Enclosure (1) to COMDITINST 16010.12A
Commandant's Direction
SERVICE: STAND THE WATCH
Our organizational purpose and focus is delivery of superior service. Our Strategic Goals of
Safety, Protection of Natural Resources, Mobility, Maritime Security and National Defense will be
accomplished efficiently and effectively. We will accomplish these outcomes through two
fundamental approaches-prevention and response. We will leverage our unique multi-mission
competencies and capabilities and be ready to take on new tasks in the national interest. We will
remain the nation's experts on maritime issues. We will be recognized for our vision and vigilance-
focussed on prevention but Always Ready to respond when needed.
OBJECTIVE 1. PERFORMING ALL MISSIONS SUPERBLY
Purpose. Superior mission performance is our primary obligation to the American public, and the
chief expectation of our key stakeholders. It enables achievement of our Strategic and Performance
Goals^1 , and visibly highlights our value to the nation. Superior performance ensures our
continued opportunity to provide current services, and allows us to explore new opportunities to
expand our services-and our value. A clear focus on operational excellence is the essence of our
core value of Devotion to Duty, and the driver of all support systems and management goals.
Opportunities for Improvement. Establish clear mission performance standards, incorporating
the needs of our customers and stakeholders, and link them to Coast Guard Performance Goals.
Deploy these standards to the unit level, resulting in clear unit performance standards. Develop and
implement a system of measurement, useful at every level of the chain of command and the chain
of support, that compares and tracks unit and mission performance against those standards.
Continue to expand Program Managers' focus to include standard setting, measurement, and
management of outcomes as well as resource management.
Owners. Area Commanders own unit performance standards and mission performance. Assistant
Commandants (G-M and G-O) own mission performance standards and are the Headquarters
Owners.
Strategic and Performance Goals are published in the Coast Guard's Annual
1
Performance Plan.
2