All Hands Messages
Modernization Update: 27 JAN 09 - Early 2009 Milestones
To the Men and Women of the United States Coast Guard:
Last summer I announced that the coming year would be a vital period for our Service’s pursuit toward a more agile, flexible and responsive organization. As we embark on a new year, I wanted to take this opportunity to personally remind you that real changes are taking place for our Service. The start of 2009 has already seen major Modernization milestones, and I am pleased to provide you the highpoints of our recent progress toward a modernized Coast Guard.
On January 15, 2009, we took a critical step toward building our mission support organization when we realigned the reporting chains for the Atlantic and Pacific Maintenance and Logistics Commands (MLCs) from the Area Commanders to the Coast Guard Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff will become the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS) upon Congressional authorization. For details on the MLC Realignment see the “MLC Realignment” post at www.uscg.mil/modernization.
On January 16, 2009, key elements of “Version 1.0” of our new organization were approved including primary functions of the organizational design for our planned Coast Guard Operations Command (OPCOM), Coast Guard Force Readiness Command (FORCECOM), as well as the four Logistics/Service Centers that remain to be established. These centers will be stood up in the immediate future and will bring to life the vision of a unified mission support organization to provide 24-hour customer service, one-stop technical support and assistance for all maintenance, logistics, and supply matters that go beyond the expertise of the unit. In my last Modernization update, I shared with you that we still need legislative authority to fully implement our Modernization changes and this is why we are starting with “Version 1.0.”
Just yesterday, 26 January, the Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC) and the Asset Product Office (APO) were established in Baltimore, Maryland. The SFLC will provide the surface fleet with depot level support services. Organized along product lines, including patrol boats, small boats, MECs, HECs/NSCs, ATON vessels, etc., the SFLC will unify support for our surface forces under a single organization just as the Aviation Logistics Center (ALC) has done for our aviation assets since its stand-up on October 30, 2008.
The APO will be responsible for enrolling new assets into the new product line support model. It will support acquisition and life cycle management, and the implementation of integrated logistical support for all legacy and newly acquired assets to ensure cross-programmatic standardization. The APO will work hand-in-hand with each of the Service/Logistics Centers to vastly improve the Coast Guard’s ability to deliver operational capability within established economic and schedule constraints.
In February 2009, the Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center (SILC) and the C4IT Service Center (C4ITSC) are scheduled to stand up. The SILC, which will be located in Norfolk, Virginia, will consolidate support provided by our Facility Design and Construction Centers, Civil Engineering Units, and MLCs. The SILC will provide all depot and intermediate level support for our shore facilities.
The C4ITSC, which will be located in Alexandria, Virginia, will consolidate electronics and IT support, including that provided by the C2CEN, TISCOM, MLC’s and Operations Systems Center (OSC) in order to provide depot level information technology support for all mission execution requirements.
On February 13, 2009, the current Personnel Service Center in Topeka, Kansas will be renamed the Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center. This name change will precede the March 16, 2009 stand up of the mission support organization’s Personnel Service Center (PSC) in Arlington, Virginia. The new PSC will unify, within one service center, all Coast Guard personnel and human resource support currently provided by the Personnel Command, the Pay and Personnel Center, the Recruiting Command, as well as some functions currently carried out by Headquarters, the MLCs, and ISCs, including services such as housing, MWR, CGES, educational services, health and safety, and work-life.
Although I’ve listed the intended locations for each of the Centers, this in no way suggests we plan on moving large numbers of people to or from these locations. To better serve Coast Guard operators world-wide, we anticipate establishment of Center detachments and/or detached duty assignments at geographic locations remote from the Centers themselves. A team has been working on the concept of enhancing our use of a geographically dispersed workforce (GDWF). For details on the GDWF concept see the “Modernizing How We Work” post at www.uscg.mil/modernization.
On January 22, 2009, unions were provided detailed information for many of these approved design plans. This information included functional realignment of positions, as well as proposed sequential steps to be taken by LANT and PAC Area management for organizational alignment, such as transitioning to numbered staffs prior to the full implementation of OPCOM and FORCECOM pending Congressional approval. We are committed to meeting our bargaining obligations prior to implementing changes in employee working conditions.
As I have stressed since we began to work together to modernize our Coast Guard, the success of our Service is a direct reflection of our people. A primary goal of Modernization is to retain every person in the Coast Guard, and every effort is being made to that end to minimize the effect organizational change has on our workforce.
Over the coming weeks leadership will provide you more specific detail in regard to the Modernization milestones I’ve discussed, including how they may affect or potentially affect you directly.
I encourage you to continue to review the Modernization Section on CG Central, the uscg.mil/modernization web site and Commandant’s Corner 2.0 in order to stay “smart” on the exciting future we are building for our Service.
Thank you for the dedicated commitment you give the world’s best Coast Guard - our Coast Guard. Semper Paratus!
Admiral Thad Allen
Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard