Opportunities in the Gray Zone: A Changing Coast Guard​

By ENS Logan J. Tobias

Coast Guardsmen must embrace missions that require interoperating with the Navy and recognize the national, service level, and professional development opportunities provided by such deployments. From July to October of 2022, United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) MIDGETT (MID) was a Task Force Commander in the 2022 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, and following the exercise’s conclusion, deployed on a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) patrol under Navy Seventh Fleet.

Both missions showcased the Coast Guard’s development in recent years, requiring units to integrate Navy training procedures and reporting requirements into operations with increasing frequency. This creeping change has elicited varied reactions within the organization; some members are excited by the prospect of a truly global Coast Guard, while a perceptibly larger number of members are fearful that the service is losing its unique identity, or that it may be swallowed up by the Navy.

A handful of servicemembers opposing the growing inter-service relationship have previously expressed their concerns in professional forums, but increasingly, operational members are voicing these concerns on the messdecks, wardrooms, bridge wings, and engine rooms of deployed cutters, evinced by the all-to-common quip “If I had wanted to do X, I would’ve joined the Navy,” indicating more than a moments displeasure with OPTEMPO, but an organization-wide foreboding that needs to be addressed. Rather than framing changing Coast Guard operations as a Navy hostile takeover, it is time Coast Guardsman embrace how interoperations accomplish our nation’s National Defense and Indo-Pacific strategies, enhance Coast Guard statutory missions, and offer professional development opportunities to nourish the talents of our junior members.

The Coast Guard is the best instrument available for satisfying the nation’s Indo-Pacific strategy, and service members must take pride in our unique comparative advantage. The Indo-Pacific strategy points to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) “combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might” to become the region’s preferred partner, while also highlighting how “Indo-Pacific governments grapple with natural disasters, resource scarcity, internal conflict, and governance challenges.” To confront the PRC’s regional expansion while also addressing the above challenges, political leadership may look to the State Department, Department of Defense entities, three letter agencies, etc., but must do so in a way that manages the great power competition “responsibly” (i.e., not heightening military tensions). Consequently, the US has pledged to “modernize our long-standing alliances, strengthen emerging partnerships, and invest in regional organizations” as a means to curb PRC hegemony, non-escalatory methods befitting the Coast Guard given its universally valued statutory missions.

Unlike the “gray hulls” of Navy warships, the Coast Guard’s racing stripes are renowned for the service’s humanitarian missions, eliciting welcoming reactions from Indo-Pacific governments who desire assistance in fields relating to those missions, but are skeptical of a strong military presence. Given the nation’s priorities in the Indo-Pacific and the Coast Guard’s unfettered regional access, there is no better instrument at Washington’s disposal, requiring the Coast Guard to step into new responsibilities, and accept greater leadership in previously occupied forums.

The Coast Guard’s increasing responsibility was showcased during RIMPAC 2022 and MID’s 2022 WESTPAC, and both demonstrably enhanced national-level interests as well as more traditional Coast Guard missions. RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime exercise involving 26 Nations, 25,000 Personnel, 38 Surface Ships, 4-Submarines, 170 Aircraft, and 30 Unmanned Systems. Its objective, to “exercise a wide range of capabilities, projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces,” emphasizes the naval warfare element of joint operations.

As a Task Force Commander, MID acted outside the Coast Guard’s typical wheelhouse, leading forces in simulated attacks, constructive kills, harassment, shadowing, and strategic maneuvering, sometimes to the displeasure of MID crewmembers who had joined the service primarily for its humanitarian missions. However, through RIMPAC, MID had the opportunity to conduct a joint Search and Rescue (SAR) exercise with a Japanese Carrier between exercise serials. RIMPAC provided Japan and the United States a forum to enhance our strategic partnership while sharing SAR best practices, a collaborative opportunity for the Coast Guard that, outside of the venue offered by RIMPAC, would have severely taxed the service’s already limited resources. Without accepting greater and more Navy-aligned responsibilities, MID would not have been in the position to execute our Indo-Pacific strategy in a profoundly Coast Guard way. In that sense, gaining proficiency with Navy procedures, although fatiguing, was a worthwhile opportunity cost.

On their recent WESTPAC patrol, MID visited Chennai, India as, according to the Indo-Pacific and National Defense strategies, “India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia, a driving force of the Quad and other regional fora, and an engine for regional growth and development.” Despite the compatibility of both states, it is not a foregone conclusion that meaningful relationships will be easily forged, as cultural differences provide sufficient barriers to communication. That said, the USCG’s universally valued statutory missions, grounded in the safety of life at sea, offer a common ground for the forging of meaningful relationships anywhere across the globe.

In Chennai, MID and an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Vessel deployed cutter boats while conducting a joint Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure exercise, MID hosted regional ICG commanders as well as the local harbormaster aboard for a luncheon, and finally, an ICG vessel hosted MID Officers aboard for an evening reception. Over drinks, several ICG officers shared sea stories of combating piracy at sea and conducting SAR, showcasing their appreciation for humanitarian missions; comparatively, there was no talk of the “great power competition,” militarization, or geopolitics. It may be a bridge too far to contend that the more martial armed services could not have meaningfully befriended our valued Indian partners, but you cannot discount the border-transcending camaraderie forged by the unique life-saving missions primarily pursued by the Coast Guard. For that reason, the Coast Guard must continue to go out. 

Deploying the Coast Guard out-of-hemisphere does not only satisfy national strategies but enhances several of the service’s statutory missions and helps develop our junior members. One of the biggest headaches for MID in chopping into the Navy was getting up-to-standard on procedures that sometimes remain un-flexed during normal Coast Guard operations, such as meeting the Navy’s foreign port Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP) Requirements. Despite the strain these requirements impose on Coast Guard crews, there is a clear and present gain for certain statutory missions, to include Defense Readiness, Law Enforcement, and Migrant Interdiction. Leading up to the WESTPAC patrol, MID made a concerted effort to conduct the requisite training to qualify Force Protection Officers and additional ATFP Personnel; qualifications required firearms certifications, a demonstrated understanding of the Coast Guard use-of-force policy, and a proven ability to maintain 360-degree awareness and complete knowledge of initial actions during increased force protection conditions.

Anticipating competing demands in port and desiring to mitigate crew fatigue, MID encouraged non-traditional rates to qualify ATFP. As MID progressed through the patrol, professionally interacting with foreign citizens and government entities abroad, all members became increasingly proficient ATFP watch standers. Familiarizing and giving members real world practice handling firearms, exuding officer presence, and maintaining professionalism intersects with competencies required in the Coast Guard’s Defense Readiness, Law Enforcement, and Migrant Interdiction missions. Moreover, the relatively small Coast Guard crew-size empowered members who, under normal circumstances, may not have had the opportunity to receive such training and experience, to pursue beneficial qualifications.

Acting in accordance with the 2022 National Defense Strategy, a major focus of MID’s WESTPAC patrol was “to partner with countries in the region to build capability and promote security and stability.” For MID, building capability came in the form of professional demonstrations during port visits. In the Philippines, MID conducted special evolution briefings for Philippine Coast Guard and Navy guests, as well as conducting joint SAR exercises after departing Manila; In Singapore, MID embarked Navy observers for communications exercises with Singapore’s Maritime Response Flotilla; In India, MID conducted joint Vessel Board Search and Seizure, Search and Rescue, external firefighting, and counter-piracy demonstrations with the ICG. While primarily enhancing the capabilities of our Indo-Pacific partners by sharing best practices, these types of engagements have the added benefit of placing Coast Guard personnel in challenging situations while offering maximum opportunity for personal growth; Consider, small boat operations are dangerous and complicated evolutions, and MID asked crewmembers to deconstruct it and brief it to an audience of foreign professionals speaking English as a second language. Similar opportunities were given to even more junior members regarding bridge best practices and SAR fundamentals. Rather than being a preferred method to cultivating talent and understanding in Coast Guard operators, the “learning benefits of studying with the expectation of direct teaching” are considered to be the greatest return on investment. Therefore, the gain of interacting with foreign militaries can be directly felt aboard Coast Guard operational units, trickling down to the American public.

At the time of this writing, the Coast Guard continues to lean into the development of the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) fleet, a project that will, upon conclusion, outfit the service with 25 OPCs intended to be the “most effective way to fill the service’s need for long-term offshore capability.” The trajectory of the Coast Guard is perhaps codified no clearer than by this investment, but rather than bemoan the changing missions and physical composition of the service, Coast Guardsman should look towards the needs of the nation and the emergent opportunities for the organization and individual members when operating alongside Navy Gray Hulls. Through increasing expeditionary patrols, interactions with foreign militaries, and new leadership roles and responsibilities, the Coast Guard is changing, yet continuing to abide by its timeless motto: Semper Paratus!

ENS Logan J. Tobias was born in Long Island, New York and graduated the United States Coast Guard Academy as Class Valedictorian in 2022. He is currently serving as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC MIDGETT (WMSL 757) homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The views expressed are the authors’ alone and do not reflect those of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, or the U.S. Government.

The views expressed in this piece are the sole opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Center for Maritime Strategy or other institutions listed.