Lessons Learned Regarding the USCG

[james croft]

They are a bureaucracy and as such are a little sluggish on certain matters. A while back I was involved with them in a joint law enforcement endeavor. My agency could have planned it in all of ten minutes and used 1 patrol boat and 5 officers for the takedown. The USCG took weeks and had to have an operation plan, a briefing with a powerpoint and used 3 boats and approx 20 folks. We even had to use secret codewords. It went OK but it was a slow, ponderous operation and took a lot more resources and time than was necessary. My guys nicknamed it Operation Overkill. However, it does not reflect on the professional abilities of the USCG personnel we worked with, but is more of a comment on the regs and SOP's they must follow. Many other Federal agencies are in the same boat. It is your tax money at work.........

 

[ScubaTexan]

I don't want to be unfair, I could be wrong.

In the absence of more information, I have concluded that the USCG has a big public relations problem.

After the recent tragic incident with the Healy, I'd say this is the understatement of the century.

 

[EastEndDiver]

The Coast Guard has not been part of the DOD or the military for quite a long time.

Before being recently merged into the Department of Homeland Security they were part of the Department to Transportation.

The legal basis for the Coast Guard is 14 U.S.C. § 1 which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." On February 25, 2003, the Coast Guard was placed under the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. However, under 14 U.S.C. § 3 as amended by section 211 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006, upon the declaration of war and when Congress so directs in the declaration, or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Defense as a service in the Department of the Navy.

 

[Rick Murchison]

The Coast Guard has not been part of the DOD or the military for quite a long time.

Before being recently merged into the Department of Homeland Security they were part of the Department to Transportation.

They aren't part of DoD unless called up, but they are definitely "part of the military (Armed Forces of the United States)."
Rick

 

[Desert Pirate]

It sounds like a misfortunate incident. Ive never met anyone from the Coast Guard or been around the agency... go figure...Idaho lol. Here any on-water emergencies are preformed by the local Marine Patrol, Volunteer SAR Units will be called into aid, and Fire Dept would probably be sitting on the docks for any transports that may be needed.

Im not patting our backs, on one occasion we were scrutinized for a remote Island rescue on the Snake River, were an injured hunter wasnt accesible because of conditions... I know the ICS and NIMS system that ALL rescue and Gov't agencies are supposed to go by, and what cluster it can become when and emergency suddenly occurs, and/or personnel dont understand the system.

I hope this was just one of thier poor preformances, It happens to everyone even teams that are well prepared and practiced. Im not sticking up for them or making excuses for when "We" (meaning my unit) dont look as good as we should. But also when youre dealing with family members... you are NEVER fast enough, Efficient enough, or can give enough information.

"Just People trying to help other people, and doing our best when its your worst day."

Just my 2 bits from my small bit of probably insufficient expertise

Clay

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I have had a few dealings with the USCG in Florida. In general I have not been impressed with them. I once witnessed 2 jet skis getting sucked out an inlet into 12-14 ft seas and we were on another boat screaming, waving and yelling for help from the CG which had about 10 CG staff on board. We were less than 100 yrds away from them and had no radio, they just looked at us and did NOTHING. I think they had a bunch of young people on board and were totally unwilling to provide any help.

We ended up going after the disabled jet skis and tied them off and swam the mother, child and father to our boat with less than 1 minute to spare before they would have been almost surely killed. The CG did NOTHING. I was very close to driving over to them and giving them hell, but they would have surely given us a ticket for something.
They didn't even approach as it was clear that we were involved in a rescue.

I recently listed on Channel 16 to a women whose husband had fallen off the bow and had both legs severely chopped by the twin outboards and their crew was able to get the severely injured husband on board. We got to hear the USCG communicate with the women who was extremely calm (given the situation). She was heading in on a private boat from around 20 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. The USCG communication was riduculous, asking silly inconsequential questions about his medical condition, provided no real advice etc. etc. The CG radio man sounded young and less professional than the women. At one point, she gave her heading, speed and location. The idiotic CG man responding by inquiring if her speed was knots or mph!

I'm sure there are many heroic CG officers, but I haven't met them yet. I was also personally involved with a diver fatality and the CG went after my friend's capt. liscense. The USCG tried to intimidate me and their attorneys took ridiculously silly actions in the investigation and the ensuing trail.

Actually, now that I think about it, I could give another 5-6 examples were I was personally invloved and was not happy with their response. I hope I never really need their help!