WINNERS AND LOSERS OF 2008

by Tim Colton

Winners:

• NASSCO, for its impressive reductions in cost and schedule

• Todd, for not giving in to the stupid WSF

• Fincantieri, for finally getting to buy a U.S. shipyard and picking a good one

• Larry Rigdon and all his managers

• Bollinger Shipyards, for the brilliant scheme to build PSVs on spec and then sell them at auction

• The crew boat yards, an often overlooked sector of our industry that really performs

Losers:

• Integrated Coast Guard Systems and the Coast Guard, for deep, deep, deep deep-water incompetence

• Anyone who built a new shipyard, for terminal stupidity

• Lockheed Martin, for almost single-handedly destroying the LCS program

• US Shipping - it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of guys

• Bender Shipbuilding – yet another cash crisis?!

• NGSB New Orleans, headed for extinction

• NGSB Pascagoula, where it seems that nobody knows the meaning of the word “quality”

• The Navy’s acquisition team, of course: will they ever get their act together?

Now new ships get overhauls before acceptance

by Tim Colton

The USS “Freedom”, (LCS 1), which was commissioned in October, is going into Colonna’s Shipyard in Norfolk this week for a $37-million four-month overhaul, before undergoing Acceptance Trials.   A commissioned ship that hasn’t been through Acceptance Trials yet and already requires a four-month overhaul!  What kind of nonsense is this?  NAVSEA should be ashamed of itself.  Oh and, by the way, the start of this overhaul has been delayed so that the ship can be at the Norfolk Naval Station pier during today’s commissioning of CVN 77, a ship which is even less complete.  At least LCS 1 can move under her own power.  January 10, 2009.

“Looks like Lockheed’s LCS 1,the USS Freedom, needs a 4 month overhaul BEFORE it’s even been through Acceptance Trials.”  Michael DeKort

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., now is the top Republican on a House subcommittee that oversees Coast Guard issues

U.S. Rep. John Mica, a Republican from Florida who leads Republicans on all transportation committee issues, said in a statement that LoBiondo is “well-equipped to immediately jump into the issues of moving a delayed reauthorization of the U.S. Coast Guard, overseeing the service’s Deepwater modernization effort, and addressing the infrastructure needs of maritime transportation in the U.S.”

Read more at NJ.com

Coast Guard Surface Force Logistics Center gets first Commander

Captain Dennis Blackall has been named the first Commanding Officer of the Surface Force Logistics Center.  Blackall is currently the Commanding Officer of the Engineering Logistics Center in Baltimore, MD. Blackall is active in the community and was named to the FY 2009 Board of Directors – Baltimore Federal Executive Board.

ALCGPERSCOM 001/09
SUBJ: ANNOUNCEMENT OF COMMAND DESIGNATIONS FOR SURFACE FORCES
LOGISTICS CENTER AND ASSET PROJECT OFFICE
1. THE FOLLOWING COMMAND DESIGNATIONS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY CG-1,
CG-4 AND CHIEF OF STAFF AND ARE APPROVED:
SURFACE FORCES LOGISTICS CENTER
  (PROSPECTIVE COMMANDER)                      CAPT DENNIS BLACKALL
ASSET PROJECT OFFICE COMMANDING OFFICER/LTPIO  CAPT MARK BUTT
 

Admiral Keith Taylor Announces Successful Closeout of FY08 Budget

Rear Admiral Keith Taylor Assistant Commandant for Resources & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) US Coast Guard

Staff Report

Admiral Keith Taylor announced in ALCOAST 015/09 that FY08 Operating Expenses Appropriation Closeout was successful and now complete.   The closeout of the FY08 financial cycle of just over 6 billion dollars only left 4.3 million on the table.

ALCOAST 015/09
COMDTNOTE 7500
SUBJ:  FY08 OPERATING EXPENSES APPROPRIATION CLOSEOUT PERFORMANCE
1. WITH THE FY2008 FINANCIAL CYCLE NOW COMPLETE, I AM PLEASED TO
REPORT THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY CLOSED OUT THE 6.113 BILLION DOLLAR
FY2008 OE APPROPRIATION WITH A UNOBLIGATED BALANCE OF 4.3 MILLION
DOLLARS, A HISTORICALLY HIGH 99.93 PERCENT SPEND DOWN RATE. THIS
RESULT WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED BY ACCIDENT. IT WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH
YOUR DILIGENT EXECUTION OF A WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN THAT BALANCED
CENTRALIZED RISK MANAGEMENT WITH DECENTRALIZED EXECUTION. THIS
APPROACH ULTIMATELY LED TO GREATER FUNDS AVAILABILITY TO THE FIELD
AND THESE FUNDS WERE USED TO ACCOMPLISH THE COAST GUARDS MISSIONS
AND SUSTAIN READINESS. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES WERE SPECIFICALLY
EXECUTED TO ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS:
  A. FIRST, INDIVIDUAL UNIT EFFORTS PROVIDED FOR A THOROUGH AND
ACCURATE RECONCILIATION OF THOUSANDS OF COAST GUARD ACCOUNTS,
ENSURING THAT OUR FINANCIAL DATA WAS HIGHLY ACCURATE AND PROVIDED
THE BASIS FOR PRECISE FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING DURING CLOSEOUT.
 

My New Year’s Resolution: Replace the Word Coastie with Guardian

by Captain Cari B. Thomas, Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Training Center Cape May

Ask ten people on the street or at boot camp what the Coast Guard does, and you’ll likely get ten different answers. Many want to save lives because they saw the rescues during Katrina. Others want to pursue interests in law enforcement. Often they want to clean up and preserve the environment. Most acknowledge the desire to serve their communities and their country.

At the direction of the Commandant of the Coast Guard and in partnership with the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 2007, Training Center Cape May was charged with refining the curriculum for enlisted recruits in order to better internalize the Coast Guard culture, character and core values…unifying our service character.

One outcome was the development of an organizational identity, now known as “The Guardian Ethos“. It defines our service culture and characterizes each member of the Coast Guard as a Guardian. But, in the end, this ethos will prove an enduring way to think, manage, follow and lead. These are not just words, nor are they the latest management fad. This ethos is intended to shape how people conduct themselves in performing the mission and taking care of each other.

The Guardian Ethos as a Communication Tool
With external audiences, the ethos can be a powerful way to make a point, particularly in the conduct of Coast Guard operations. The Atlantic Area Commander used it in response to an editorial in the Washington Post:
When the Coast Guard asks its young men and women to operate in an often unsafe maritime environment, they will be equipped with the tools needed to keep them safe, including boots and, at times, weapons. When they board a vessel, they will do so professionally and in keeping with our ethos — to protect, defend and save those in distress. They risk their lives every day to save our fellow citizens, even ungrateful ones.

The Guardian Ethos as a Leadership Tool; “Guardians for Guardians”
Admiral Allen challenged senior leaders to consider the Guardian Ethos not only for the maritime public that we serve, but to protect, defend and save our own. As one Chief says, its a “Guardians for Guardians” philosophy. Its a tool that has been effective at Captain’s Mast to reinforce failure to abide by the ethos.

There are 28 leadership competencies; these are the skills, knowledge and expertise that the Coast Guard expects from its leaders. Each of the competencies require different levels of ability at different paygrades, and they are broken into four major categories; Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading Performance and Change, Leading the Coast Guard. If you frame each category with a Guardian Ethos lens, you begin to understand what it means.

The Guardian Ethos as a Management Tool
As part of the 2008-2011 Commander’s Intent for Cape May, the need for Coast Guard and recruit modernization was framed within the context of the Guardian Ethos.

I serve the citizens of the United States.
- Through the various modernization efforts, we commit to supporting the ongoing business processes alignments. So that limited resources are applied to the highest priorities, the strategic underpinnings identify methods to properly source funds and manpower to strategy.

I will protect them.
- The World is changing. The Coast Guard has a need to remain relevant around the world and the variety of international maritime partners, organizations and trade agencies that we deal with. Part of the Commandant initiative regarding modernization includes providing the right forces for the right mission. Mission requirements begin with the most junior personnel who perform much of the difficult duties at the deckplate.

I will defend them.
- As a Coast Guard, we have global imperatives that demand our attention, including asymmetric threats. Providing members proper conditioning, understanding a sense of urgency and basic attention to detail are of the utmost importance. Interagency relationships, relevant authorities with law enforcement, Department of Defense, intelligence agencies and maritime safety partners all influence individual outcomes.

I will save them.
- As a service, we were incapable of focusing on readiness issues due to the “Tyranny of the present.” This strategy is one effort to focus on needs of both today and tomorrow’s Coast Guard. The enlisted workforce is a critical national asset to DHS and to the country; we understand the need to operate with the clearest objectives.

I am their Shield; for them I am Semper Paratus.
- Mission execution remains our highest priority. Preparing Guardians that have basic training, are properly conditioned with an understanding of our core values is Training Center Cape May?s part of completing that mission.

The Guardian Ethos…In the Cabin, the Wardroom, the Mess and on the Mess Deck
In an op-ed piece in May 2008, Admiral Allen said about the ethos, “This is really the essence of the Coast Guard today, though it dates back to the days when the Coast Guard was the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life Saving and Lighthouse Services…And our core values remain focused on saving lives and protecting both people and the environment. We will always be America’s Maritime Guardian.”

Our biggest challenge remains educating our existing workforce and providing consistent infusing of the ethos. It was born at Cape May following the need to “refine their curriculum to support the development of a more physically fit apprentice who had internalized the CG’s culture, character and core values as depicted in Publication 1.”

However, this is not an enlisted ethos. Academy cadets and Officer Candidates recite the Guardian Ethos. But, for full cultural ownership, saturation of the ethos is required. Evaluations, both officer and enlisted should be updated to reflect both abiding by and teaching the ethos. Place the Guardian Ethos on the servicewide examination. Changes of command and changes of watch should all include the ethos. Leadership curriculums and the various leadership competencies require changes. Perhaps we commission a Guardian Class of ships.

In general, absent the presence of the ethos in the cabins of the CO/OINCs, wardrooms, Chief’s Mess and mess decks across the Coast Guard, it will never completely infuse itself into the hearts and minds of all our service members and those who succeed us. Make a New Year’s resolution to replace the word Coastie with the word Guardian in your vocabulary. Remember, we are Guardians. All of us.

Make Sure Your Issue is Race-Based Before Making the Allegation!

by S. Mary Wills at The Black Factor

Sometimes problems at work are race-based and sometimes problems and issues arise just because of business. It’s important to really look at your situation and decide where your issues fall. Is the problem business or is it race? The reason I ask is that I’m working with a group of folks who are always screaming race or favoritism, even with me. I don’t play those games at work and certainly wouldn’t go around wrongfully/fraudulently making allegations against Black workers. When I’ve spoken to workers, regardless of race, any issues I’ve brought up have always been about business. There was never anything personal or racial.

Sometimes it takes a bit of maturity and honesty to identify what type of situation we’re in, when problems creep up in the workplace. Most of us will come up with issues at work at some point because we’re dealing with humans. Confusion, ignorance, malice, unintentional harm, etc. are all going to be taking place on any job.