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April 3, 2003
Mission Expanding: Coast Guard rallies for homeland security
By AARON LONDON | News-Journal Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE — Shoving off from its slip at U.S. Coast Guard Station Mayport, the 47-foot motor lifeboat known simply as No. 47293 could be mistaken for just another boat on the busy St. Johns River.
But when its twin diesel engines are spooled up, it clearly becomes a boat with a mission, manned by a serious crew.
"You have to be more aware of what's going on," said Boatswain's Mate Second Adam Murray, guiding the boat into the main channel. "You pay more attention to what you see."
The U.S. Coast Guard's mission is expanding since it became part of the Department of Homeland Security, a point brought home Friday by Homeland Security Secretary, Tom Ridge, during his visit to Mayport. Ridge announced the latest push to boost security at airports, petroleum and chemical plants, nuclear power plants and seaports and discussed the Coast Guard's widening role.
When the United States launched Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 19, the Coast Guard initiated Operation Liberty Shield, which included one of the largest increases in homeland security patrols since World War II.
And as fighting in Iraq intensifies, the homeland mission is foremost to the more than 400 men and women assigned to Station Mayport.
"This is an all-hands evolution for the Coast Guard," said Lt. Cmdr. Mark Wilbert, group commander at Station Mayport. "We have recalled approximately 140 reservists and we rely heavily on the contribution of our volunteer force in the Coast Guard Auxiliary."
Some of the increased attention is falling on commercial vessels using inlets and port facilities along the East Coast and eastern Gulf of Mexico. In Volusia and Flagler counties, that means more marine patrols and increased activity at the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lifeboat Station in New Smyrna Beach, as well as more air patrols in general over local beaches and inland waterways.
"We are strictly enforcing a 96-hour advance notice of arrival for ships coming into major ports and certain vessels that meet specific criteria will be boarded," Wilbert said.
Coast Guard officials also are asking local boaters to report suspicious activity and cooperate with marine patrols that might hail them, especially if they are near bridges, port facilities or restricted areas.
"It is important for people to know we are at a high level of alert and will quickly and forcefully stop any vessel that is unresponsive or refuses to obey the orders of law enforcement officers," said Capt. Wayne Justice, chief of operations for the Coast Guard's 7th District, which includes South Carolina, most of Georgia and Florida, except west of Pensacola, and areas of the Caribbean.
Station Mayport, one of six group stations in the 7th District, covers an area from Brunswick, Ga., to Malabar, south of Cape Canaveral. Other group stations are in Charleston, S.C., Miami, Key West, St. Petersburg and Puerto Rico.
While many people think of the Coast Guard in terms of smuggling interdiction and search-and-rescue missions, port security actually was the first task assigned to the service when it was created in 1790 by then-Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.
Coast Guard officials maintain they are not compromising their important search-and-rescue functions but some "rebalancing" is taking place to focus on homeland security missions.
"Before, it was all about boater safety and search and rescue," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Mark Cutter, commander of the Portsmouth, N.H., Coast Guard station. "Now it's all about homeland security."
These new responsibilities will require more personnel and Coast Guard officials anticipate a higher level of funding. The service's budget this year is $6.2 billion, up from $5.6 billion last year. Some funding also is likely to come from the $75 billion special appropriations request from President Bush to cover war costs.
The president was in Philadelphia on Monday to highlight his request for more money by praising Operation Liberty Shield, calling for close cooperation among federal, state and local governments, as well as private businesses such as chemical plants and banks.
One of the priorities for Station Mayport these days is protecting Navy vessels. Even before the war in Iraq began, Coast Guard crews escorted to sea military ships laden with equipment for the Army's 101st Airborne Division.
The Coast Guard also plays an active role in Iraq, helping secure the port at Umm Qasr. A Coast Guard cutter and helicopter escorted a British ship with the first humanitarian aid shipment into the Iraqi port.
Meanwhile, with Navy Seahawk helicopters buzzing overhead, an up-tempo schedule of training makes Mayport a very busy place. Last Wednesday, in addition to regular patrol missions aboard boats like No. 47293, crew members participated in training exercises that included receiving a liberal dose of pepper spray.
Cheered on by their comrades, the trainees carried out a mock arrest while getting shot in the face with pepper spray. Just part of the job, said one officer.
All of the training can take its toll, but Coast Guard crew members are keenly aware of the larger picture.
"The hours add up," said Petty Officer Scott Carr. "But we can take some solace that even though we're tired, the Marines and soldiers on the ground in Iraq are even more beat.
"It's pretty easy to suck it up and keep going when you think of that."
Fast facts
The U.S. Coast Guard uses a variety of boats and aircraft to fulfill its various missions. In addition to four cutters assigned to Group Mayport in Jacksonville — the Maria Bray, Kingfisher, Shrike and Hammer — the group operates multiple-mission small boat stations in Brunswick, Ga., New Smyrna Beach and Port Canaveral. The Mayport group also has teams that tend to navigation buoys at Ponce De Leon Inlet and Jacksonville Beach.
The 7th District Coast Guard has several types of boats and aircraft at its disposal, including:
· Two 270-foot medium endurance cutters stationed at Key West;
· Four 210-foot medium endurance cutters stationed at St. Petersburg, Miami and Patrick Air Force Base near Cocoa Beach;
· Two 175-foot coastal buoy tenders stationed at St. Petersburg and Mayport;
· 18 110-foot patrol boats stationed at Miami, Key West and St. Petersburg;
· Eight 87-foot coastal patrol boats, including two stationed at Mayport;
· A variety of smaller craft, including 47-foot motor life boats, 41-foot utility boats and rigid-hull inflatable boats;
· HC-Hercules fixed wing long-range surveillance and transport planes stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater;
· HU-25 Guardian medium range surveillance aircraft stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Miami;
· HH-60 Jayhawk medium range recovery helicopters stationed at the Clearwater station;
· HH-65 Dolphin helicopters stationed at the Miami station.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard Web site.