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.
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Editorial Team Champion's Point of View Barbara Chiarizia Executive Editor Leslie C. Goodwin Art Director Sarah K. Webster Managing Editor byCDRKARIN E. MESSENGER Senior Strategic Policy Supervisor U.S. Coast Guard "The United States is an Arctic nation." SomanyArctic-relatedpapers,briefs,andpresentations containthisphase,includingafewofthearticlespublishedinthisveryedition.Whatdoes thismean,andwhydosomanyofususethisphrase?Well,itisbecausetheUnitedStatesis anArcticnation!AcknowledgingthisconceptisfoundationaltogainingtheneededacceptancewithintheUnitedStatesthatitisinourbestinteresttoactivelyprepareandadaptto theArctic'schangingconditions,opportunities,andchallenges. Althoughtherearemanydef nitionsthatdescribetheboundariesoftheArctic,thedef nition mostfrequentlyusedwithinthefederalgovernmentisfoundinthe1984ArcticResearch andPolicyAct.Usingthisdef nition,whichincludesthewatersnorthoftheAleutianIslands throughtheBeringStrait,itisclearthattheUnitedStateshassignif cantrealestatewithinthis frontier.Thegraphicinthisedition,whichtransposesthegreatstateofAlaskaovertheentire UnitedStates,illustrateshowvastAlaskaiscomparedtotherestofthecountry.Alaskaisbig. Itisreallybig.It'smorethantwicethesizeofTexas.Lookingatthedef nitionandthismap, itisclearthatwearenotjustanArcticnation earereally an Arctic nation. —w TheCoastGuardhasalonghistoryofoperatingwithintheArcticregion,datingbacktothe 1800s,whenweweretheRevenueCutterService.ItwastheRevenueCutterLincoln, during America'sinitialAlaskacoastsurvey,whichtransportedtheAmericanf agandU.S.delegationtoSitka,Alaska,fortheOctober1867transferofAlaskafromRussiatotheUnitedStates. Duringthisfour-monthvoyage,crewmembersconductedcoastalreconnaissance,charting, supportedscienceexploration,andthenreportedthef ndingstoCongress.1Sincethattime, CoastGuardoperationswithintheArcticregionhavebecomepartofitslegacy ithsome —w oftheCoastGuard'sgreatestheroes(suchasBertholf,Healy,andJarvis)earningtheirreputationswithintheregion. AsopenwatercontinuestoreplacepermanenticecoverintheArcticduringthewarmer months,CoastGuardresponsibilitiesandoperationshavegrowntoaddresstheincreased risk.TheCoastGuardcontinuestoevaluateriskwithintheregionandnow,usingtheframeworkprovidedbytheU.S. Coast Guard Arctic Strategy, weareprioritizingourkeylong-term objectivesfortheregion. Proceedings is published quarterly in the interest of safety at sea under the auspices of the Marine Safety & Security Council. Special permission for republication, either in whole or in part, except for copyrighted material, is not required, provided credit is given to Proceedings. The articles contained in Proceedings are submitted by diverse public and private interests in the maritime community as a means to promote maritime safety and security. The views expressed by the authors do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Coast Guard or the Department of Homeland Security or represent offcial policy. Editorial Contact Email: HQS-DG-NMCProceedings@ uscg.mil Mail: Editor, Proceedings Magazine U.S. Coast Guard 2100 2nd Street SW Stop 7681 Washington, D.C. 20593-7681 Web: www.uscg.mil/proceedings Phone: (202) 372-2316 Subscription Requests Proceedings is free. Subscriptions www.uscg.mil/proceedings IthasbeenagreatpleasuretochampionthisProceedings edition, designed to provide an overviewofthemanypressuresandcompetingdemandsfacingtheArcticregion.Iwould liketothankDr.JohnOliver,CAPTWilliamBurns,andtheProceedings leadershipteam.But, mostimportantly,Ithankthevariousauthorsfortheirtimeandcommitmenttosharetheir thoughtsandexpertise.Ihopeyouenjoythiseditionandthatitmotivatesyoutofurther exploretheArctic'sgrowingimportance. Endnote: 1. trobridge,T.R.,andDennisl.Noble.Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service 1867–1915. NavalInstitutePress,1999. S www.uscg.mil/proceedings Summer 2013 Proceedings 5