CLEARWATER, USA — Adm. Karl L. Schultz, commandant, US Coast Guard, delivered the annual State of the Coast Guard Address, Thursday at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.
Adm. Schultz highlighted how the Coast Guard is utilizing assets, capabilities, and programs that support the workforce so they may remain ready, relevant, and responsive to the transformational change occurring in the maritime domain.
“Truly, the state of the Coast Guard is stronger than ever before because we are united in service, adapting to new challenges and opportunities presented by a rapidly changing maritime domain,” said Adm. Schultz.
The Coast Guard is an agile, adaptive force whose greatest value to our Nation resides in its ability to shift missions to meet national priorities during steady state and crises.
In the face of new challenges, Adm. Schultz stated: “The Coast Guard has done what it has always done; we’ve continued to evolve. We are a learning organization with a growth mindset – continuously adapting to emerging national and international challenges and opportunities. Our enduring success throughout our 232-year history, accentuated by these uniquely challenging past three years, is because we are ever-adaptive, agile, and resilient. We succeed because we are united in service; because we are united in service, we are Always Ready!”
Adm. Schultz spoke about equipping the workforce saying: “To best address enduring and emerging challenges, one constant remains – the need to deliver the assets, resilient infrastructure, and capabilities necessary to accomplish the mission.”
The Commandant went on to thank Congress for supporting the service’s largest shipbuilding effort since World War II, recapitalizing and changing composition of its aviation fleet, and investing in programs and facilities to support Coast Guard missions and personnel.
The service continues to implement people-focused initiatives to attract and retain its skilled and talented workforce. This includes additional recruiting efforts, improved support for Coast Guard families, broadened career development resources, greater mobility, and increased educational opportunities.
“Your Coast Guard is united in service making investments in, and adapting policies to attract and retain, our dedicated workforce,” Adm. Schultz emphasized. “We must continue this progress because we cannot be the Coast Guard our nation needs without each member of our workforce. You, the extraordinary members of our mission ready total workforce, are the change agents who maximize our team’s potential. Individually, you are valued. United in service, we are invaluable!”
View his full remarks here.
