The U.S. Coast Guard is in high demand globally, given its unique and abundant capabilities, but its international efforts are constrained by the scarcity of resources. Improving governance of international affairs via better coordination and prioritization of efforts can enable the service to amplify its international impact. This report will help Coast Guard leadership make key decisions about how best to manage international-affairs efforts.

Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Coast Guard International-Affairs Efforts

Sarah Weilant, Scott Savitz, Emily Hoch, Dan Abel, Benjamin J. Sacks, Julia Vidal Verástegui, Isabelle Winston, Michelle D. Ziegler

ResearchPublished Jan 16, 2024

The U.S. Coast Guard is in high demand globally, given its unique capabilities, but its ability to operate internationally is constrained by the scarcity of resources. Improving the Coast Guard’s governance of international affairs can enable the service to amplify its impact. This report serves three purposes: First, it identifies ways to enhance alignment and coordination of international affairs within the Coast Guard. Second, it provides ways in which to evaluate and communicate the impact of Coast Guard international affairs. Third, it identifies ways to prioritize international-affairs efforts in an ever-evolving geopolitical environment.

The findings are designed to aid Coast Guard leadership in making key decisions about how best to manage Coast Guard international affairs. The characterizations of Coast Guard international-affairs efforts are likely to be of interest throughout the service. They are also likely to be of interest to others in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of State, and other interagency partners. External stakeholders, such as Congress, the White House, and the public, can also benefit from better understanding the scope and impact of Coast Guard international-affairs efforts.

Key Findings

  • U.S. Coast Guard international efforts are not clearly defined, well-coordinated, or collectively prioritized.
  • Documentation and data related to international efforts are not widely accessible.

Recommendations

  • Explicitly define U.S. Coast Guard international affairs.
  • Use the logic model in the report to capture the process and impact of Coast Guard international affairs.
  • Link metrics to international efforts using the logic model to inform both narratives and decisionmaking.
  • Adopt a prioritization framework to inform critical choices about where to engage and what resources to allocate.
  • Institute international-affairs forums to coordinate, share information, create mutual awareness, and build relationships.
  • Define and strengthen the roles of the U.S. Coast Guard Office of International Affairs and Foreign Policy.
  • Increase international-affairs capacity.
  • Improve international-affairs capabilities through training, billet term length, and minimize the number of gapped billets.
  • Explicitly value international experience in U.S. Coast Guard promotion board precepts.
  • Institute a commitment to data and document management for Coast Guard international affairs.

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Document Details

  • Availability: Available
  • Year: 2024
  • Print Format: Paperback
  • Paperback Pages: 93
  • Paperback Price: $31.00
  • Paperback ISBN/EAN: 1-9774-1271-8
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RRA2376-1
  • Document Number: RR-A2376-1

Citation

RAND Style Manual
Weilant, Sarah, Scott Savitz, Emily Hoch, Dan Abel, Benjamin J. Sacks, Julia Vidal Verástegui, Isabelle Winston, and Michelle D. Ziegler, Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Coast Guard International-Affairs Efforts, Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center operated by the RAND Corporation, RR-A2376-1, 2024. As of October 13, 2024: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2376-1.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Weilant, Sarah, Scott Savitz, Emily Hoch, Dan Abel, Benjamin J. Sacks, Julia Vidal Verástegui, Isabelle Winston, and Michelle D. Ziegler, Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Coast Guard International-Affairs Efforts. Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center operated by the RAND Corporation, 2024. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2376-1.html. Also available in print form.
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This research was sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard and conducted in the Infrastructure, Immigration, and Security Operations Program of the RAND Homeland Security Research Division.

This publication is part of the RAND research report series. Research reports present research findings and objective analysis that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND research reports undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

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