Guest Post from RDML Tom Ostebo, CG-4
In response to numerous changes in Coast Guard senior management requirements and driven by several external factors such as the financial crisis, priorities of the new administration, efficiency reviews and the continuously evolving modernization efforts, DCMS is implementing a number of personnel changes to ensure that the Coast Guard remains on target with the modernization and LTPIO initiatives. In addition to these personnel changes CG-4 is responding with a few key structural changes to the planned modernized organization. These key changes include closing out the CG-4b (legacy Deepwater Naval Engineering shop) and replacing it with an official Ship Design Manager who will work within CG-9 on behalf of the Technical Authority to ensure that requirements, ship specifications and designs meet the needs of the Coast Guard. Furthermore, we will be reducing the number of Product Lines at the SFLC from 7 to either 5 or 6, depending on final review. These two efforts will allow the Coast Guard to more efficiently use existing resources and at the same time ensure that we properly support out surface fleet and do not lose technical oversight of key acquisition projects like OPC and FRC.
Because of these changes and in order to fill other key assignments that remained vacant after this years assignment process I have asked Captain Dennis Blackall to fill the Ship Design Manager's position and he has accepted. This position will provide direct technical authority input to our surface forces acquisition projects (NSC, OPC, FRC-B, RB-M). This critical position demands a great breadth of naval engineering knowledge and technical acumen. As the senior O-6 in the naval engineering community, I am counting on Captain Blackall's outstanding technical competence and career experience to fill this critical assignment.
The Personnel Service Center has solicited for the position of Commanding Officer, SFLC and as a result DCMS has approved the selection of Capt Mark Butt to assume command of the SFLC. Capt Butt is the current CO of the Asset Project Office and is a previous Executive Officer of the Aviation Logistics Center. He possesses the experience and knowledge to continue Captain Blackall’s work in realigning business practices and processes for naval engineering.
These changes will strengthen the link between the technical authority and the acquisition program manager. Our ability to adjust and fine tune our capabilities and competencies to optimize our performance is an indication that we are learning to better sense and adapt to our internal and external environments. It also speaks to the tremendous flexibility and dedication of our people to step up for the needs of the Service. Given the magnitude of the assignments managed this past year and given the myriad of unforeseen changes effecting the Coast Guard, revisiting our initial assumptions and design was inevitable.
I am supremely confident that Modernization will enable us to maximize our effectiveness as an organization. Naturally, a change of this magnitude will not be without challenges. I call on each and every one of you to embrace our new business practices, exercise patience, and provide leadership at every level. These changes are a small piece of a broader initiative to leverage the skills and expertise that reside in our workforce to the maximum benefit of the Coast Guard and ultimately to the public.
Semper Paratus,
RDML Tom Ostebo
Chief Engineer
