Keflistan Coast Guard

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Keflistan Coast Guard
File:KCG Logo.png
Logo of the Keflistan Coast Guard
Founded4 August 1715 (1715-08-04)
Country Keflistan
TypeCoast guard
RoleDefense operations, maritime law enforcement, and search and rescue
Size3,350 sworn personel
Part ofKeflistan Department of Justice
HeadquartersKyra Russell Coast Guard Headquarters Building, Kefli City
Nickname(s)"Coasties"
Motto(s)Semper Paratus
"Always ready"
ColorsCG Red, CG Blue, White     
Anniversaries4 August
Commanders
Commander-in-ChiefPresident Bosede Henryson
Secretary of DefenseClark Chamberlain
CommandantADM Marc Daviau
Vice CommandantADM Cosmo Sepúlveda
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast GuardMCPOCG Gervasio Eustis

The Keflistan Coast Guard (KCG) is the coastal defense, search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement branch of the Keflistan Armed Forces. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its duties. It operates under the Department of the Navy.

Originally created under the Kefli Kingdom in 1715 as the Revenue-Marine, it is the oldest continuous seagoing service of Keflistan. The Revenue-Marine's original purpose was collecting customs duties at Keflistani seaports. The service has long been influenced by the Ibican Coast Guard.

In 2018, the Coast Guard has 3,350 active duty employees. The Coast Guard maintains a fleet of 35 coastal and ocean-going patrol ships, tenders, tugs, and smaller boats, as well as an aviation division consisting of 7 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Mission

Role

A boatswain's mate watches from the side port door as the Coast Guard Cutter Freedom's Over-The-Horizon small boat departs to receive personnel from the Coast Guard Cutter Endurance in 2008.

The Coast Guard carries out three basic roles, which are further subdivided into eleven statutory missions. The three roles are:

  • Maritime safety
  • Maritime security
  • Maritime stewardship

With a decentralized organization and much responsibility placed on even the most junior personnel, the Coast Guard is frequently lauded for its quick responsiveness and adaptability in a broad range of emergencies.

Missions

The eleven statutory missions as defined by law are divided into homeland security missions and non-homeland security missions:

Non-homeland security missions

  • Ice operations, including the International Ice Patrol
  • Living marine resources (fisheries law enforcement)
  • Marine environmental protection
  • Marine safety
  • Aids to navigation
  • Search and rescue

Homeland security missions

  • Defense readiness
  • Maritime law enforcement
  • Migrant interdiction
  • Ports, waterways and coastal security (PWCS)

Search and rescue

While the Coast Guard Search and Rescue (CG-SAR) is not the oldest search and rescue organization in the world, it is one of the Coast Guard's best-known operations. The National Search and Rescue Plan designates the Coast Guard as the federal agency responsible for maritime SAR operations, and the Keflistan Air Force as the federal agency responsible for inland SAR. Both agencies maintain rescue coordination centers to coordinate this effort, and have responsibility for both military and civilian search and rescue. The two services jointly provide instructor staff for the National Search and Rescue School that trains SAR mission planners and coordinators.

National Response Center

Operated by the Coast Guard, the National Response Center (NRC) is the sole Federal Government point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological, and etiological spills and discharges into the environment, anywhere in Keflistan. In addition to gathering and distributing spill/incident information for Federal On Scene Coordinators and serving as the communications and operations center for the National Response Team, the NRC maintains agreements with a variety of federal entities to make additional notifications regarding incidents meeting established trigger criteria. The NRC also takes Maritime Suspicious Activity and Security Breach Reports. Details on the NRC organization and specific responsibilities can be found in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. The Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE) database system is managed and used by the Coast Guard for tracking pollution and safety incidents in the nation's ports.

National Maritime Center

The National Maritime Center (NMC) is the merchant mariner credentialing authority for the KCG under the auspices of the Department of the Navy. To ensure a safe, secure, and environmentally sound marine transportation system, the mission of the NMC is to issue credentials to fully qualified mariners in Keflistani maritime jurisdiction.


Organization

The new headquarters complex is the Kyra Russell Coast Guard Headquarters Building in the Montagne Lakeshore section of Southeast Kefli City.

The fiscal year 2016 budget request for the Coast Guard was $167.5 million.

Districts and units

The Coast Guard's current district organization is divided into 9 districts. Their designations, district office and area of responsibility are as follows:

Coast Guard Districts
District Area District Office Area of Responsibility
First District Lafayette Bay Lafayette, Alcaria Provinces bordering the Bay of Lafayette, including the western halves of Alcaria and Calmont
Second District Cortesia Dakar, Tecali Northern Alcaria, Eblil, and Tecali
Third District Asoris Bay Derna, Eblil Asoris, southern Eblil and Tecali
Fourth District Crisiria Point Roberts, Calmont Southern Calmont and Asoris

Shore establishments

Shore establishment commands exist to support and facilitate the mission of the sea and air assets and Coastal Defense. Coast Guard Headquarters is located in Southeast Kefli City. Other shore establishments are Coast Guard Sectors (which may include Coast Guard Bases), Coast Guard Stations, Coast Guard Air Stations, and the Coast Guard Yard. Training centers include the Coast Guard Academy, Training Center Gatineau, and Training Center Point Roberts.

Personnel

The Coast Guard has 3,350 people on active duty. The formal name for a uniformed member of the Coast Guard is "Coast Guardsman", irrespective of gender. "Coastie" is an informal term commonly used to refer to current or former Coast Guard personnel. In 2008, the term "Guardian" was introduced as an alternative but was later dropped. "Team Coast Guard" refers to the four components of the Coast Guard as a whole: Regular, Reserve, Auxiliary, and Coast Guard civilian employees.

Commissioned officers

Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard hold pay grades ranging from O-1 to O-10 and have the same rank structure as the Navy. Officers holding the rank of ensign (O-1) through lieutenant commander (O-4) are considered junior officers, commanders (O-5) and captains (O-6) are considered senior officers, and rear admirals (O-7) through admirals (O-10) are considered flag officers. The Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard are the only members of the Coast Guard authorized to hold the rank of admiral.

The Coast Guard does not have medical officers or chaplains of its own. Instead, chaplains from the Navy are assigned to the Coast Guard to perform chaplain-related functions and medical-related functions, respectively. These officers wear Coast Guard uniforms but replace the Coast Guard insignia with that of their own service.

The Navy and Coast Guard share identical officer rank insignia except that Coast Guard officers wear a gold Coast Guard Shield in lieu of a line star or staff corps officer insignia.

Enlisted personnel

Enlisted members of the Coast Guard have pay grades from E-1 to E-9 and also follow the same rank structure as the Navy. Enlisted members in pay grades of E-4 and higher are considered petty officers and follow career development paths very similar to those of Navy petty officers.

Petty officers in pay grade E-7 and higher are chief petty officers and must attend the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy, or an equivalent Department of Defense school, in order to be advanced to pay grade E-8. The basic themes of the school are:

  • Professionalism
  • Leadership
  • Communications
  • Systems thinking and lifelong learning

Enlisted rank insignia is also nearly identical to Navy enlisted insignia. The Coast Guard shield replacing the petty officer's eagle on collar and cap devices for petty officers or enlisted rating insignia for seamen qualified as a "designated striker". Group Rate marks (stripes) for junior enlisted members (E-3 and below) also follow Navy convention with white for seaman, red for fireman, and green for the airman. In a departure from the Navy conventions, all petty officers E-6 and below wear red chevrons and all chief petty officers wear gold

Training

Officer training

The Coast Guard Academy is a four-year service academy located in Elizabeth City. Approximately 200 cadets graduate each year, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an ensign in the Coast Guard. Graduates are obligated to serve a minimum of five years on active duty. Most graduates are assigned to duty aboard Coast Guard cutters immediately after graduation, either as Deck Watch Officers (DWOs) or as Engineer Officers in Training (EOITs). Smaller numbers are assigned directly to flight training or to shore duty at Coast Guard Sector, District, or Area headquarters units.

In addition to the Academy, prospective officers, who already hold a college degree, may enter the Coast Guard through Officer Candidate School (OCS), also located at the Coast Guard Academy. OCS is a 17-week course of instruction that prepares candidates to serve effectively as officers in the Coast Guard. In addition to indoctrinating students into a military lifestyle, OCS provides a wide range of highly technical information necessary to perform the duties of a Coast Guard officer.

Graduates of OCS are usually commissioned as ensigns, but some with advanced graduate degrees may enter as lieutenants (junior grade) or lieutenants. Graduating OCS officers entering active duty are required to serve a minimum of three years, while graduating reserve officers are required to serve four years. Graduates may be assigned to a cutter, flight training, a staff job, or an operations ashore billet.

OCS is the primary channel through which the Coast Guard enlisted grades ascend to the commissioned officer corps.

Lawyers, engineers, intelligence officers, military aviators holding commissions in other branches of the Armed Forces requesting interservice transfers to the Coast Guard, graduates of maritime academies, and certain other individuals may also receive an officer's commission in the Coast Guard through the Direct Commission Officer (DCO) program. Depending on the specific program and the background of the individual, the course is three, four or five weeks long. The first week of the five-week course is an indoctrination week. The DCO program is designed to commission officers with highly specialized professional training or certain kinds of previous military experience.

Unlike the other military services, the Coast Guard does not have a Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program.

Service schools

Following graduation from recruit training, most members are sent to their first unit while they await orders to attend advanced training in Class "A" Schools. At "A" schools, Coast Guard enlisted personnel are trained in their chosen rating; rating is a Coast Guard and Navy term for enlisted skills synonymous with the Army's and Marine Corps' military occupation codes (MOS) and Air Force's Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). Members who earned high scores or who were otherwise guaranteed an "A" School of choice while enlisting may go directly to their "A" School upon graduation from Boot Camp.

Civilian personnel and Specialty rates

The Coast Guard employs over 2,577 civilians in over two hundred different job types including Coast Guard Investigative Service special agents, lawyers, engineers, technicians, administrative personnel, tradesmen, and federal firefighters. Civilian employees work at various levels in the Coast Guard to support its various missions.

Equipment

Cutters

A Legend-class national security cutter purchased from Ibica

The Coast Guard operates 10 Cutters, defined as any vessel more than 65 feet (20 m) long, that has a permanently assigned crew and accommodations for the extended support of that crew.

  • National Security Cutter (WMSL): Also known as the "Legend"-class, these are the Coast Guard's latest class of 418-foot (127 m) military defense maritime ship. At 418 ft. these are the largest KCG military cutters in active service. One-for-one Legend-class ships are replacing individually decommissioned 1960s Hamilton-class high endurance cutters. A total of eight were authorized and budgeted; as of 2015 three are in service, and three are under construction.
  • Seagoing Buoy Tender (WLB): These 225-foot (69 m) ships are used to maintain aids to navigation and also assist with law enforcement and search and rescue.
  • Coastal Buoy Tender (WLM): The 175-foot (53 m) Keeper-class coastal buoy tenders are used to maintain coastal aids to navigation.
  • Patrol Boats (WPB): There are two classes of WPBs currently in service; the 110-foot (34 m) Islands and the 87-foot (27 m) Marine Protectors

Boats

A Coast Guard 45-foot (14 m) Response Boat Medium (RB-M)

The Coast Guard operates about 100 boats, defined as any vessel less than 65 feet (20 m) long, which generally operate near shore and on inland waterways.

The Coast Guard boat fleet includes:

  • Motor Lifeboat (MLB): The Coast Guard's 47-foot (14 m) primary heavy-weather boat used for search and rescue as well as law enforcement and homeland security.
  • Response Boat – Medium (RB-M): A new multi-mission 45-foot (14 m) vessel intended to replace the 41-foot (12 m) utility boat. 170 planned
  • Deployable Pursuit Boat (DPB): A 38-foot (12 m) launch capable of pursuing fast cocaine smuggling craft.
  • Long Range Interceptor (LRI): A 36-foot (11 m) high-speed launch that can be launched from the stern ramps of the larger Deepwater cutters.
  • Aids to Navigation Boats (TANB/BUSL/ANB/ANB)]]: Various designs ranging from 26 to 55 feet (7.9 to 16.8 m) used to maintain aids to navigation.
  • Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement (SPC-LE): Intended to operate in support of specialized law enforcement missions, utilizing three 300 horsepower (220 kW) Mercury Marine engines. The SPC-LE is 33 feet (10 m) long and capable of speeds in excess of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) and operations more than 30 miles (48 km) from shore.
  • Response Boat – Small (RB-S): A 25-foot (7.6 m) high-speed boat, for a variety of missions, including search and rescue, port security and law enforcement duties.
  • Transportable Port Security Boat (TPSB): A 25-foot (7.6 m) well-armed boat used by Port Security Units for force protection.

Aircraft

HC-144A Ocean Sentry in flight
MH-65C Dolphin in flight

The Coast Guard operates 7 fixed and rotary wing aircraft from 1 Coast Guard Air Station in Gatineau.

Weapons

KCGC Gallatin test firing its Oto Melara 76 mm gun

Naval guns

Most Coast Guard Cutters have one or more Naval gun systems installed. Including:

  • The Oto Melara 76 mm a radar-guided computer controlled gun system that is used on both Medium and High Endurance Cutters. The 3 inch gun's high rate of fire and availability of specialized ammunition make it multi-purpose gun capable of anti-shipping, anti-aircraft, ground support and short-range anti-missile defense.
  • The MK 110 57mm gun a radar-guided computer controlled variant of the Bofors 57 mm gun. It is used on the Legend-class cutter, also known as the National Security Cutter (NSC). It's a multi-purpose gun capable of anti-shipping, anti-aircraft, and short-range anti-missile defense. The stealth mount has a reduced radar profile. Also, the gun has a small radar mounted on the gun barrel to measure muzzle velocity for fire control purposes and can change ammunition types instantly due to a dual-feed system. It can also be operated/fired manually using a joystick and video camera (mounted on gun).
  • The Mk 38 Mod 0 weapons system consists of an M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun and the Mk 88 Mod 0 machine gun mount. A manned system, it's gyro-stabilization compensates for the pitching deck. It provides ships with defensive and offensive gunfire capability for the engagement of a variety of surface targets. Designed primarily as a close-range defensive measure, it provides protection against patrol boats, floating mines, and various shore-based targets.
  • The Mk 38 Mod 2 weapons system is a remotely operated Mk 38 with an Electronic Optical Sight, Laser Range-Finder, FLIR, a more reliable feeding system, all of which enhance the weapon systems capabilities and accuracy.
  • The Phalanx CIWS (pronounced "sea-whiz") is a close-in weapon system for defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles. it can also be used against a variety of surface targets. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm 6-barreled M61 Vulcan cannon mounted on a swiveling base. It's used on the Coast Guards High Endurance Cutters. This system can operate autonomously against airborne threats or may be manually operated with the use of Electronic Optical Sight, Laser Range-Finder and FLIR systems against surface targets.
  • The Sea PROTECTOR MK50 is a remotely controlled gyro-stabilized M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun. The sight package includes a daylight video camera, a thermal camera and an eye-safe laser rangefinder operated by a joystick. It is also furnished with a fully integrated fire control system that provides ballistic correction.

Small arms and light weapons

The Coast Guard uses a wide variety of small arms and light weapons. Handguns, shotguns, and rifles are used to arm boat crew and boarding team members and machine guns are mounted aboard cutters, boats, and helicopters.

Small arms and light weapons arms include:

  • SIG Sauer P229R DAK .40 S&W pistol
  • Remington M870P 12 gauge shotgun
  • M16A2 rifle
  • M4 carbine
  • Mk 18 carbine
  • M14 Tactical rifle
  • Mk 11 Mod 2 precision rifle
  • FN M240 machine gun
  • M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun
  • Mk 19 40mm grenade launcher
  • Barrett M107 .50-caliber rifle is used by marksmen from the Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and Law Enforcement Detachments to disable the engines on fleeing boats.

Uniforms

The slightly more formal Service Dress Blue "Alpha" variant substitutes a white shirt for the blue, and mandates the combination cap. Enlisted personnel do not wear collar devices with the white shirt.

Full Dress Blue is essentially the same as Service Dress Blue "Alpha," except that it is worn with a full-size medals instead of ribbons. Additionally, a sword may be prescribed for officers, and white gloves may be required. A white belt may be worn for honor guards.

The Tropical Blue uniform, worn in warm weather, omits the jacket and tie, and features a short-sleeved, light blue shirt (identical to that worn by the Keflistan Air Force) with rank insignia on shoulder boards for officers, and pin-on collar insignia for petty officers. The Tropical Blue uniform may be worn year-round for general office wear and for visits between commands. It may be worn in lieu of the SDB uniform, but not to functions where civilian dress is coat and tie.

Despite the transition to distinctive "Bender's blues" uniforms in the 1970s, some Navy-style dress uniforms were retained. The Service Dress White and Full Dress White "choker" uniforms for officers are identical to those worn by Navy officers (aside from service-specific buttons, insignia and sword design). These are typically used for formal parade and change-of-command ceremonies. For similar occasions the enlisted members wear Tropical Blue, Service Dress Blue or Full Dress Blue. The dinner dress uniforms worn for formal (black tie) evening ceremonies are also identical to those of the Navy, aside from Coast Guard-specific insignia. As in the Navy, these uniforms are required for officers, but optional for enlisted members. Due to the expense of these uniforms and the fact that they are rarely called-for, few junior enlisted members purchase them.

The current working uniform of the Coast Guard is the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU). The ODU may be worn year-round primarily as a field utility and watchstanding uniform, but may also be worn in an office environment where appropriate. The ODU is similar to the old-style Battle Dress Uniform previously worn by all branches of the Armed Forces, both in function and style. However, the ODU is in a solid dark blue with no camouflage pattern and does not have lower pockets on the blouse. The first generation ODU, in service from 2004 to 2012, was worn with the blouse tucked into the trousers. The second generation ODU is worn with the blouse untucked and has black Coast Guard insignia embroidered on the right breast pocket as well as the side pockets of the trousers. The ODU is worn with composite-toed boots in most circumstances, but low-cut brown boat shoes may be prescribed for certain vessel boarding operations. A standard baseball-style ball cap is worn, embroidered in gold block lettering with "Coast Guard." Units may also additionally authorize ball caps with the unit name embroidered for wear while on the unit. A foul weather parka is the outerwear worn with the ODU.

Coast Guard personnel serving in expeditionary combat units such as Port Security Units or Law Enforcement Detachments, and Coast Guard personnel deployed overseas wear the Navy Working Uniform Type III with distinctive Coast Guard insignia, and generally follow Navy Uniform Regulations.

All Coast Guardsmen wear the combination cap with all uniforms except the ODU and CUU. Company commanders (the Coast Guard's equivalent of drill sergeants) at Training Center Cape Hope wear the traditional Smokey Bear-style campaign hat.

Cadets at the Coast Guard Academy wear standard Coast Guard uniforms, but also wear two different styles of parade dress uniforms, similar to those worn by Midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Full Dress Blue (B) consists of black blouses with banded collars and double rows of buttons, worn with matching black trousers and a white peaked hat. Full Dress Blue (A) substitutes white trousers in lieu of black.