Interesting news from the Coast Guard - and Homeland Defense

ALCOAST 367/08
COMDTNOTE 1000
SUBJ: ASSIGNMENT OF COAST GUARD PERSONNEL TO TRAIN AND SERVE WITH
U.S. NAVY NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE (SEALS)
1. I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE I RECENTLY SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH THE U.S. NAVY AND THE U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND THAT WILL ALLOW COAST GUARD PERSONNEL TO RAIN
AND SERVE IN THE U.S. NAVY NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY AS U.S. NAVY SEALS. THIS MOU IS THE CULMINATION OF A PROCESS STARTED IN JULY 2007 AND WILL ALLOW SELECTED COAST GUARD PERSONNEL TO BE ASSIGNED TO TRAINING AND DUTY AS A NAVY SEAL TO SUPPLEMENT U.S. NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE FORCES. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING CAPABILITY TO THE NAVY AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND,
THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE COAST GUARD PERSONNEL THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN EXPERIENCE IN THE PLANNING, TRAINING AND EXECUTION OF SPECIAL
OPERATIONS.
2. BACKGROUND. THE COAST GUARD HAS A PROUD AND DISTINGUISHED
HISTORY AS AN ARMED SERVICE. THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
NAVY SEAL PROGRAM MARKS ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE COAST GUARDS HISTORY OF SUPPORTING OUR SISTER SERVICES IN MEETING THE CHALLENGES FACING OUR NATION AND PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATIONALIZE THE NATIONS MARITIME STRATEGY. SINCE 9/11, OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY MISSIONS HAVE GROWN CONSIDERABLY, AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO LEARN AND INCREASE OUR SPECIALTY KNOWLEDGE BY PROVIDING OUR PERSONNEL WITH THE REQUISITE SKILLS. THIS NEW PROGRAM PROVIDES AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS TO GAIN VALUABLE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO SUPPORT DOD AND INCREASE THE COAST GUARDS CAPABILITIES IN OUR PORTS, WATERWAYS AND COASTAL SECURITY (PWCS) MISSION, SPECIFICALLY COUNTER-TERRORISM AND ANTI-TERRORISM OPERATIONS.
3. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AND ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS. THE DEPLOYABLE
OPERATIONS GROUP (DOG), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COAST GUARD PERSONNEL COMMAND AND NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE COMMAND WILL ADMINISTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS OPEN TO ALL MALE PERSONNEL BELOW THE AGE OF 29 WHO MEET THE RIGOROUS ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS REQUIRED TO ENTER SEAL TRAINING. A SOLICITATION MESSAGE DETAILING SPECIFIC PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND THE APPLICATION/SCREENING PROCESS IS FORTHCOMING.
4. SEAL TRAINING AND OPERATIONAL TOUR. THE SEAL TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDES BASIC UNDERWATER DEMOLITIONS/SEAL AND SEAL QUALIFICATION TRAINING THAT WILL LAST 18 MONTHS TO TWO YEARS. UPON TRAINING COMPLETION, SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL BE DESIGNATED AS A SEAL AND
ASSIGNED TO A SEAL TEAM. PERSONNEL WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SEAL TRAINING CAN EXPECT TO BE ASSIGNED TO NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, WHICH COULD INCLUDE THREE TO FIVE OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS.
5. THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COAST GUARD AND ITS
PERSONNEL. I ENCOURAGE ALL ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL TO CONSIDER THIS
PROGRAM.
6. ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.