Coast Guard Report Recap for 4-5 November 2009

• Coast Guard Academy Superintendent Exemplifies Leadership – Sets Example for Cadets and Peers
• Native Americans are 79 Percent of Juvenile Population in Federal Prisons
• Coast Guard Report New Course
• Coast Guard Captain Mark Hamilton Charge Sheet with Six Charges, and 31 Specifications in Violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice
• Charges Against Captain Mark Hamilton Glimpse at Ptero Roost
• Coast Guard Captain Mark Hamilton Charged With Six Violations of the UCMJ

Coast Guard Academy Superintendent Exemplifies Leadership – Sets Example for Cadets and Peers

Rear Admiral Burhoe

Admiral Exemplifies Honor, Respect & Devotion to Duty

Our post “Admiral Thad Allen and Terri A. Dickerson Miss Congressional Deadline and Snub Congressman Elijah Cummings,” has generated a good debate and now makes history.  For the first time since this Blog started in 2007, an Active Duty Flag Officer has commented on this site under his own name.

Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe the 39th Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London left a comment on our site late last night (early this morning) in support of Captain Bibeau.  Coast Guard Report applauds Admiral Burhoe for his leadership on this issue and others.  Were  it not for Burhoe, Alex Simonka might very well be embezzling from the Academy Athletic Association today.  We  believe there should have been more accountability by those who supervised Simonka, but understand the academy processes and its outside influences.

But the point we want to make in this post is that Burhoe has followed ALCOAST 458/08, and his Corps of Cadets will see that as true leadership.  It’s easy to pretend like issues inside Coast Guard don’t exist, and use many and varied excuses for not talking with some Blogs (this one), but Coasties have seen that for what it is and responded.

Rear Admiral Scott Burhoe

Please allow me to clear up a misunderstanding.

Captain Bibeau still serves proudly, capably, and professionally as Admissions Director here at the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Her relief was selected early after considering the complexity of the assignment and the unique nature of college admissions as compared to the competency sets normally possessed by active duty Coast Guard captains.

We fully expect (and desire) CAPT Bibeau to remain as Admissions Director until her retirement from the Coast Guard (after 30 years of honorable and selfless service) in early 2010.

Here are excerpts from my endorsement on her retirement request:

“Over the last eight years, CAPT Bibeau has done a tremendous job as the Director of Admissions at the Academy. Her innovation, resourcefulness, creativity, hard work, and team focus will be sorely missed in both the Admissions Division and on board the Academy.

During her time as Director of Admissions, CAPT Bibeau has incorporated innumerable new initiatives, most of which are considered best practices in higher education, and quite a few that showed innovation that far exceeded the standards for excellence in higher education admissions work. Her sustained and strategic efforts dramatically improved the quality of the candidate pool of high school seniors seeking admission to the Academy at a time when national trends consistently showed dramatic downturns in population of college-going students.

She has excelled at bringing in top-notch candidates to an institution that has no comparable peer given the tringent military, athletic, academic, and physical fitness admission requirements of the Academy, as well as the Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) scholars necessary to sustain a highly technical officer corps.

CAPT Bibeau has also been at the forefront in developing several strategic recruiting initiatives focused on attracting underrepresented minorities to the Academy. Her commitment to diversity is unparalleled where her guidance has allowed the Academy to think about equity in a more expansive manner that will eventually result in equity driven outcomes.

As Admissions Director, her thoughtful and long range view of the complexity of recruiting and retaining underrepresented minorities and women has built a solid foundation that will provide stability and excellence long after her retirement.”

Native Americans are 79 Percent of Juvenile Population in Federal Prisons

Federal juveniles are a special population with special designation needs. Each juvenile is placed in a facility that is appropriate to his/her security and programming needs. Several factors (e.g., age, offense, length of commitment, and mental and physical health) are considered when making placements.

Historically, the Federal juvenile population has been predominantly Native American males with an extensive history of drug, alcohol, and violent behavior. These juveniles tend to be older in age, with more than 87 percent between ages 17-20, and are typically sentenced for sex-related offenses.

In fact, the Federal government has unique jurisdiction over crimes in Indian Country and the most serious crimes committed on reservations tend to be prosecuted in Federal court. Consequently, over 79 percent of Federal juveniles are Native American. In addition to these Federal juvenile offenders having typically committed violent offenses, they also commonly have an unfavorable history of responding to interventions and preventive measures in the community. As a last resort, they are sentenced by the Federal courts to the custody of the Bureau. Federal law does not provide aftercare supervision for Bureau custody cases following release from residential programs.

Of note, more than 72 percent of the total Federal juvenile population :

• have required placement in secure facilities for violent offenses, including sex offenses, assault, robbery, and homicide; and
• are from (in alphabetical order) Arizona, the District of Columbia, Montana, and South Dakota.

Coast Guard Report New Course

Coast Guard Report is charting a new course.  We’re still at the chart table, but have an idea of what our PIM should be.  While our readers have grown, we couldn’t have done it without the many and still growing deck plate contributors who assist us on daily basis.

We’re proud to be underway, making way while our detractors are DIW.  While we set sail with a full after steering watch team, our detractors at headquarters have set sail without a lookout.  Our most junior watch is a Petty Officer Third Class, and we’re proud to say that our most senior lookout is a Rear Admiral Upper Half.  Pretty impressive for a small blog that originally wanted nothing more than Equal Civil Rights for all Employees.

We owe our success in any measure to Admiral Thad Allen and his governmental and public affairs staff.  Without their relentless attacks, we would not be the most read Coast Guard Blog on the Internet.

The United States Coast Guard is a good and noble service, and we will fight for the men and women who serve without regard for career or future.  Coast Guards Core Values and the Guardian Ethos are more than just written words to us and our contributors.

We’re growing but remain committed to our roots.  Thank you and God Bless!