FOREWARD
The United States looks to a new century – a new millennium – full of hope and promise. However, significant challenges, risks, and uncertainties will undoubtedly accompany the opportunities that lie ahead. Nowhere will the complex mosaic of activity be more profound than in the Nation‘s waterways – the inland rivers, ports and harbors, coastal areas, and offshore maritime regions that serve as arteries for trade, sources of food and natural resources, playgrounds for recreation, and national borders. But a host of transnational dangers – from pollution to illegal immigration to international terrorism – will continue to tax America’s maritime security, demanding action from a broad spectrum of agencies.
Key to America’s maritime future is the United States Coast Guard. It is the nation’s premier maritime agency and a multimission Armed Service in the Department of Transportation. The sea has taught generations of Coast Guard men and women to be vigilant, flexible, and devoted to duty. The Lifesavers, as they are known to many Americans, never fail to live up to their motto and heritage: Semper Paratus… Always Ready. They provide a broad array of services to protect people and the maritime environment. Indeed, every day Coast Guard women and men:
Save lives and property at sea
Provide a safe, efficient maritime transportation system
Protect the marine environment
Enforce laws and treaties in the maritime region
Defend national security interests and maritime borders
The future will bring an increased demand for these and other services that can only be dimly perceived today. Globally interlinked economies, revolutions in maritime transportation and information systems, emerging threats to the marine environment, and changing national security concerns will shape the course of the Nation. More than ever, America will call upon the Coast Guard to protect lives and serve the national interests on the high seas, along the Nation’s maritime borders and coasts, and in the inland waterways. Mindful of these responsibilities, the Service has chart e d its course and embarked on an ambitious plan to renew assets and increase capabilities. By matching its high-performing people with modern equipment and technologies, the Coast Guard will remain always ready to meet the challenges ahead.
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Created: August
1998