en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/279208 Comments by Dan Trimble http://www.cgblog.org/2009/04/now-somalia-wants-its-own-coast-guard.html#IDComment19827169 Somalia should, you know, actually create a national government before they even consider forming a Coast Guard. Just a thought. Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:05:22 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2009/04/now-somalia-wants-its-own-coast-guard.html#IDComment19827169 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15909250 It used to be. In 2006, part of 2007, it was a big deal. Then advertisers realized it was a fad and it dried up rather quickly. It was actually a pretty neat idea; just not all that sustainable as a business model. In my humble opinion. Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:18:42 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15909250 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15880527 Nicky, don't assume too much. I'm not exactly part of an "older generation". In my early 30s, I may feel my growing age sometimes, but I still have more than a few years left! And as it happens, I personally know the entrepreneurs who created most of the major social media technologies. Some are about my age, give or take a couple years, and most are in their 40s or 50s. So on the contrary, I do not believe it's an age thing. Yes, the older one is, the more adaptation and change needs to happen. But I don't think it's fair generalize entire generations as being unadaptable or fearful. I know 90 year olds who use technology better than most 50 year olds. It's not one's age that inhibits their adaption to new technologies: it's how well they embrace change. I also believe it's counter-productive to assume that all new technology and all new social media are of any consequential value. Just because it is a new technology does NOT mean that everyone should adopt it or be left behind. History is littered with technologies, ideas, and products that were supposed to change the world and failed to do so when people didn't embrace them. The Apple III. The Apple Lisa. The Newton. Microsoft Bob. The DeLorean. BETA. Laser Discs. Second Life, perhaps. I can think of dozens of examples. Some redeemed themselves later on by demonstrating they were simply ahead of their time (e.g. the Newton PDA), but most died out or are in the process of doing so. Not adopting useless technology doesn't mean someone is falling behind the curve. It means they've examined carefully whether or not technology can actually do something of substantive value before embracing it. Technology is just a tool. When a hammer breaks, you don't keep using it, you buy a new one, or you find another tool that can do the job better. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:54:20 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15880527 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/president-obama-set-to-kill-loran.html#IDComment15878383 Well, did we need the 121.5 mhz. SARSAT redundancy? Sooner or later, older technologies need to be phased out or some people will never bother to upgrade. Granted, 121.5 users had several YEARS of warning that the technology was obsolete and would be phased out. Perhaps the same needs to happen for LORAN. On the other hand, LORAN still has some redeeming value; I'm not sure 121.5 or any number of other phased out technologies did the same thing. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:52:12 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/president-obama-set-to-kill-loran.html#IDComment15878383 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15878152 Oh goodness I hope not. What a waste of time that'd be. Seriously, I don't get the value of the whole Second Life thing. Even Twitter makes more sense. Not to mention, I seriously doubt WSIII's would have the capabilities to handle such an intensely 3D world. I think Second Life was more of a fad, and one that died away not long after the presidential campaigns in early 2007 realized there wasn't much substance to it. Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:44:22 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-coast-guard-doing-anything-in-second.html#IDComment15878152 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/split-disbursement-my-friend-to-take.html#IDComment15840246 Here's to hoping they don't just fix the disbursement functionality, but perhaps take TPAX offline and rebuild the whole thing from scratch. I think I'd even prefer doing travel expenses with a pen and paper. Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:28:24 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/split-disbursement-my-friend-to-take.html#IDComment15840246 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/correlation-of-military-ranks-and.html#IDComment14768314 I think the whole idea of correlation is ridiculously counter-productive. When is the government going to stop trying to define everybody inside a box? I don't believe this system recognizes individuals for the value they bring *to a specific position* -- especially as a civilian. Case-in-point: I have nearly 16 years of professional and managerial experience as a civilian. I've run departments, managed sizable budgets, been the senior manager for large scale programs, and so forth. As a Reservist who enlisted in the military many years later in life than most do, and then became an officer after that, my rank is significantly out of step with my civilian experience. I'm a LTjg with just over 5 years of service, and nearly 16 years in the civilian world. The problem with these "correlation" models is that they don't always correlate. How does it reconcile issues like these? Hypothetically, if I were to apply for a GS job with responsibilities and in a professional field commensurate with my civilian professional experience (not necessarily the same as what I do or have done in the military), I'd be pigeon-holed as significantly under qualified since my military rank is LTjg. On the other hand, I do understand that in government, chains of command present somewhat different circumstances than you might have in the civilian world. And the correlation issues above are more of an issue for a GS working within the military, but the problem remains that the correlation model is still used in other agencies as well. Thu, 5 Feb 2009 04:38:21 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/correlation-of-military-ranks-and.html#IDComment14768314 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/establishing-somali-coast-guard.html#IDComment14477969 Hell no. Maybe they should first focus on creating an actual government in the most lawless land on Earth. Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:45:41 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/establishing-somali-coast-guard.html#IDComment14477969 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/real-education-numbers-for-coasties.html#IDComment14115693 What is C&GS? Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:26:15 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/real-education-numbers-for-coasties.html#IDComment14115693 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/real-education-numbers-for-coasties.html#IDComment14115686 Yes and no. The formal requirements for an officer commission strictly state a degree is required. However, the Coast Guard greatly values enlisted experience. (In my humble opinion, FAR more so than any of our other military services.) To point, it is possible to ascend from enlisted ranks to OCS, ROCI, or other officer training programs without a degree -- PROVIDED the candidate is at least a high performing E-5 and has completed a minimum of 60 university credits towards a bachelor's degree. Even in those situations, the competition for selection is incredibly intense, and many candidates apply 2-3 times before being selected. Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:25:57 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/real-education-numbers-for-coasties.html#IDComment14115686 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/guest-post-from-kevin-cooper-shock-at.html#IDComment14061596 I wonder what the breakdown is for masters degrees across services. Several of the graduate programs I've seen offered by the CG are through one of the DOD colleges, and the allocated seats for Coast Guard personnel are typically very low relative to other services. Makes me wonder if graduate program opportunities are "easier" to get if you are DOD. Either way, it'll also be interesting to see how the new TA policy will impact these numbers... Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:02:08 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/guest-post-from-kevin-cooper-shock-at.html#IDComment14061596 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-debate-is-there-value-for-social.html#IDComment14061148 That's been my best dream of how the service can benefit from social media. Things like Twitter feeds are in some ways counter productive for mass public communication. I have Twitter set to send me a text message of any official USCG press announcement broadcast over Twitter. But there's no reason that should have to be done with Twitter when the Coast Guard could use technology to send an SMS message directly to me. For the record, it is the ONLY reason I keep an active Twitter account -- a service which I otherwise find little redeeming value for. I personally just don't see any value in knowing what any one person or group is doing any specific moment in time. As if in the course of my day, I have time to jump on Twitter, and twit about whatever I'm doing right at that point. I can see some value in specific circumstances, but as a general information feed, I just don't see it. The issue with mass public communication through tools like Twitter (not necessarily Coast Guard specific) is that it is an ever-so-brief snapshot of what's going on. It lacks both context and substance -- and without either of those things present, people are free to interpret the broadcast however they want, start blogging about it, and so forth. On the other hand, I'm all for transparency. I just don't see that particular technology as being a great tool for anything more than broadcasting a few loose ends and key headliners. That said, let's conjure up a fairy tale: all Coast Guard vessels, helos, fixed wings, and other assets are equipped with an on-board computer and live connection that allows them post to Twitter -- in real-time -- updates to a case. "CGC Hamilton arrives on scene; assumes OSC." "CGR6502 locates PIW; rescue basket lowering." "CGR47812 completes trackline search B-1; NEGRES." Operational team members could also have handheld devices (a boarding team with a PDA with similar functionality, for example). All updates could be received instantly by a Twitter client on the standard workstations for command center controllers, or by Twitter's SMS features, on their cell phones. You now have instantaneous updates on the progress of on-going cases, and you've also eliminated the need for command center staff to send SOME of the briefing text messages manually. The Twitter clients could also automatically timestamp and record each entry, providing an automated log that can be referenced to ensure formal USCG logs have all necessary entries. This could eliminate countless phone calls between controllers at the district and sector levels, providing more information than otherwise practically possible. It's a nice dream, considering these social networking tools are not secure. They need not necessarily be classified-secure (though a SIPRNET version would be indescribably awesome for MHS cases and interagency collaboration), but something that can at least be FOUO at a bare minimum would be doable for all but the most sensitive cases. Perhaps Twitter and other social networking tools need to private label their technology for internal use/firewalls/private networks/etc. dt Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:51:15 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/great-debate-is-there-value-for-social.html#IDComment14061148 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/coast-guard-signs-ten-year-lease-for-cg.html#IDComment13787187 Who is this Thomas Jackson guy people refer to so lovingly around here? Another blogger by a fake name?? Sat, 10 Jan 2009 06:12:05 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/coast-guard-signs-ten-year-lease-for-cg.html#IDComment13787187 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-will-give-some-officers-pause-in.html#IDComment13678637 This is definitely the longest service obligation requirement I've seen of any employer-sponsored tuition assistance program. Good thing I graduate this semester. Guess I won't be going to a doctorate program next after all. Perhaps the most troubling part of this is that the TA often does not even cover the full cost of a course. I go to a private university in California who's tuition is not terribly off par with the public University of California system -- and tuition amounts to $6,500 every semester at the lowest end. The university's undegrad tuition is $540/unit and graduate level is $710-$870 per unit depending on masters or PhD. As is, TA only covers up to $4,500 per year, which is not bad relative to other employers' allowances, except that it also caps out at $250 per unit. That means one semester of full time (4 courses) undergraduate studying would net the member $3,000 while the following semester only $1,500. (And if you dare take a third summer term, you're on your own.) At these rates, the TA doesn't cover the full tuition for many public or private universities. I can't really complain. The $4,500 a year our rich uncle Sam has graciously sponsored helped offset a sizable chunk of my undergrad studies. But 4 years of service for a single course even though the TA won't even cover the full cost of that course seems severely disproportionate. Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:54:01 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-will-give-some-officers-pause-in.html#IDComment13678637 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/national-security-resolutions-for-2009.html#IDComment13476677 Any examples you care to cite of "stupid security" happening because of a dysfunctional mess as opposed to bad policy? Fri, 2 Jan 2009 08:57:50 +0000 http://ucgblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/national-security-resolutions-for-2009.html#IDComment13476677 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/uscg-history-is-goodreadscoms-newest.html#IDComment13186853 And on this topic, what books of maritime/naval history, Coast Guard, etc. (but related) topics do folks recommend? Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:30:29 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/uscg-history-is-goodreadscoms-newest.html#IDComment13186853 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/history-question.html#IDComment12889696 2001 - Present. The changes we have gone through post-9/11 and even through those today in our modernization efforts are truly transformational; they strike straight to the core of Coast Guard culture and operations. But if I had to pick a more historical period, I would have to say I'm partial the eras of the world wars that tested so much of our country and our service, and also the founding years under RCS. Then again, our history has so much depth and so much to love it's really quite impossible to narrow it down. Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:53:23 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/history-question.html#IDComment12889696 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/not-just-television-that-giving-up.html#IDComment12765428 I certainly would be! Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:07:09 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/not-just-television-that-giving-up.html#IDComment12765428 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/not-just-television-that-giving-up.html#IDComment12753086 Boy there is a genuine surprise. Technically, 121.5 mhz. hasn't been "supported" for a long time. I don't know about other coast guards, but we've still listened for them, and responded accordingly. When I was a SAR Controller, we would process scores of 121.5 mhz. alarms every day. We treated them very differently from 406 alerts, of course, but still listened for them. And yes, 99% of them were false alarms. But whenever we had those 1% it was definitely a startling realization that many in this world still rely on this old frequency. I haven't been a SAR Controller since 2005, but I'm finding it tough to believe that the sheer number of 121 users out there have upgraded. A forced upgrade via lack of support for their frequency is one to do it, I suppose. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:50:01 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/not-just-television-that-giving-up.html#IDComment12753086 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/theme-switch.html#IDComment12741365 Ryan, I'm using a 15" MacBook Pro with 3GB and OS X 10.5.5. I didn't upgrade the OS last night given the rampant disasters floating around the blogosphere about it this morning :) At any rate, it's definitely a pecuiliarity with your code on Safari. I don't have the ability to try previous Safari versions, but I just ran it without problem on IE 7, IE 6, the current version of Opera, and the current version of Firefox. It isn't consistent, but it's definitely there. It happens precisely when one of the snowflakes fluttering down the background drifts off the RIGHT hand side of the screen. Doesn't do it on the left, or when it drops to the bottom. Why it disappears as soon as it appears, I couldn't tell you. I haven't figure that part out yet. (BTW - as slightly annoying as it is for the scrollbar to appear and disappear, I mean no offense at all -- truly, I think you've done a very nice job with the new site; just offering a pointer to a bug somewhere that may want to look into.) Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:22:48 +0000 http://www.cgblog.org/2008/12/theme-switch.html#IDComment12741365