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Uscg Base Boston - Moving the three district offices from expensive locations in Boston, Miami and Seattle could free up money for other priorities.

Regardless of their income or wealth, everyone wants (or needs) more money. Maybe to achieve a goal, help others or do an important task. For the Coast Guard, all of these; The service wants to be able to meet "unprecedented demand" for its services.

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However, despite being one of the nation's armed forces, the Coast Guard has not seen the kind of financial support that other services receive. 2020 Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Carl Schultz noted during his 2020 Coast Guard address that the Department of Defense's "program spending has nearly tripled for the Coast Guard over the past five years, despite our efforts. Planning challenges."

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The admiral advised Coast Guard leaders to think outside the box. However, as the budget may wind up in the short term, it's time to move on.

In 1939, when the United States Lighthouse Service became part of the Coast Guard, "the old Coast Guard divisions and lighthouse districts were eliminated and replaced by thirteen districts." Two of these districts were in Boston and Seattle.

The third, based in Jacksonville, Florida, will later move to Miami. These three cities are still the headquarters of Coast Guard districts: First District Office in Boston; seventh in Miami; and thirteenth in Seattle.

These are some of the most expensive places in the country. There is no military force to ensure its presence in expensive locations. In fact, the mission, scope of power and overall structure of the Coast Guard is very different from its counterparts in the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard must deploy personnel and assets in high-traffic areas to conduct law enforcement, maritime security, and search and rescue operations. It makes sense that Boston, Miami, and Seattle should be home to Coast Guard operations and support commands (departments and bases), but not necessarily to locate district offices there. Divisional commanders are tactical specialists responsible for all activities within their respective divisions, but district commanders provide command and control over divisions, and are not active or present in most day-to-day operations.

Rare Vintage Original Us Coast Guard Base Boston Mass Plate Number #198

If the Coast Guard relocated its First, Seventh and Thirteenth District offices, it could save more than $6.6 million annually that could be redirected to higher priority needs while improving the quality of life for some of its members.

The relocation of these three district offices will result in savings from lower basic allowances for housing (BAH) as well as lower rents. As a rough estimate, the BAH rate is calculated for each station by taking the average BAH for service members (with and without dependents) E-4 through O-7 and multiplying it by the number of active duty service members assigned to this station. . The number of members for the seventh largest district is estimated at 125, while the first and thirteenth districts each have 90 members.

Office rent was calculated by multiplying the estimated price per square foot for commercial properties in each city by the estimated office space. Additionally, the Seventh District is larger, and it is estimated that it will need 50,000 square feet of office space, while the First and Thirteenth Districts are estimated to need 40,000 square feet each. Although the Coast Guard may work through the General Services Administration (GSA), commercial rates are used because they provide a general cost estimate, and GSA charges market-based rates.

The Coast Guard has been based in Boston since the 18th century. The Boston Division plays an important role in regulating maritime trade in the busy harbor and protecting fishing grounds and sailors along the Massachusetts coast. However, the First District oversees all Coast Guard operations from New York City to eastern Maine. Boston is one of five divisions in the Liability Division.

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New London, Connecticut, home to the Coast Guard Academy and other Coast Guard commands, is a relatively inexpensive location. Moving the First District from Boston to New London would save an estimated $1.8 million in BAH costs and an estimated $1.1 million in office rent savings.

Moving the First District Office to New London will save the Coast Guard $2.9 million annually, streamline the district office among its various divisions, and attract more visitors when the Coast Guard Museum opens in 2024.

The Coast Guard is involved with Miami's growing water culture. In addition to smugglers trying to bring illegal drugs or narcotics into the country by immigrants, both Sector Miami and Air Station Miami are very active in the city and regularly deal with pleasure boats, cruise lines and ferries. However, the commander of the Seventh District cannot focus solely on operations around Miami, as he oversees five other divisions from Puerto Rico to Charleston, South Carolina.

Miami is currently the seventh most expensive city in the United States; On the other hand, Orlando, Florida did not reach 20th place.

Us Coast Guard March In Saint Patrick`s Day Parade Boston, Usa Editorial Photography

Moving District Seven from Miami to Orlando would save about $1 million in BAH and about $904,000 in rental costs.

As Miami suffers from traffic congestion (third worst in the country) this move will improve traffic.

But perhaps the most important reason for moving the Seventh District office to Orlando is to improve development and hurricane response. All of Florida is at risk of hurricanes, but its main location on the southeast coast, Miami, is at greater risk than the Orlando area. District Seven is using Orlando as a shelter for Coast Guard families fleeing South Florida as the storm approaches.

One downside of the move was that the district office was moved away from US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), a few miles west of Miami. District Seven and Southcom work together throughout the Caribbean to combat threats, including international criminal organizations. However, many of the Miami Department's strategic initiatives in the region require personnel coordination, and the collaboration with SouthCom can be sustained over the long haul. In-person appointments are possible with a short flight from Orlando.

Coast Guard Station Boston Crew Conducts Law Enforcement Boarding In Boston Harbor

Moving the Seventh District office to Orlando will save the Coast Guard $1.9 million annually, reduce traffic congestion faced by members, streamline the district office between departments, and increase resiliency in the event of a hurricane or other disaster.

Today, Seattle is home to the Puget Sound Division, Base Seattle, and several cutters. Puget Sound and the Columbia River are major sea routes carrying important goods to and from the Pacific Northwest. The Thirteenth District commander is responsible for all Coast Guard operations from the Canadian border to the southern tip of Oregon. However, the Puget Sound section is the smallest of the state's three sections, the other two being further south.

Seattle is growing fast. It comes in as the 12th most expensive city in America, but quickly climbs up the ranks.

Tacoma, 30 miles south, is often included as part of the Seattle area, but despite its proximity, moving the Thirteenth District from Seattle to Tacoma would save about $923,000 in BAH costs and about $898,000 in office rent savings. .

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The move to the south will bring the district office closer to Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Coast Guard members and their families are able to take advantage of services provided on an unlocated base in Seattle, including military housing, health and life support services, and educational opportunities.

Moving to the expressway would save the Coast Guard more than $1.8 million, centralize command districts and provide service members with a larger base of benefits.

Of course, potential savings are only part of the equation; The techniques involved in the implementation of the steps are important. Coast Guard Civil Engineers should identify suitable locations. Leaders will need to plan to move from one city to another. The cutters in the houses have changed in recent years, but the workers' bills will require adjustments (with long trips), and the service has experience with such a business.

The Secretary of Homeland Security can implement proposed actions without congressional action. The Secretary already has the authority to "establish, delimit, consolidate, suspend, or reconstitute Coast Guard districts."

Light Station Boston, Massachusetts

As a share of the overall Coast Guard budget, the savings from these proposed initiatives would be relatively small (0.40 percent on current BAH savings, 4.42 percent on GSA rent savings).

However, the amount saved can be regularly transferred to other high priorities each year. For example, the Coast Guard's fiscal year 2021 budget will pay $6.64 million for the annual costs of three priority programs against transnational organized crime and cybersecurity.

In addition to better quality of life and increased resilience, the relocation of the three district offices will allow the Coast Guard to expand its mission.