The Maritime Component Commander: The U. S. Coast Guard? Can It . . . Will It . . . Should It
Abstract
Since mid-March 2004, the U. S. Coast Guard has assumed the duties as Maritime Component Commander for the combined Joint Task Force-Haiti under the direction of Southern Command. The duties, described in a 16 March 04 SOUTHCOM press release were to continue to support stability operations by providing support for port security in Port-au-Prince harbor and conducting port assessments to help restore commercial and humanitarian operation in other Haitian ports. The purpose of this research project is to examine the strategic settings under which a Combatant Commander is expected to conduct maritime operations and evaluate the duties of the MCC. Some review of Coast Guard history, principles and capability will be presented. The study will then analyze data regarding survey respondents' perceptions on the Coast Guard's ability to perform these duties in both combat and non-combat environments, and examine the debate regarding the competing demands for Coast Guard people and platforms, particularly in a post 9-11 homeland security environment. Finally, it gives recommendations for a Combatant Commander's consideration, presents some lessons learned for operations typical for Coast Guard coordination and concludes with a view on how the Coast Guard fits into the national interests as defined by the President of the United States.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 18, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA425931
Entities
People
- Cari B. Thomas
Organizations
- Naval War College