-----Original Message-----

From: Allen, Thad Admiral

Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 7:18 AM

Subject: Coast Guard CIAO Update

To the Men and Women of the Coast Guard:

At the State of the Coast Guard address, I highlighted the fact that while we continue to have exceptional operational performance, we also face significant challenges. These challenges require us to think and act differently to fulfill our duties to the American public. I have told you about how the Coast Guard needs to be organized for optimal mission execution, and how we are working to develop the best possible framework through the ten Commandant Intent Action Orders (CIAOs). We are now ready to begin the hard, yet necessary, work of finalizing the details.

This is one of my highest priorities. As such, I have asked RADM Jody Breckenridge to take charge of the CIAO Implementation Team at Coast Guard Headquarters. She has enthusiastically accepted this challenge and looks forward to leading a seamless and organized transition. In the coming weeks, RDML Craig Bone will relieve her of her duties as the Eleventh District of Commander, enabling her to take this on full-time.

As you know, each of the CIAOs represents a change to the way we do business, but the single most visible adjustment will be to our command structure. We are developing an operational network to better facilitate the timely and accurate flow of information and direction between the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of mission execution. This will result in a command and control system that will be more agile, adaptive and responsive. The new command structure will also ensure that our support systems are more responsive to our operations.

Some of these changes require additional authorization from DHS, the Administration, and the Congress. In the meantime, I want to help you better understand the future force structure. I've posted a comprehensive brief, which includes an organizational chart, so that you can take a look for yourself what I am talking about.

I also want to address some other concerns I've heard. Some of you may be anticipating what we've experienced in past organizational transformations. This is different. We are NOT streamlining. The goals of these changes are to improve the way we run our organization. The Coast Guard needs every one of you. Without each of you, we would not be as successful, or highly recognized as we are today.

For those of you who may be concerned about being uprooted, you do not need to be. While we are laying the groundwork now, the actual implementation will take place over the next several years to coincide with the regular assignment process. This transformation is simply designed to enable us, together, as the world’s best Coast Guard, to better serve America into the future.

Admiral Thad Allen