SUBJ: DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESERVE MOBILIZATION AND RESERVE

R 052117Z NOV 10




ALCOAST 545/10

COMDTNOTE 1001

SUBJ: DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESERVE MOBILIZATION AND RESERVE

PROGRAM DIRECTION

A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 281823Z OCT 10/ALCOAST 524/10

1. THE ONGOING DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL RESPONSE OCCASIONED THE

LARGEST RECALL OF THE COAST GUARD SELECTED RESERVE SINCE 9/11. SIX

MONTHS INTO THIS OPERATION, MORE THAN 2500 RESERVISTS HAVE BEEN

MOBILIZED, MORE THAN 440 HAVE ACCEPTED VOLUNTARY ADOS ORDERS, AND

MORE THAN 300 REMAIN MOBILIZED TODAY. THIS CHALLENGING OPERATION HAS

AFFIRMED THE VALUE OF THE COAST GUARD RESERVE AND VERIFIED THE

NECESSITY OF MOVING FORWARD WITH IMPORTANT PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS.

2. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED AND CONTINUES TO

HELP THE RESERVE FORCE PROVIDE SUCH EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO OUR

OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS: THE COAST GUARD RESERVISTS WHO MAINTAINED

PERSONAL READINESS AND ANSWERED THE CALL, THE COMMANDERS, COMMANDING

OFFICERS, AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE WHO HELPED READY THOSE RESERVISTS,

THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO PROVIDED EMOTIONAL STRENGTH WHILE ENDURING

SEPARATIONS, AND THE EMPLOYERS WHO SUPPORTED MOBILIZED RESERVISTS. I

ENCOURAGE RESERVISTS TO NOMINATE EXCEPTIONALLY SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYERS

FOR THE VARIOUS EMPLOYER SUPPORT OF THE GUARD AND RESERVE AWARD

PROGRAMS DESCRIBED AT WWW.ESGR.MIL AND WWW.FREEDOMAWARD.MIL. BRAVO

ZULU TO ALL.

3. PROGRAM DIRECTION. IN REF A ADMIRAL PAPP ANNOUNCED HIS NEW RESERVE

POLICY STATEMENT (AVAILABLE AT WWW.USCG.MIL/SENIORLEADERSHIP IN THE

POLICY STATEMENTS TAB), WHICH DIRECTS STRATEGIC ACTION TO ENSURE THE

COAST GUARD RESERVE REMAINS A FLEXIBLE, RESPONSIVE OPERATIONAL FORCE

THAT CAN MOBILIZE PERSONNEL WITH CRITICAL COMPETENCIES TO SUPPORT THE

ROLES OF MARITIME HOMELAND SECURITY, NATIONAL DEFENSE, AND DOMESTIC

DISASTER OPERATIONS. THE RESERVE PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING A "RESERVE

FORCE 2020" STRATEGIC PLAN INTENDED TO STEADY THE RESERVE FORCE AS WE

LEARN AND MOVE FORWARD AFTER THE CHALLENGES OF DEEPWATER HORIZON.

AMONG THE ELEMENTS OF OUR MANAGEMENT PLAN MOST RELEVANT TO RESERVISTS

IN THE FIELD ARE:

A. GROWTH. DURING DEEPWATER HORIZON, DEMAND FOR RESERVE

PERSONNEL STRAINED THE AVAILABLE FORCE. THIS STRAIN IS MOSTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO

THE FACT THAT ONLY ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF RESERVISTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR

DOMESTIC MOBILIZATION AT ANY GIVEN TIME BECAUSE OF OVERSEAS

CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS, IADT, LONG TERM ADOS, DWELL TIME

REQUIREMENTS, AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS. TO EASE THIS STRAIN FOR FUTURE

OPERATIONS, THE RESERVE PROGRAM IS WORKING TO RESTORE THE RESERVE

FORCE BACK TO ITS FUNDED STRENGTH OF 8,100 PERSONNEL AND TO ESTABLISH

FUTURE STAFFING LEVELS BASED ON FORCE REQUIREMENTS DEFINED BY THE

DEPUTY COMMANDANTS FOR OPERATIONS AND MISSION SUPPORT.

B. CONCEPT OF EMPLOYMENT. THE RESERVE PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING

GUIDANCE THAT WILL ENABLE RESERVISTS AND THEIR COMMANDS TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES THEY ARE EXPECTED TO ATTAIN, HOW TO

ATTAIN THEM THROUGH STANDARDIZED TRAINING AND AUGMENTATION, AND HOW

THEY MAY EXPECT TO BE EMPLOYED WHEN MOBILIZED FOR SPECIFIC

CONTINGENCIES.

C. MOBILIZATION AND DE-MOBILIZATION PROCESSES. AS THE FIRST

LARGE-SCALE MOBILIZATION SINCE THE COAST GUARD'S RECENT MODERNIZATION

RE-ORGANIZATION, DEEPWATER HORIZON REVEALED THE NEED FOR MORE CLEARLY

DEFINED MOBILIZATION PROCESSES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THE RESERVE

PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS THIS NEED AND

ENSURE TRAINED TEAMS ARE READY TO EXECUTE VALIDATED MOBILIZATION

PLANS IN FUTURE CONTINGENCIES.

D. RESERVE FORCE READINESS SYSTEM (RFRS). BECAUSE SELRES

PERSONNEL ARE INTEGRATED INTO ACTIVE COMPONENT UNITS, THE CHALLENGE

OF MAINTAINING PROFICIENCY AND READINESS THROUGH A COMBINATION OF

TRAINING AND AUGMENTATION IS AN ESSENTIAL COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY.

DEEPWATER HORIZON CONFIRMED THE VALUE OF HAVING FULL-TIME RESERVE

PROGRAM EXPERTISE EMBEDDED IN DISTRICTS AND SECTORS TO FULFILL THIS

RESPONSIBILITY. THE RESERVE PROGRAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUSTAINING

AND MATURING THE RFRS CONCEPT.

4. DEEPWATER HORIZON SHOWCASED THE STRENGTH AND VALUE OF THE RESERVE

FORCE AND ALSO PROVIDED VISIBILITY OF AREAS WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY

TO IMPROVE. THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK TOTAL FORCE EFFORT FROM

COMMANDS DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL RESERVISTS. NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO

UNIFY OUR EFFORTS AND STEADY OUR COURSE TOWARD DEVELOPING THE RESERVE

FORCE THAT WILL BE READY TO MEET ALL FUTURE DEMANDS. SEMPER PARATUS.

5. RDML S. L. STOSZ, DIRECTOR OF RESERVE AND LEADERSHIP, SENDS.

6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.