Memo: Coast Guard to Cut Operations by 21 percent

March 15, 2013 10:24 AM - Updated: March 15, 2013 11:39 AM
Coast Guardsmen from Air Station Detroit and Station St. Clair Shores, Mich., conduct joint ice-rescue training on Lake St. Clair, Feb. 12, 2013. US Coast Guard Photo
Coast Guardsmen from Air Station Detroit and Station St. Clair Shores, Mich., conduct joint ice-rescue training on Lake St. Clair, Feb. 12, 2013. US Coast Guard Photo

The Coast Guard plans to reduce surface and air operations by 21 percent and defer depot level maintenance due to budget cuts, according to a February draft memo obtained by USNI News.

The operational reductions translate to a cut of 268,000 resource hours from a baseline of 1.2 million hours, according to the memo.

According to the Office of Management and Budget, the Coast Guard Faces a $295 million cut to its $8 billion budget under the cuts from sequestration and the ongoing Continuing Resolution, according to a story from Fierce Homeland Security.

Of the cuts, $194 million will come from operation and maintenance funds. Search and rescue training hours are exempt, according to the memo. Units will still be able be on-call to respond to search and rescue operations and high priority missions.

The Coast Guard will preserve its 8,000 member civilian workforce, unlike the other military services expecting to furlough almost all of their civilian employees. However some hiring freezes will remain in effect.

“We want to hold our entire workforce because we’ve worked very hard in the last decade to build our force back up,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Robert Papp told reporters following the Feb. 27 State of the Coast Guard address. “So whether it’s active duty or our civilian workforce, we will make every effort to keep our workforce intact.”

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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