COMDTINST 5720.3
7. DOCTRINE. U.S. Coast Guard doctrine for operational units is to preserve and prepare operational
documentation for the collection and preservation by the Coast Guard Historians Office (G-IPA-4)
in order to preserve operational experience for the current and future benefit of the Service.
8. PROCEDURE. All deploying units must designate a unit Historian. It is recommended that a
Senior Petty Officer (preferably the Chief of the Boat or a highly motivated senior enlisted person)
be assigned to this position to encourage compliance with this Instruction. The unit Historian will
report directly to the CO or OIC and, for guidance in fulfilling the requirements of this Instruction,
to the Coast Guard Historian (G-IPA-4).
9. PROCEDURE: The following methodology is provided: Operational Documentation: The unit
history should be developed in month-long blocks that detail and summarize: movements, activities
and missions of the cutter. Supporting documents should also be retained and may be attached as
addenda. These may include: unit structure/organization (chain of command), written operational
and planning orders, standing orders, and personnel rosters, situation reports, statements of
commander intent, plans of the day, and training schedules. (Logbooks are already preserved as a
permanent record.) This data shall be collected and preserved in electronic format on CD-ROM,
where possible. At the end of the cruise the historical material should be sent by FedEx to the Coast
Guard Historians Office (G-IPA-4). Historical material must not be sent by regular mail. U.S. mail
sent to headquarters is irradiated by the U.S. Postal Service as a precaution in response to the
anthrax mailing incidents in October 2001. The irradiation process subjects the mail to high levels
of heat which effects documents, and can destroy films, tapes, and electronic files. Classified
documents sent at the end of the cruise must be sent with the appropriate security precautions. They
must be SECRET and below. Any questions concerning this Instruction should be directed to
Commandant (G-IPA-4).
10. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT AND IMPACT CONSIDERATIONS. Environmental
considerations were examined in the development of this Instruction and have been determined to be
not applicable.
11. FORMS. None.
K. J. ELDRIDGE /S/
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard
Assistant Commandant for Governmental and Public Affairs
2
Previous Page
