R 141636Z FEB 08
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
SUBJ:  STATE OF THE COAST GUARD 2008
1. TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COAST GUARD:
THIS AFTERNOON, I WILL DELIVER MY SECOND STATE OF THE COAST GUARD
ADDRESS AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB HERE IN WASHINGTON, DC.  IT WILL
FOCUS ON OUR FUTURE - THE STRATEGY, LEGISLATION, AND BUDGET WE NEED
TO BUILD A 21ST CENTURY COAST GUARD.
2.  SINCE BECOMING COMMANDANT, I'VE TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
AROUND THE WORLD TO MEET WITH MANY OF YOU PERSONALLY.  YOU ASKED
QUESTIONS AND SHARED WHAT WAS ON YOUR MINDS.  IN TURN, I MADE A
COMMITMENT TO YOU THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE THE EQUIPMENT, SUPPORT AND
TRAINING YOU NEED DO YOUR JOBS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.  I
PLEDGED TO CONTINUE TO RECAPITALIZE OUR AGING FLEET AND COMMAND AND
CONTROL SYSTEMS, AND WE ARE SEEING THE RESULTS OF THOSE EFFORTS
RIGHT NOW, WITH CGC BERTHOLF COMPLETING SEA TRIALS THIS WEEK, AND
WITH THE MISSIONIZATION OF THREE NEW HC-144 OCEAN SENTRY MARITIME
PATROL AIRCRAFT.   WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY IN OUR REORGANIZATION OF
THE FORCE STRUCTURE TO MAKE US MORE AGILE, FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE
IN AN EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
3.  I ASKED YOU TO BE PATIENT AND EMBRACE CHANGE, BECAUSE IT IS AN
ENDURING PART OF OUR LIVES IN THE COAST GUARD.  YOU HEARD ME AND
STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE.  WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ACROSS
ALL FRONTS TO MODERNIZE AND TRANSFORM THE SERVICE OVER THE PAST
YEAR AND A HALF.  MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE STAYED FOCUSED ON MISSION
EXECUTION, MAKING 2007 ANOTHER INCREDIBLE YEAR THAT WILL GO DOWN IN
THE RECORD BOOKS.
4.  HOWEVER, WE CANNOT REST ON OUR REPUTATION OR REMAIN FIXATED ON
OUR WAKE.  NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD A 21ST CENTURY COAST GUARD, ONE
THAT WILL BE RESPONSIVE TO THE ENVIRONMENT AS IT EVOLVES AROUND US.
AS A UNIQUE INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL SECURITY, WE WILL WORK CLOSER
THAN EVER WITH THE U.S. NAVY AND MARINE CORPS TO PUT OUR
COOPERATIVE MARITIME STRATEGY IN ACTION.  AS AMERICA'S LIFESAVERS
AND GUARDIANS, WE WILL ENHANCE OUR MARINE SAFETY PROGRAM, DEVELOP
OUR INTELLIGENCE AND MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS, AND TAKE ACTION TO
RESTORE OUR POLAR ICEBREAKING FLEET, AS WE PREPARE TO OPERATE IN AN
OPEN ARCTIC.  WE ALSO NEED TO GROW THE COAST GUARD.  WE CANNOT
CONTINUE TO MEET THE EVER GROWING NEEDS AND HIGHER EXPECTATIONS OF
OUR CITIZENS WITH A WORKFORCE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY NO BIGGER THAN IT
WAS 50 YEARS AGO.  THAT IS WHY I WILL FIGHT FOR EVERY PENNY OF THE
PRESIDENT'S FY09 $9.3 BILLION BUDGET REQUEST.  IT IS A DOWN PAYMENT
ON THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S COAST GUARD.
5.  AS MUCH AS I HAVE TALKED ABOUT CHANGE, SOME THINGS NEVER
CHANGE, LIKE OUR GUARDIAN ETHOS.  EACH OF YOU HAS BEEN INTEGRAL TO
OUR SUCCESS THIS YEAR AND THE MILESTONES WE REACHED, SUCH AS THE
REMOVAL OF A RECORD-BREAKING 350,000 POUNDS OF COCAINE AT SEA, AND
OUR CELEBRATION OF A MILLION LIVES SAVED SINCE 1790.  NEVER BEFORE
HAS THIS NATION RELIED SO HEAVILY ON OUR OCEANS AND WATERWAYS FOR
THE SAFETY, SECURITY AND PROSPERITY OF ALL AMERICANS.  AND NEVER
BEFORE HAS THIS NATION RELIED SO MUCH ON ITS COAST GUARD TO PROTECT
THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE AND SECURE. WE
WILL ANSWER THAT CALL.  ALL THREATS. ALL HAZARDS. ALWAYS READY.
6.  A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE COMMANDANT'S STATE OF THE COAST GUARD
ADDRESS WILL BE POSTED ON THE COMMANDANT'S CORNER (WWW.USCG.MIL)
ALONG WITH VIDEO AND AUDIO FILES OF THE ADDRESS, WITHIN 24 HOURS OF
THE ADDRESS.
7.  ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN SENDS.
8.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
BT