When I first heard the term modernization, my initial reaction was, "Oh cool, new ships, new aircraft, new toys." I thought it was going to be a more successful Deepwater program. Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that what I had originally thought was not "modernization", but "recapitalization." Both programs are equally important to the Coast Guard's long-term strategic success, and while they do have some overlap, they are distinct and different.
So I guess the next logical question is "what is modernization?" I had heard of the term before, Admiral Allen had been to the Academy a couple of times to make remarks about modernization, but as a cadet somewhat sheltered from the operational Coast Guard I didn't really understand. We had heard of this new section of the Coast Guard called the Deployable Operations Group (DOG), which meant that's where all of the fun stuff was and for most of us, that was all we cared about. Little did we know that the DOG was only a small portion of modernization and there was much more. Once I started hearing more about modernization, I began to wonder where it came from and why we need it, so I figured I would start with reading a little background behind it.
As a naive cadet learning about the Coast Guard, I used to think that modernization came about after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. However, modernization started years before 9/11 and Katrina back in the 1980s when the Coast Guard realized that it needed to improve its business practices and operations. The Gilbert Study, started in 1986, outlined the changes that needed to be made which included assigning cutters over 180 feet to the Area Commander, the creation of the Finance Center (FINCEN) placing nearly all financial components under one command (Personnel and Pay are not attached to FINCEN), as well as changes in district organization. If some of the changes seem familiar, they should be. Admiral Allen, then a LCDR, was one of the members of the Gilbert Study. When Admiral Allen assumed the duties and responsibilities of the Commandant in 2006, he essentially set out to finish what the Gilbert Study had started. He created what are called the Commandant Intent Action Orders (CIAO) which provided command intent and included the desired outcome at the end of each project. The 10 CIAOs eventually evolved into five "modernization efforts" because it was found that the CIAOs were all interrelated and could not be completed independently. The five modernization efforts are here (See NAPA Report for more information):
- Modernization of Coast Guard Headquarters and Financial Management Systems
- Creation of the Deputy Commandant for Operations (DCO)
- Creation of the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS)
- Creation of the Operations Command (OPCOM)
- Creation of a Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM)
The DCO is responsible for Coast Guard operational policy, plans and programs; the DCMS will oversee and integrate support and logistics systems and processes. OPCOM is responsible for global mission execution and FORCECOM will manage the overall readiness of the Coast Guard.
These modernization efforts were created in order to improve the Coast Guard's effectiveness in executing the mission: to respond to new threats to maritime security, the growth in commercial and recreational maritime activity, renew our aging fleet, and improve our sub-optimal business and logistics practices.
I guess one of the biggest questions I had about modernization was "what is it? What does it mean?" Modernization, in its simplest form, is restructuring, where all of the changes we are making are intended to maximize effective mission execution. Purchasing new equipment will give us the resources we will need to be able to respond to the growing demands of our service and allow us to effectively execute the mission. This is where recapitalization and modernization overlap. We are updating our fleets of small boats, cutters and aircraft and the command and control systems that help effectively employ them, but recapitalization by itself falls short of the mark. Modernization optimizes the support and employment structure for these new assets, maximizing their effectiveness, longevity, and the Coast Guard's stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
The Coast Guard's current business practices used to require communication through different checkpoints within the Coast Guard and frequently caused inconsistencies across the organization. The major items of emphasis throughout the modernization process are mission execution and mission support. Admiral Allen has made it clear that everyone in the Coast Guard should be either executing the mission or supporting those who do. (See the current and intended org chart below, or click on the following for a pdf version: /Modernization%20Org%20Charts.pdf)
Next time, I will be discussing the Organizational piece of modernization and attempt to make it as painless as possible.
Thanks for reading!!
-1/c Ryan Cassidy
"Cadet Disclaimer: These posts are my attempt to try to make Modernization more relevant and understandable to the junior workforce. These are the thoughts of a simple cadet and should not be taken as those of the Commandant. I still have some time to go before I could do that."
