San Diego, CA–The commandant of the Coast Guard delivered his third State of the Coast Guard Address Thursday at Coast Guard Sector San Diego.
Admiral Karl Schultz highlighted Coast Guard operations, which provide for the safety and security of our nation’s waterways that contribute 25 percent to America’s gross domestic product.
Schultz also recognized the service and sacrifice of Coast Guard members stationed across the country and deployed around the world ensuring global peace and prosperity during this year of unprecedented challenges. He also honored the servicemembers in San Diego who help ensure the safety and security of one of America’s busiest maritime boundaries.
“Across the service and around the world I see individual Coast Guardsmen contributing to their communities, securing the homeland, enhancing our economic prosperity and advancing our national interests across the globe,” said Schultz.
Schultz also made multiple policy and acquisition announcements including:
- Initiatives to support the Coast Guard workforce
- Updates on the status of the Coast Guard’s aviation and cutter fleets and critical acquisitions including the offshore patrol cutter and polar security cutter
- An update to the Coast Guard’s future Arctic operations
- Coast Guard deployments to the Indo-Pacific and South America to fight Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
- The critical role the Coast Guard plays in U.S. national security at home and abroad
“We were absolutely honored to host this major event for the Coast Guard at Sector San Diego,” said Capt. Tim Barelli, the Coast Guard Sector San Diego commander. “The San Diego Harbor and coastlines are vital to our national security, local economy and natural resources, which is why having the national spotlight on our beautiful city shows the importance of the Coast Guard’s role in keeping the Southwest waters safe, secure, environmentally protected and economically prosperous.”
While in San Diego, Schultz attended a drug offload Wednesday by the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf crew with 7,500 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $126.7 million.
Coast Guard Sector San Diego began as a Coast Guard Air Patrol detachment on May 4, 1934, for the purpose of preventing smuggling across the U.S. – Mexico border. The primary mission soon expanded to include saving life and property as patrolling aircraft were increasingly being diverted for search and rescue missions offshore. Sector San Diego was established in July 2004, combining three separate commands, Activities San Diego, Marine Safety Office San Diego, and Air Station San Diego, into a single command performing 10 of the 11 statutory Coast Guard missions.
