Encl (2) to COMDTINST 16010.8
Military Readiness
Why we act
Maintaining a high level of national security is critical to the United States' economic
and social stability. This security ensures that citizens and organizations are free to
carry out activities that enhance their own interests, and also promote the overall
vitality of the nation. The President's National Security Strategy of international
engagement and enlargement is a positive force in promoting stability throughout the
world. The Coast Guard is an integral component in the nation's armed forces, and plays
a critical role in this strategy. We must maintain a high level of readiness in order to
carry out its unique military roles at a moment's notice.
Key Factors
The Coast Guard is a multimissioned service that must simultaneously carry out everyday
missions such as drug enforcement, fisheries, searches and rescues, while maintaining a
high level of readiness for military missions that we may be called upon to participate
in at any time. The operational tempo of non-military missions as well as the tempo of
Guard seeks to maintain its readiness to respond to other growing mission areas, it is
strained to maintain the readiness to respond to critical military operations.
Strategies
The Coast Guard seeks to improve its readiness though better trained personnel, more
efficient logistics systems, and more effective equipment and assets that improve our
capability to carry out our unique responsibilities. The Coast Guard also participates
in military training exercises such as FOAL EAGLE that supports forces in Korea. We also
maintain the readiness to defend the nation's critical maritime infrastructure, and
guard against terrorist threats.
Coordination
The Department of Defense coordinates the assigned roles of each service. The Coast
Guard and Navy have jointly established the concept of a National Fleet. Under this
concept, both services will maintain their distinctive capabilities, but we will make
sure that our strengths are complementary. The Navy will maintain its highly capable
multi-mission surface combatants designed for the full spectrum of naval operations,
while the Coast Guard will provide smaller maritime security cutters, designed for
peacetime and crisis-response operations.
46 National Defense
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