (CFMCC) Course. The course is designed to “develop a network of leaders, focused on the operational level, in support of cooperation in the theater, oriented toward maritime security.” The 5 themes for this course are humanitarian assistance, maritime security operations, migration, pandemic, and combating illicit trafficking. Audience: Class size is expected to be 22-25, with the majority being Navy 1-stars although representatives from all military services and the state department are invited. Also, flag level attendees from the following are also expected: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, France, Jamaica, Netherlands, Peru, and Panama. Key Themes: Relevancy of CG Authorities in the 21st Century.Building Stronger Maritime PartnershipsWHEM, MTS/Cyber, Preparedness & Response noting Rising Sea Levels, Securing Maritime BordersDuration: 75 minutes allotted. Recommend robust Q&A. SLIDE 1: TITLE SLIDE [Extemporaneous Welcome / Shift quickly to slide 2]SLIDE 2: 21st CENTURY SEAPOWERLast month I was in Newport, Rhode Island for the 22nd International Seapower Symposium. More than 100 nations were represented through their navies and coast guards.Let me tell you what we were talking about: Drug Trafficking Organizations. Piracy. Human Trafficking. Mass Migration. Illegal Fishing. Cyber Threats. The global Maritime Transportation System. Pandemic. Rising Sea Levels.The United States Coast Guard is a unique agency. We are, at all times, [1] a military service, [2] a law enforcement agency, [3] a humanitarian and disaster response organization. [4] We are charged to secure our ports and coastal waterways, [5] we regulate industry to facilitate commerce through our maritime transportation system. And finally, [6] we are a member of the intelligence community. As we carry out our wide array of civil and military responsibilities, we touch almost every facet in the maritime environment. So, those major topics we discussed at ISS? The threats that face our nation’s today? They fall squarely in the Coast Guard’s wheelhouse. We use our capabilities and authorities to combat these threats in a way that complements our DoD counterparts.But really the most important tool in our toolbox is our partnerships. In today’s world of constrained resources and rapidly shifting complex matters, no one can do it alone. The theme of ISS this year was building “stronger maritime partners.” We were doing there, exactly what you are doing here. And it could not be more important. I cannot overstate the value of building a network… Enhancing cooperation… Actually getting to know one another on a personal level… Because a nation that chooses to combat these global threats alone is a nation ready to lose. SLIDE 3: COMBATING CRIMINAL NETWORKSAs you all well know, right now we are experiencing historic levels of cocaine movement. I’m talking about a global criminal enterprise worth over $750B that is a direct threat to the security of every nation represented here today… We are talking about the stability of our region. This illicit drug flow wreaks havoc in our hemisphere. Violence reigns as transnational criminal organizations terrorize innocent civilians. And if the commodity was not drugs, it could be weapons… or modern day slaves… or terrorists… or desperate people looking for a better life. These criminal networks threaten the rule of law in our region. So, with many of our partners sitting in this room, the Coast Guard has doubled down in this campaign. And we are seeing record removals. In FY16, our new NSC's alone removed nearly 39MT of cocaine worth an estimated $1.2 billion. And that’s not based on cold hits like in years past. We are working with solid intelligence that is driving our operations – putting our assets on target. But we are barely holding the line. This needs to be a campaign on all fronts. And it is a campaign that we will not back down from. To walk away is to condone. And we do not condone. SLIDE 4: SECURING MARITIME BORDERSOne of your themes for this course is migration… Today, the world is seeing the biggest flow of migration since the 1940s. And many of these people are taking to sea to flee their country… their home… a home that many times has become crime ridden and dangerously unstable. In the past two years, over 100K unaccompanied children arrived at our border after they fled their homes in search of safe haven. While this mission is of course about securing our borders and national security, it is first and foremost our humanitarian responsibility to prevent the loss of life at sea. The majority of migrant vessels are dangerously overloaded and unseaworthy. And this is also a trade rampant with abuse and human trafficking. Criminals - dealing in the trade of human lives. And let’s not forget. The United States is a nation of migrants… Sealing our borders is not the way to do this. As I look at just our hemisphere – the abyss between the have and have nots is growing ever wider. Migration is a symptom. If we want to cure the symptom we must address the cause.So there is no question this too is not a short term problem; it’s generational and we must look long term in order to reconcile the push pull factors behind migration. SLIDE 5: MTS / FACILITATING COMMERCE / CYBERThe term “maritime security,” another of your themes, is one with many facets… one facet includes our mission to ensure a safe and secure Maritime Transportation System.When asked the number one threat to our national security, Admiral Mike Mullins, the 17th Chairman of our Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was our nation’s debt. To bring this home for the U.S. represented in this room: It is predicted that by 2021, our government will spend more on servicing our debt – on interest - than on our entire national defense budget! While Admiral Mullins was referring specifically to the U.S., all of our nations are servicing a national debt. And the global maritime transportation system is figuratively the lifeblood of the world’s economy – in the U.S. alone it is worth $4.5 trillion annually. So, facilitating our global MTS is about the security of our nations. And it is maritime security. Yet despite the incredible economic impact of the Maritime Transportation System, it, ironically, seems to garner little attention – until there is a problem that is. But it has the Coast Guard’s attention.So, while yes, the CG is the Federal Maritime Security Coordinator where we lead the coordination of all maritime security planning and operations in our waterways to prevent or respond to attacks. More than that - on a daily basis the U.S. Coast Guard is out there. We inspect, examine, and credential vessels, facilities, and crews to facilitate global maritime commerce. It’s one of our vital missions. Because if our nation’s debt is our number one threat to our national security - our MTS is a life-raft. Even in the U.S. our resources are strained – making partnerships all the more important… for instance, the growing demand for grain in the global markets means we are seeing a significant increase in traffic on our rivers. We’ve been seeing 50+ barge tows (with a footprint the size of a Nimitz class aircraft carrier) loaded with grain. An incident could shut down a vital artery. In the U.S. we are able to delegate many of our inspection functions to third party organizations – partners that are truly force multipliers. In short, the name of the game is resiliency. And the Coast Guard must be responsive to ever shifting markets. Not long ago it was fuel… today it’s grain… the Coast Guard needs to be nimble to ensure we don’t hinder commerce. So that we remain always a facilitator for a safe and secure MTS.And just throw cyber into the mix – with Moore’s law and the implications of rapidly changing technology in the maritime industry – we definitely have our hands full. But be sure, when we talk about “Maritime Security” we are talking about securing our economy as much as anything else. And keeping the MTS flowing is essential to that.SLIDE 6: DISASTER RESPONSEJust like Admiral Tidd discussed, my attention was recently focused on readying for the most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Katrina. In the U.S. we were fortunate. But I am painfully aware that it might not have worked out that way.Matthew completely pummeled Haiti. Hundreds of lives lost. Homes destroyed. Crops and livestock wiped out. And now they face the continued spread of cholera.But in tragedy, we come together. We are a global society - no doubt. And that is never more apparent than in the wake of tragedy. Given my nearly 40 years of service, I know one thing for certain: the next big event is coming. It will push our limits. So we must be ready to rise to the occasion – and knowing your counterparts, your partners, is key.And when I say “big event” – indications are that hurricanes and tropical storms will become even more intense — lasting longer, unleashing stronger winds, and causing more damage than before…SLIDE 7: RISING SEA LEVELIndeed, when I look at our role in facilitating maritime commerce… disaster response… securing our nation’s ports and borders… It’s all framed with our future in mind… a future with more intense storms… rising sea levels… Changes we must get ready for today.Just last August, I visited the Jakobshavn Glacier in Greenland. It’s a glacier that has retreated over 25 miles in only the last 5 years or so. It’s the “canary in the coal mine” for sea level rise… There are a number of estimates related to exactly how much sea level may rise in the next 20, 50, 100 years. But as you can see by this slide, it will impact us all. Sea level rise is already displacing populations. The Inupiat Eskimos of Shishmaref, Alaska, who have lived in their village for over 400 years, voted to leave their home. And looking west to the low-lying pacific island nations of Solomon Islands, Kiribati [qer i bas], Marshall Islands… they are equally at risk. Given even a conservative estimate for the rise in sea level, coupled with a decent storm surge like that from Matthew, and countless communities by the sea could be devastated.If we don’t factor in rising sea levels in our planning – from infrastructure decisions to disaster preparedness – we miss the mark. If our goal is resilience – readiness – all these changes must be factored in.And, these changes are not limited to rising sea levels and more intense storms.Another area I have my eye on is the shifts and declines we are already seeing in fisheries due to changes in sea temperatures and acidity. Currently, 3 billion people rely on food from the ocean as a significant source of protein. So couple declining fish stocks with growing human populations and illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing and we have yet another challenge on our hands. SLIDE 8: PARTNERSHIPS - DEFENSE & SECURITY Clearly, there are many complex challenges ahead. I’m here today to give you a “Coast Guard Perspective” on how to deal with some of those challenges. The motto of the United States Coast Guard is “Semper Paratus” – Always Ready. But really, the only way we maintain that high standard is through our partnerships. From the U.S. Coast Guard perspective. From my perspective. Not enough can be said about the power of partnerships. Again, it’s about really getting to know your counterparts. We are lucky to have an amazing partnership with our U.S. Navy. We operate globally, right next to our Navy counterparts. RIMPAC, for instance, is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. This image shows the U.S. Coast Guard steaming right alongside our Navy and international partners during the exercise. We are there specifically because of the unique authorities and capabilities we bring to the table.We are also in the Middle East at USCG Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) where we play a key role in maritime security and infrastructure protection in the region.The list of examples goes on. But the U.S. doesn’t operate alone. SLIDE 9: BUILDING GLOBAL MARITIME CAPACITYGiven our wide range of authorities and global reach, traditional navies and coast guards from around the world partner with us so we can face our regional challenges together. Cooperation comes in many forms: regional associations, bilateral agreements, security cooperation activities, etc. Regional associations like the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum and the Arctic Coast Guard Forum serve as vehicles to foster multilateral cooperation on a number of fronts.We also work to build maritime capabilities worldwide. This image might look familiar to some… It was taken during Tradewinds 2016 when 13 Caribbean member states joined together to enhance our collective abilities to combat transnational organized crime in the region and exercise our disaster relief operations. We’ve built some stalwart partners - like those of you in this room. Wherever we are, we share experiences to learn from each other and tackle our challenges together. These efforts really do result in a more secure maritime environment for us all. Henry Ford has been attributed with saying this: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” SLIDE 10-11: CLOSING / BI- & MULTI-LATERAL AGREEMENTSOur collective nation’s are barely resourced for a static world yet this world is dynamic… I’m thankful for the many partner nations that we work with – that we have come together, stayed together, and now work together. Because it really is the only way for success.The U.S. Coast Guard currently has over 40 CD agreements; 11 PSI agreements (flags of convenience); and 11 fisheries agreements. And, every day, more are in the works.[CLICK TO NEXT SLIDE THAT LISTS NATIONS BY NAME]Bilateral and multi-lateral agreements in the Caribbean, EPAC, West Africa, and with Pacific Island Nations allow us to conduct joint operations and advance mutual objectives. We actually have shiprider agreements with most of the nations listed on this slide. Together, we can be prepared to evolve and meet our challenges together - by thinking strategically. For the United States, this means forging partnerships that facilitate our mutual interests. So, with that, I’d like to open up for questions. ................
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