Coasties at the State Department

Excerpt from U.S. Coast Guard “Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council” magazine by CDR Mark Skolnicki.


The U.S. Coast Guard has been involved in international engagement activities with the U.S. State Department for many years. The USCG has assigned liaison officers to work at the department’s headquarters in the Harry S. Truman Building (or “Main State”) in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

The senior Coast Guard liaison officer (CGLO) to the Department of State serves as a maritime policy advisor for worldwide issues on Coast Guard international policy and related matters. This officer coordinates issues related to security assistance, international training, capacity development, and VIP visits.

The Coast Guard liaison officer for the Office of the Americas (OA) programs serves as a law enforcement advisor on worldwide Coast Guard-related matters, concentrating on counter-narcotics and migration issues, and is the primary Department of State point of contact for coordinating real-time maritime operational threat response courses of action.

In June 2001, the first Coast Guard officer started working for OA, detailed from the Coast Guard’s Office of Maritime and International Law. This officer coordinates delivery of interagency goals for maritime safety, security, and environmental protection at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and monitors a broad range of maritime issues with other nations.

The Coast Guard officer detailed to the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs serves as the executive secretary to the State Department’s Shipping Coordinating Committee.


For more information:
Full article is available at http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/summer2009.

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