By Capt. Steve Alvarez, USA American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24, 2006 – As it has for more than 200 years, the U.S. Coast Guard is carrying on its wartime service in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom . . .

As part of Operation Noble Eagle, the Coast Guard protects more than 361 ports and 95,000 miles of coastline, Coast Guard officials said. The Coast Guard maintains the operations of U.S. ports and waterways by providing a secure environment for mariners, officials said. It achieves its missions with 39,000 active duty Coast Guard personnel, 8,100 Coast Guard Reservists, and 7,000 civilian Coast Guard personnel, according to Coast Guard personnel reports from 2005.

Today, Coast Guard officials said, the service's homeland security role includes:

• Protecting ports, the flow of commerce, and the marine transportation system from terrorism;
  
• Maintaining maritime border security against illegal drugs, illegal aliens, firearms, and weapons of mass destruction;
  
• Ensuring rapid deployment and resupply to military assets, both by keeping Coast Guard units at a high state of readiness and by keeping marine transportation open for the transit of assets and personnel from other branches of the armed forces;
  
• Protecting against illegal fishing and indiscriminate destruction of living marine resources, prevention and response to oil and hazardous material spills -- both accidental and intentional; and
  
• Coordinating efforts and intelligence with federal, state, and local agencies.

Full Press Release

Blog Tags: Antiterrorism, Counterterrorism, Force Protection, Homeland Security, Maritime Security, Port Security

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