The Coast Guard's Critical Role as an Armed Service
Abstract
This paper seeks to address the following general research questions: (1) What are the specific advantages that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) realizes by having the Coast Guard maintain its status as an active member of the armed forces?; and (2) What National interests are served by having one of the five armed services positioned outside of the Department of Defense, particularly within the Department of Homeland Security? As DHS and the Coast Guard continue to evolve and adjust to a post-9-11 world, it has caused some to question the Coast Guard's need to continue as an active member of the armed forces. Although the multimission capabilities of the Coast Guard are still respected and valued, in an environment where mission requirements outnumber available resources the Coast Guard's non-Homeland Security missions can appear to compete with or distract the Department of Homeland (DHS) from its core missions and interests. Nevertheless, there are distinct and specific advantages that DHS realizes by having the Coast Guard serve as an active member of the armed forces. The benefits, authorities, and advantages gained by DHS in support of national interests by supporting and maintaining the Coast Guard's status as a member of the armed forces are worth the additional costs and burdens born by the Coast Guard and the Department to maintain that status, even during the current decremental and austere budget environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 22, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA561453
Entities
People
- Robert W. Warren
Organizations
- United States Army War College