The Right Tool for the Job: Employing the U.S. Coast Guard to Transition Strategic Guidance into Operational Success

Abstract

China's rise and vision of a new geopolitical structure threatens the current liberal international order led by the United States since the end of the Cold War. The great power competition between the United States and China that has emerged in the area of the conflict continuum below the level of armed conflict called the gray zone. Recent commanders have struggled to translate the United States strategic objective of countering Chinese expansion into an operational success in INDOPACOM. The unutilized tool needed to exploit illegitimate Chinese actions in the South China Sea is the United States Coast Guard. Currently the Coast Guard presence in INDOPACOM is limited and must be permanently expanded. This expansion will have the operational effect of first enabling unique Coast Guard authorities to be employed on a far larger scale. Secondly, increased Coast Guard presence will effectively strengthen alliances and enhance their organic capabilities. Finally, Coast Guard integration into the existing INDOPACOM command structure will strengthen operational planning and provide a unity of effort. Only in this way will the U.S. effectively counter Chinas escalating behavior without descending into war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 12, 2021
Accession Number
AD1147929

Entities

People

  • Jason Helsabeck

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alliances
  • Case Studies
  • Coast Guard
  • Cold War
  • Competition
  • Department Of Defense
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • Gray Zone
  • Guidance
  • Instructors
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Maritime Security
  • Military Operations
  • National Security
  • Oceans
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Second World War
  • Security
  • South China Sea
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Strategic Security Studies