US Coast Guard is kicking butt

Say what you want about the current US government administration, but their support of the US Coast Guard has moved the needle in the waters of Scuttlebutt HQ in San Diego, CA. Unlawful attempts to enter the USA from Mexico, once an easy route, now come with significant peril.

The US Coast Guard is winning.

It turns out that people like winning, and it has contributed to record recruiting which will allow the Coast Guard to fully staff six stations and restore full operations in 2027. Previously, the stations operated at reduced capacity because of workforce shortages.

The Coast Guard prioritized six stations to return to full operations in 2027 based on operational risk and mission demand:

• Station Castle Hill, Rhode Island
• Station Milford Haven, Virginia
• Station Saginaw River, Michigan
• Station Vallejo, California
• Station Golden Gate, California
• Station Rio Vista, California

“Record recruiting is giving us the people we need to strengthen frontline operations,” said Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard. “Returning these stations to full operations means more Coast Guard men and women serving in our communities and greater capacity to respond when the American people need us. This is an important step, and more stations will follow.”

The Coast Guard reduced operations at several units in 2023 and 2024 through its Force Alignment Initiative in response to workforce shortages. The initiative shifted personnel to higher priority units and missions while maintaining the Coast Guard’s ability to meet operational demands.

Record recruiting reversed that trend. The Coast Guard now has the personnel to fully staff these six stations and restore capabilities that were reduced.

Returning these stations to full operations will increase capacity for search and rescue, maritime security, and law enforcement. It will also increase Coast Guard presence in the communities these stations serve and strengthen the Coast Guard’s ability to respond to crises or contingencies on the water.