The Reservist
July 1997

 

A View From the Bridge
"Port Wing"

RADM J. Timothy Riker, USCGR
Senior Reserve Officer, Pacific Area

By the time you read this column, the Coast Guard Reserve Policy Board (RPB) for 1997 will have completed its first two-day session at the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Mo. The Truman Library seems to be an appropriate place for the RPB to meet since President Truman was a citizen-soldier himself, having served for a number of years in the Missouri Army National Guard. In his later years, the president spoke fondly of the friendships formed during his days in the Guard. This is not unlike sentiments I hear expressed often from fellow reservists during my travels. Current income or retirement pay is seldom the primary incentive for reservists. Rather, the firm friendships and the opportunity to work with thoroughly competent, dedicated people performing an interesting mission seems to be the sustaining motivator for most.

But, return to the RPB. This Board will have two distinctions that may be without precedent. It will have not only a senior enlisted representative, but a junior representative as well. When discussing policy issues, it is important to consider the practical effect which the Board’s recommendations might have on the field, if implemented. A junior enlisted perspective will, I think, offer Board members an additional glimpse into the possible consequences of what it proposes. Active Duty and Reserve junior and senior officers are already on the Board.

Additionally, a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will be a member. Even though the official title of the Board includes the word "Reserve," this Board will be about Team Coast Guard. As we have seen during the last two to three years, Team Coast Guard has come to mean much more than simply Active Duty and Reserve. The Coast Guard Auxiliary and its dedicated members provide a kind of citizen expertise not available to any other branch of the military. A continuing challenge for Team Coast Guard is to develop a mindset which considers the unique capabilities and availability of all our personnel: full time, part time and auxiliary.

I foresee at least three items which are likely to command the Board’s attention: recruiting, senior officer and enlisted assignments, and awareness of the tools available to administer Reserve assignment and training.

With regard to recruiting, there is no more fundamental measure of the health of an organization than whether it has the personnel necessary to perform the job. In the civilian community, this is called "staffing the store." Currently, the Coast Guard store needs more staff. This is true not only on the Reserve side, but the Active side as well. The RPB is likely to direct some of its attention toward practical advice and counsel on recruiting issues.

As to senior officer and enlisted assignments, the previous RPB chaired by RADM Richard Schneider, Senior Reserve Officer, Atlantic Area, focused much of its time and effort toward development of enlisted and officer career paths. This included careful consideration of rewarding assignments for senior personnel. This issue continues to need attention. Almost without exception, senior officer and enlisted personnel are highly successful people in their individual vocations. Our challenge is to continue to offer them — most of whom have many other demands or requests for their time — the kind of assignments with appropriate stature and responsibility which encourage them to make the Coast Guard a primary focus of their efforts when away from family and work responsibilities. Furthermore, unless junior personnel see seniors performing rewarding work, they are not likely to want to commit themselves to the program in the long term.

Finally, the Board may very well discuss ways to assist Active Duty personnel understand the tools to administer the Reserve Component which, until the advent of Team Coast Guard, were chiefly used by the Reserve unit administrative structure.

Regardless of where the Board’s deliberations take it, the focus of my next column — about four months hence — will be to report on the Board’s deliberations and chosen agenda.

1997-98 Reserve Policy Board Members

RADM J. Timothy Riker, USCGR (Board President) PACAREA
CAPT John K. Kirkpatrick USCG D1
CAPT Jon W. Minor, USCGR (SELRES) D8
CDR Donald E. Bunn, USCGR (RPA) HQ
CDR Richard R. Houck, USCG CNA
CDR Ruby J. Walker, USCGR (SELRES) D17
CDR Richard R. Kelly, USCG (Counsel/Non-Voting) HQ
LCDR David P. Roundy, USCGR (SELRES/Recorder) D8
LT Cedric A. Hughes, USCG D13
LT Linda K. Ingram, USCGR (RPA) MLCPAC
LT Kristen J. Arnold, USCGR (SELRES) D5
BMCM Jan C. Kielpinski, USCGR (SELRES) D13
PS2 Jose Escanuela, USCGR (SELRES) D8
Dr. John C. Gibson, USCG Auxiliary CGACAD

ALDIST 147/97 announced selections to the RPB.
ALDIST 099/97 solicited candidates for the RPB.