Coast Guard to Pay For Wall

[Ben]

No link - just now listening to this on Sunday Morning Futures. Apparently an OMB report came out suggesting Homeland agencies, mostly the Coast Guard could be cut to pay for the wall. dm1333 - get out your wallet!  

I didn't catch if this came from the administration or some congressional committee. Kinda bad research to hit the USCG. We need ice breakers right now.

[Hawkmoon]

I saw reports a couple/few days ago that Trump was proposing significant cuts to the USCG budget, but it wasn't related to the wall, (At least, the article didn't make that connection.) I agree that cutting the USCG is a mistake. There's a lot more fat that should be cut right inside the beltway before he starts cutting the Coast Guard.

[Scout26]

Given the proposed cuts I've heard heard, it sounds like the entire federal budget is doing to a face the axe, except for the DoD, which has been under sequestration since 2010ish...

[just Warren]

Can't we split the difference and have the Coasties patrol the border in their ships? Might need to modify some of the vessels but that shouldn't cost much. Plus it will create jobs!

[never_retreat]

Unless there is some sort of fine print that we don't know exactly whats being cut. Might be some sort of useless agency hiding under the CG that we don't know about and the media intentionally left out of the details. Just for more sensitization.

[T.O.M.]

Got a buddy that works in the Pentagon.  Said that there are a lot of insiders pushing for the reduction of the Coast Guard, and the shift in the budget money to other branches.  They found a sympathetic ear in the administration, who apparently saw a few episodes of Coast Guard Alaska on the Weather Channel and thinks that the feds have no business providing air ambulance service to locals who choose to live in remote areas.

[dm1333]

Yup, cutting the CG budget by 10% will net DoD 1.3 billion.  That'll pay for 3, maybe 3 and a half F35s.  And the next time the Navy wants the CG to secure oil platforms or send patrol boats to do boardings we just might not be able to do that.  As far as Coasties patrolling the border?  Already happening.  I don't know that the number of illegal aliens being interdicted is up but the amount of drugs being intercepted is up quite a bit.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/trump-coast-guard-budget-235750

I have a hard time believing that proposed budget is actually serious.  As far as providing an air ambulance service to Alaskans?     Those insiders will probably regret that decision when the Russians are all over the Arctic with their ice breakers (26?) and we're sitting around with our thumbs up our *sses because our two heavy icebreakers are ancient (one was actually mothballed to provide parts for the other) and the government drags its feet again when it comes to providing money for new ice breakers.  We are going to look like the fools we are when we can't project power into those areas. 

If I sound bitter it isn't just me being me, a good portion of usare tired of being in DHS welcome our being placed in DHS!   

[dogmush]

For what it's worth I do a lot of joint missions out here in the Persian Gulf with USCG Cutters.  Puddle Pirates have a lot more missions than most think.

The 110's they have out here are beat to hell, too.  They could use some new boats, not less money. 

[RevDisk]

Coast Guard is $9.96 billion. While no doubt USCG could make cuts to become more efficient, that's a token gesture as it's the smallest branch of the entire DoD. One of the more useful generally ones to taxpayers. Military is deployed during major emergencies, and not trashing that. But the USCG is the only branch of the military that is nearly entirely focused on protecting the actual US, rather than metaphorically protecting the US.

Typically by bombing countries that are only token threats to us. Of the two countries that were material treats to the entire US (UK and the Soviet Union), one is an ally and the other no longer exists. Not saying we should ignore real threats like North Korea, potentially Russia, potentially China, etc etc.

We could make substantial cuts and not hinder operational capacities. I doubt it will happen. Too much politics and money to be made.

[T.O.M.]

Yup, cutting the CG budget by 10% will net DoD 1.3 billion.  That'll pay for 3, maybe 3 and a half F35s.  And the next time the Navy wants the CG to secure oil platforms or send patrol boats to do boardings we just might not be able to do that.  As far as Coasties patrolling the border?  Already happening.  I don't know that the number of illegal aliens being interdicted is up but the amount of drugs being intercepted is up quite a bit.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/trump-coast-guard-budget-235750

I have a hard time believing that proposed budget is actually serious.  As far as providing an air ambulance service to Alaskans?     Those insiders will probably regret that decision when the Russians are all over the Arctic with their ice breakers (26?) and we're sitting around with our thumbs up our *sses because our two heavy icebreakers are ancient (one was actually mothballed to provide parts for the other) and the government drags its feet again when it comes to providing money for new ice breakers.  We are going to look like the fools we are when we can't project power into those areas. 

If I sound bitter it isn't just me being me, a good portion of usare tired of being in DHS welcome our being placed in DHS!   

Setting aside inter-service rivalry for a minute, this old soldier has nothing but respect for the Coasties.  Met some of the shallow water-types back in my day.  And I've read and seen some of the weather the rescue crews will go out in to look for people.  Of the tax dollars being spent, I've got not qualms about those spent on the USCG.

[KD5NRH]

And the next time the Navy wants the CG to secure oil platforms or send patrol boats to do boardings we just might not be able to do that.

Send the Eagle.  Tell them you had to cut the fuel budget.  Laugh at the silly people using engines.

[dm1333]

Setting aside inter-service rivalry for a minute, this old soldier has nothing but respect for the Coasties.  Met some of the shallow water-types back in my day.  And I've read and seen some of the weather the rescue crews will go out in to look for people.  Of the tax dollars being spent, I've got not qualms about those spent on the USCG.

I hope you don't think I'm mad or offended by what you wrote, I'm not.  I shouldn't be shocked either if some Pentagon insider thinks taking a billion from the Puddle Pirates is really going to help out DOD with their 580 some odd billion budget!  We've actually been doing pretty well with recapitalizing our fleet but we still have 110's out there that should have already been retired.  Our 47 foot motor lifeboats need a SLEP, the motors are worn out for one (and you can't buy new parts for them anymore), and ALL of the 47's attached to surf stations are no longer 47'11" long.  The boats are all bending between frames 8 and 10, and I bent one bad enough that if you go hands off the wheel it makes a nice slow turn to starboard.  Sorry!   

My other pet peeve is losing our ice breaking capability right when we really need a fleet.  Lots of good reading here.

http://www.bing.com/search?PC=WCUG&FORM=WCUGDF&q=does+the+navy+want+to+procure+ice+breakers+for+the+coast+guard%3F&conversationid=

[Firethorn]

Some thoughts on the matter -
A 10% cut in budget generally translates to more than a 10% cut in capabilities.  It costs money to just keep the lights on, after all, and it's not like you can just fire your leadership.
Paying for the wall with cuts to the coast guard is stupid, because the wall isn't going to stop people from crossing it - over, under, cutting a hole, etc..., but it will make getting into the US via our coastlines easier.  You know those semi-submersibles used for smuggling drugs?  Who do you think catches most of them?

And yes, with the arctic warming up and becoming navigable, NOW is precisely the time we need more icebreakers, unless the plan is to rent them from the Russians, much like we do space capsules.