Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.
Issue link: https://uscgproceedings.epubxp.com/i/149372
by CDR LADONN ALLEN U.S. Coast Guard Chief, Maritime and Arctic Exercises NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Partnerships and Governance U.S. Northern Command's Role in the Arctic Region LT COL ADRIAN L. SPAIN U.S. Air Force Chief, Joint Exercise Division Alaskan Command and Joint Task Force Alaska LT COL (RET) PAUL VANDERWEIDE SAR program manager Alaskan Command and Joint Task Force Alaska The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the lead federal agencies with many authorities in the Arctic. However, resources are minimal in that region and assistance for a large incident may be limited. In this scenario, the Department of Defense (DOD) may provide support, as it did during the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The DOD Unified Command Plan (UCP) appoints each combatant commander's missions, a description of the geographic area of responsibility, and their respective duties. The plan designates four-star commanders' responsibility for engaging across these geographical areas and provides for a line of coordination. The UCP was revised in 2011 to refect a shared Arctic area of responsibility for U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and U.S. European Command. The 2011 update also designated Commander USNORTHCOM as the DOD Arctic capability advocate. In this capacity, USNORTHCOM supports the Arctic stakeholders to identify capability requirements and shortfalls across the doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities spectrum in the areas of safety, security, and defense, and champions their resolution with trusted www.uscg.mil/proceedings partners. This change strengthens relationships and streamlines responsibilities and communication as the U.S. prepares for increased levels of recreational and commercial activity in the Arctic. Planning for Increasing Arctic Traffic In 2012, for example, the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement approved Shell Alaska's oil spill response plan for Beaufort and Chukchi Sea operations. Correspondingly, there has been a signifcant increase in air traffc along the "polar routes." (The FAA defnes the north polar area of operations as the area lying north of 78 degrees north latitude.) According to the Federal Aviation Administration's Cross Polar Work Group, the number of total fights along these Summer 2013 A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane fies over pack ice during a patrol of the Bering Strait. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Offcer Kurt Fredrickson. Proceedings 65