 GGD 14 I guess you don't know what that means that's post God just 14 we have three representatives of it here We have Jim Morrow. We have Nick worse and we have Jeff Bryant. They're all commanders So if you don't mind your people out there watching this show if you would if you would just stand at attention through next half hour We'd all be in balance that way. Welcome to the show Jim Nick and Jeff nice to have you here Thanks for having us Pleasure be here So this is a military in Hawaii I'm chief by Dallas think thank you We like doing this a lot because we we get to see and understand that connect the dots on the military in Hawaii Which is a very important element in our society and the coast guard is very important to me And you know personally because I was in the coast guard for a sort of extended reserve period through the Vietnam War And I want to tell you guys this short story and then we begin seriously, okay So I get the Honolulu my office was at 1347 Kapiolani the admiral two-star was was great guy and I had not met him. I had not seen an admiral in my life any admiral anywhere But I still had to go to the head so I went to the head being untrained in the matter and there were two urinals in in the head and It was indoors of course and he was at the right one I was at the left one and I said I was really you know intimidated by his rank I Said good afternoon admiral and I and I was at the head and I and I raised my my arm to salute And I saluted him. Okay, which is ridiculous because in the naval service Right, you don't salute indoors ever But much less you don't salute at the urinal and you know, it doesn't matter what the difference in rank is You just don't do that and and by the way, you've got other things that you've got to take care of While you're there. Yeah, so I saluted him. I said if Fabic was his name Ted Fabic great guy and Saluted him as a good afternoon admiral and the guy the guy was so cool. He turned to me, you know, and he saluted me back Good afternoon lieutenant I Loved him from that moment forward even such a good But that you know, that is it's about people the coast guard is about people. I really never met anybody I don't like in my time. I was there six years and He was just one of the guys I loved So, um, let me let me ask you a story question you guys What is the difference between the coast guard and the Navy now? It was it wasn't so different in 1944 But it's different now. What's the difference Tim? Think the difference now that the east all back in the day as we shifted You know how that the whole service kind of shifted from September 11th events that happened on September 11th The Department of Homeland Security was created We joined that department and in our mission set has been evolving. I think ever since I think we're still evolving to this day Um, no longer is it just you know, the purebred kind of like search and rescue? Mission we have a slew of other missions that we're continuing to to to kind of go down Yeah, it's always been the case isn't it and every time you turn around those missions change Which which builds for flexibility at the very least so tell us what you're doing for the coast guard right now here in Honolulu, yeah Yeah, so currently on the operations officer at air station barbers point. We have four hc 130 aircrafts a long range search and rescue logistics platform We also have four h 65 helicopters. It's our main search and rescue Assets that we deploy throughout the main Hawaiian Islands air stations about 250 people. We've got about 30 some pilots here at the unit Wow, that's a lot I'll tell you though. I remember there was one helicopter went down A few years ago. I'm sure you were not here at the time But this is maybe 10 15 maybe 20 years ago Went down in the ocean it was on a training mission as I remember and then everyone died And they came from all over the country to celebrate Barbers point and the air station and the pilots it was it was very touching commandant himself came Made a talk and I'm sure that they they think about that and talk about that in the sense that You know, you never know when you're flying an aircraft. You never know especially a helicopter, right? Yeah, absolutely, and we still continue to do that memorial every year With the crew that perished on that on that helicopter And then the crews to over on on the North Shore of Molokai as well. It's just years before that um Yeah, anytime, especially when you're operating out here in the pacific especially on the c 130 not a lot of gas stops so Constantly kind of thinking through things and and really putting yourself out there. Uh, when you operate throughout the pacific Yeah Well, yeah, interesting. It takes me back So, um, Nick, what do you do? What do you do for the 14th coast guard district? Yes, sir. I'm the chief response a sector Honolulu So I oversee the three small boat stations throughout the Hawaiian islands So those are in Kauai here in Oahu and then in Maui They all have a collection of the 45 foot response boat mediums and the 29 foot response boat smalls In addition, I oversee the fast response cutter coast guard's newest cutter. It's 154 feet That replaced the 110 foot and the 87 foot cutters that were out here previously And then I oversee teams that respond to reports of oil spills and releases of hazardous materials As well as a team of enforcement folks who do anything from counter narcotics to More typical law enforcement associated with recreational boardings Yeah, we could talk to any one of you guys for half an hour for sure With all the things you do the multiple missions and facilities and equipment It's it's quite a it's quite a thing coast guard has more missions than you know, just the navy for example But you know, let me ask you, um, you know, when I was in the service, they had 95 footers and they had 82 footers And now they got footers that footers that are much less in size Does is that is that because of the technology the function? Or the mission why why why are they so small now? A little bit of both sir We're constantly trying to refine what assets we have to best respond to the mission So the 45s really replaced the 47s in the 40 You're probably familiar with and then the 87s and 110s are still in the coast guard But as they're developing these 154s, they are taking the spot in many times of those 110s and 87s In particular out here in hawaii where we have a pretty heavy sea state Meaning it's nothing to see 10 to 15 footers, you know, for example in the alley new yaha channel between maui and big island And the 87 and the 110s would just get so beat up by that as well as endurance Um, you know, if you had a shark case on big island and if you were really trying to get there in a hurry You were going fast You're burning a lot of fuel you'd get there It would have maybe a day of searching if that or you had to refuel and go back to the shark case Whereas these new 154s can go very quickly Get there and still have three or four days endurance on scene to get right into searching to try to save a life And as well as much improved technology as you Prevent our capabilities. So a little bit of everything but always in that pursuit of Doing better to serve the public What about the big ships? Are you are you working with the big ships? I remember What was the dimensions were 376? All right, 370 fix and they were brand new When I was in the service, but I think they're all retired now. What's the biggest ship you have here in in sand island? So not quite all retired. I don't believe we don't um, there are a few stationed here the new national security cutters and The guys can check me. I think it's 420 or 412 But they are the replacement for the 378 and now we have two of those national security cutters home courted here And a lot of the same thought process better technology better equipment longer range longer endurance And obviously being brand new Not those problems of the ageing 378s. Yeah, I'm more expensive too, right? I'm sure they are. I don't have the exact dollar figure, but I'm Countries getting their money's worth. I'm sure. Yeah, they're very very capable assets The big ships were actually the 377 was 378. I missed I missed it by two feet The 378s were in vietnam They were online in vietnam. Uh, they they were active Off the coast of vietnam for several years But clearly are they are they active now? Where do they go? Where where do these ships go? I mean you have the biggest coast guard district in the world Millions and millions of square miles Where do the big ships go? It's not inter-island, is it? No, and I'll probably Jeff if you don't mind for that question to you Yeah, no worries. Uh, so jade the us coast guard 14 district is the largest district in the us coast guard with 12 million square nautical miles It covers all of the Hawaiian islands the central and western pacific and You know, we have coast guard units scattered across of wahoo Maui Kauai the big island american samoa Saipan glom singapore and even japan But when we have these larger national security cutters Which are the flagship cutters of the coast guard? They are essentially the 378s of 2022 We deploy them on an operation called operation blue pacific an operation blue pacific is an operation That takes place throughout oceania And it's designed to build and strengthen our partnerships and we leverage our unique coast guard authorities our 11 statutory missions to address all the unique threats in this area of responsibility Um, and these national security cutters will go down to as far down due to heady We currently have a coast guard cutter In fiji the coast guard cutterman roe is currently there They have fiji and ship riders embarked on them and they're currently conducting counter illegal fishing patrols within the fijian waters Utilizing the fijians authorities to to conduct boardings on these vessels to prevent illegal fishing and then their plans after fiji are to head to new caledonia and conduct some engagements with the french navy out there And until they end their patrol for us in guam So when we have these cutters available to us, they're super important um, we like to do is You know wave the us flag out in the pacific Help our partners with their mission strengthen our relations and of course one of our main missions in this area is countering that legal unreported unregulated fishing threat that we see Now, well, that's a kind of law enforcement Uh, and aside from, you know, the more kinetic things like search and rescue Um, aids the navigation um, I guess environmental protections Marine safety the rest of the coast guard is all about law enforcement um about the drugs um about the fishing as you say And uh, one thing I noticed uh, this is after I got out Was at the coast guard and you would be familiar with this was because of its widespread, you know, contact through the Through the pacific it was involved perhaps more than the other services in diplomatic relations um in you know being in contact with coast guards of other countries out there um, and um, you know connecting in sort of a diplomatic way With various agencies and organizations so sort of like the apc ss and ykq the asia pacific center for security studies Where there was a lot of contact between coast guard officers and diplomats or officers of other um other countries. Um, do you have contact like that? We sure do sir, and I can tell you that the coast guard's diplomatic presence Throughout the pacific is increasing Just a year ago. We established a Coast Guard attache in canvary australia And then we've also, uh, I have a new position that is opening up in Seoul south paria We have a coast guard attache there as well We also have several security cooperation officers that are embedded into country teams and uh in countries across the pacific In particular in fiji and then also In southeast asia and vietnam So the coast guard definitely realizes that uh, there are a lot of partnerships here that we need to leverage In order to address the threats in the region. And so we're establishing establishing these diplomatic Presences throughout the embassies here. Yeah, really important and well qualified. I think a coast guard officer Would be, you know better qualified than his peer in in other services because of what the coast guard does Um, you know, and and I'm sure that these attache jobs these billets in various countries are very attached When I was in the service, the big deal was the admiralty and shipping section of the department of justice in san francisco Everybody would line up to get that job Um, because that was so what do you want to call it? Avant guard, um, because it was with the department of justice But now it would seem to me that if you if you study your wish list wish card, what do they call it wish card wish list dream shape dream sheet. Thank you You're going to want to consider putting in for um, uh, the attache Attach a job in any one of a number of countries that sounds like great Experience and good for your career not as good as flying helicopters. I'm out of but good I'm a lot of the reason why the uh, the coast guard is uh, very relatable in the pacific Is because there's only three countries with established militaries Fiji Papua New Guinea and Tonga are the only three countries within oceania that have established militaries So a lot of the the military functions are carried out by their police forces Which are in the maritime environment are very similar to the coast guard So that's how we were really relate to a lot of these countries out here with similar mission sets Yeah valuable and uh mind expanding, you know, you spend a career All you all you guys are going to be career Jim you've been in now about 35 years, wasn't What's it like to have a career in the coast guard these days? Uh, it's been it's been an interesting journey there. It's uh, I've enjoyed it being able to fly Uh for over shoot for over 12 years now 13 years I think I'm going on I'm at 20 right now, but being able to fly C-130s When I'm stationed in clear water throughout the Caribbean Uh, when I'm stationed up in kodiak throughout all of alaska the border with russia Um, and then this is my second tour down in barbers point So flying throughout the pacific and doing missions with the coast guard throughout the pacific has been amazing Um, I did have a an interesting time too at a two-year special assignment in dc Working as the liaison to the to the senate for the coast guard Um, so yeah, it's just been a great journey get to see and do some amazing things go to places that you would never even dream of You wouldn't be interested in an attache job, would you? I I thought about it when I left here the first time I did I did You have to talk to jeff about it. Yeah Stars did not align this is for me at that point, you know, I read yesterday that um that the alaska airlines Had suspended his flights from hawaii to alaska Because of a shortage of pilots And any pilot in the service is potentially a pilot in you know, the civilian world Later on so you must follow that what what is going on with the industry the occupation of pilots these days And and the connection of that whatever it is with pilots in the service Yeah, that's a That's a good question And that's a challenge that I think the coast guard has and the entire dod has right now, especially for their their fixed-wing flyers So the airlines are hurting for pilots and we have a marketable skill So we're we're seeing a lot of junior members that once their commitment is up are leaving the service to go that route um coupled with The recent change in the retirement system No longer having a legacy retirement system that you get to 20 years We've now gone to a blended retirement system So folks can walk after their commitment is up With that skill set and be hired by a major airline, you know, within within a few months I'm still have a retirement Well, not a retirement per stay that they'll have they can walk away with essentially a 401k But the money that they put in it doesn't disappear. They can walk away with that Wow, that's that's a major change from my time, you know huge change And it's a big challenge that we're seeing and and as we kind of See this kind of evolve. We're still in the throes of it right now But as we try to recruit and retain Pilots that's that's a big big challenge. We haven't figured it out yet That well, maybe you need some help from congress We send me a lot of help need a lot of help from Congress. We all need a lot of help from congress these days So nick, you know, well one one thing is this this case in San Diego the Kimball, I think it was Kimball. Am I right? Must be one of the big ships out of San Diego coast guard station You know, somehow they got their hands on what thousands of pounds of drugs And had this big huge bust Involving millions and millions of dollars that was quite something Um, what is it like these days? I mean coast guard been involved in drugs? Well, since my time although that was kind of brand new at that time But how much how much time do you spend how much time how much investment is a coast guard making in in getting drug runners? Yeah, that's a good question sir. So I actually started my career my second tour about 16 18 years ago and I was in california and I actually was uh How come you look so much younger than kim? Okay, all right So I was the law enforcement duty officer and essentially we would Manage the counter narcotics for the eastern pacific and we would work in you know coordination with multiple other folks And so we've been involved in this mission for quite some time as you've said and for the foreseeable future But of note, I would just say the the methods in which Things are transported has changed over time And we've tried very hard to keep up with those changes and then respond accordingly But as as jeff mentioned to most recently The common aunt has and those above them too haven't mentioned that even more than counter narcotics now The illegal unreported unregulated fishing is a national strategic priority Uh in line with if not greater than that than counter narcotics. So uh, we really Are our focus here in oceania quite a bit one because out here For the counter narcotics, but two mainly just because they the importance that everyone sees on that issue of Of iu u fishing Yeah, well, I have a couple of questions about that one is on the drugs Um, you know drugs are changing. There are drugs now, you know, that did not exist in my time And that are dangerous and also expensive There are also drugs that could be and I I wouldn't predict it'll be in the near term But that could become legal like pot In the next few years, maybe congress will decide to let that go Um, so the mission changes the drugs change and therefore the people change the whole industry changes Um, is it more? Is it more or less easy for you now? to catch these guys And is there uh the kind of prosecutions you want to see having gone to that trouble So I will throw out the asterisks there that um, the folks doing the majority of those counter narcotics are um in the west coast over in california Maybe could be a more Concrete answer, but just from my perspective, I would say, you know, we have worked very hard in the coast guard to continue Uh to adapt as the coast guard always has we've always adapted that there are new threats new hazards We respond to them accordingly and I think we are as you as you mentioned with that big seizure down in san diego I think the evidence is clear. We are being very successful But we will continue to adapt as as the threats adapt whether that's counter narcotics whether that's illegal fisheries Or what have you that's that's really one of the joys of being in the coast guard mission and the people they're both phenomenal and it is that Just inherited who we are as coasties to always adapt to figure out a way to get it done Well, when you're coming up alongside and telling them that you're about to board them because you think they got some drugs on board You get a little resistance on that. Um, do you feel uh, there's a certain danger in doing that? Do they respond with running away or violence? I think excuse me I think there's always inherent danger in the things we do whether it's search and rescue whether it's just Flying a helicopter operating a small boat. Uh, that's definitely part of the job that you do take on that risk I think the coast guard does an exceptional job in identifying risk and then Mitigating that risk through a series of factors. Uh, and that really is just the quality of our people that that helped do that Um, and you know, so when we do come alongside a vessel suspected of Of trafficking narcotics, um, our folks are trained appropriately. Um, but many times, you know, we do have folks that are compliant Um, but then in the instances they are not we have methods in place Um to go ahead and combat those levels of non-compliance To get the end state we want to Yeah, I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that discussion You know the coast guard is here, you know, I better watch out So I'm now fishing fishing is a whole new thing It seems to me that from what you've said fishing is uh, as a matter of public policy more important than it was a few years ago Uh, and the united states is not going to allow violations of fishing laws and treaties and you know agreements As much perhaps as has took place in the past. Why is there a change in policy? Is fishing more important on a global scale on a national scale? Are you finding more of it? Are you finding more of it by by countries that perhaps are Doing it as as an offensive maneuver? So j, um, what I can say is that, um, what has been reported is 93 of the world's major fish stocks are classified as fully exploited overexploited or significantly depleted it is definitely A major issue and um illegal fishing just by its nature It's uh, it's difficult to quantify but some estimates place the global impacts of illegal fishing and the tens of billions of dollars of lost revenue per year So just by the nature of legal fishing you're taking away You know the economic prosperity of countries and also uh food security because a lot of countries, especially Here in this region where they're, you know, uh, their coastal states Uh coastal nations, uh, they depend on fish for their food security And if you have fishermen going in there and illegally poaching their fish, uh, that creates tons of problems Again, not only economic problems for the country, but uh food scarcity So that's why it's definitely livin risen to the level that it has Uh with regards to our priorities in the coast guard Well, it's the same thing with environmental protections, isn't it? Yes, and um, you know, we have 11 statutory missions Um, environmental protection is certainly one of those missions. Um, that's super important Um, and that that's all tied together because you definitely need to protect the maritime environment to ensure that the fish are able to be sustained and survive So it's definitely all tied together Yeah, well connected for sure So, you know, one thing Jim is that we have seen through the navy You know, um a um a challenge to american forces in in the west pacific Uh, we've seen the chinese build islands and arm them Uh, we've seen them challenge and stop ships and aircraft who come into Waters and areas they claim They have legal control over but which they don't Mr. Coast Guard involved in any of that because this is a great challenge in west of pacific And i'm sure that the paycom is very interested in maintaining a presence. Are you part of that presence? Yeah, yes, sir. Yeah, we are and and both I kind of want to touch back to you on the on the drug mission as well We coast guard c 130 is based out of barbers point will deploy to south america and participate in those counter narcotic missions as well, so We'll we'll incorporate in those missions and then out in the pacific In conjunction with that with what jeff was saying with the the fishery engagements and the fishery enforcement. So the c 130's uh, we'll provide that maritime patrol aircraft and and and Link up with that national security cutter with our sector guam out there and with the district and with the host nations to provide That maritime intelligence and that picture of where both are but yeah providing that presence seeing that big for And the freedom aircraft flying around with the with the racing stripe means something And we're in exciting times too. So the barbers point We're all we're 95 through with our transition. So we're getting rid of our Aging h model and we have our new c 130 j model which is going to be a game changer out here It comes packaged with a minotaur sensor system Which incorporates people to feed into that national security cutter is a way bigger picture for maritime intelligence. So we're really excited to see that come online here in the next few months How do you uh, how do you get these helicopters to distant locations? Uh, you put them on the in the fan tail of a ship and strap them down and take them everywhere. Is that what happens? Yep, that's exactly it. So the national security counter will come into uh in the port here in honolulu and uh, we'll embark that that 65 On the back of the boat with the team and they'll they'll deploy with that with that cutter And they'll be with that cutter until she pulls back into uh, and then in Hawaii again and you know A few weeks or however long it takes but yeah, they're they're with them and they're part of the crew and they're doing the missions Whatever they uh, whatever they need exciting Exciting god, you guys have so many missions. Um, so let me ask you nick about safety and lifesaving And and and in connection with that I want to ask about an issue that comes up all the time in these shows is in case just in case Hawaii is subject to extreme weather some kind of weather, you know disaster calamity, what have you And we have trouble one thing or another we have trouble And we need somebody strong and flexible to help us out help the state out Um, you know and uh, you know if you ask the army or the navy or the air force, they'll say sure Um, but you know the coast guard is closer to the people in my opinion A close guard knows more people deals with more, you know, local institution regular engagement with local institutions So is the coast guard there to help in in case of a disaster that affects the state? We are yes, sir And it's one of those things where it's a blessing and a curse Living out here that that tyranny of distance we talk about being so far from mainland from the continental united states So if we do need help it is the reality is it's a ways before it's gonna gonna get here So, um, you know, that's the curse But the blessing is and the coast guard feels so good at it is is leveraging those partnerships, you know between federal state and local Agencies we do such a good job of working together In a unified effort in particular during plans and exercises We get to know each other. We we run these drills and exercises so that in a real world event We can respond more effectively and more efficiently just to protect both the You know the the folks who live here and the folks who come to visit here And that's everything from search and rescue to hurricane response So very important, you know, because if people walk around Ask anybody on the street and they'll say well the military is here to help and they will help so But I think the coast guard is special in that regard Um, so, you know, I want to I want to ask you a legal question. I have many legal questions for you, Jeff We could be here too long My question is, you know in the old days the coast guard was part of the treasury department But in time of war became part of the The war department the defense department the navy so to speak is that still work the same way? And what what triggers that where you when you move over From homeland security if at all To the to the department of defense So, yeah, I think that law is still in place to actually Be able to shift the coast guard to the department of defense when in need, but I can tell you that the us coast guard actively supports the department of defense globally My previous tour was in monama Bahrain Where I served as the us coast guard liaison to the us navy's fifth fleet that operated out in the southwest Southwest asia and we have six us coast guard fast response cutters That are there operating out of Bahrain as we speak As well as a whole contingent of coasties And here in hawaii We have a very good relationship with our DOD partners and You know, they they are Constantly working with us on innovative ways to collaborate and spread the us presence across the pacific We actually embarked us coast guard law enforcement Boarding teams on board navy vessels conduct fishery boardings throughout the pacific That's called the oceania maritime security initiative that has been very successful In um encountering illegal fishing throughout the pacific Well, you know, we're not at war in ukraine just yet But uh, Lloyd Lloyd Austin is watching it like a hawk I shouldn't use the term hawk that may not be the best term to use in this context But, um, you know, I'm sure there are various, um, you know Ranches of the service who are interested in what's going on who are planning and who are designing systems that would help them Uh query is the coast guard involved in that? Are you anywhere near there? In the black sea or ever would be? You know an appropriate vantage Um, could could you be involved? Absolutely. I think the coast guard is a very nimble service We have very unique capabilities that the department of defense can leverage to help out With that mission if they if they choose to do so And even diplomatically and we do have a u.s coast guard position Assigned to the u.s embassy in moscow So even from the diplomatic standpoint we can assist them that way But as you said, we have very we have very unique capabilities in the coast guard and we could be leveraged In a variety of different ways and that's certainly one area Where we could assist do d f the uh at the ask is there Wow, okay. Well, you never know what's going to happen these days. It moves so fast, you know, jim when I was in the service They always asked me the difference being a coast guard in the navy and I would say We save lives Is that still true? That is true, but I I have to give I have to tip my hat to our navy brethren Um, we do at times of need when when our planes are are broken or we're out of out of air crews The local squadrons will pick up the the slack and they'll they'll stand there ready for us every now and again so They have saved lives here Now that was certainly the case in the sinking of the ahemi maru by the ss greenville a nuclear attack submarine out in pearl Um, where the the submarine that cut the ahemi maru in half Of waikiki didn't really know how to rescue the people And they had to call the coast guard out To rescue the people and the coast guard saved a lot of lives that day. It's very interesting. You guys are expert in that So you do save lives Well, jim, I want to offer you the the last moment to to give a takeaway To our listening audience and viewers and if you could shape your takeaway around Why they should join support learn about the coast guard Um, and maybe even enlist, you know Yeah, could you talk about that? Yeah, absolutely. Um, the coast guard is a very unique service. It's a dynamic service We're all over obviously the coast lines anywhere attached to water But like jeff was saying you could find yourself as an attache over in moth gal I mean, we are literally embedded everywhere and the unique authorities that are granted to us As coasties allow us to do a lot of unique missions. I think it's a fantastic service We're in a position now where we're getting a lot of brand new toys I mentioned some of them earlier. We got the nsds obc So if you're coming into the service at this point, you're most likely going to be on a brand new ship or aircraft Which is exciting Um, the integration with technology and the and the forefront of cyber That whole new position that's coming online. I think it's just a really unique time to come into the service And then for those that want to learn about it. We haven't even touched on our ox auxiliary program For civilians that would like to be a part of the coast guard. I think that's a a unique mission set that we have as well Um, so yeah Now's now's the time. That's great Well, thank you, Jim. Uh, thank you, Nick. Uh, thank you, Jeff. I really appreciate you guys coming on And I'd like to leave you with one thought You know, uh, Jeff that thing about, uh, you know applying on your, uh, what dream sheet for A, uh, you know a job an attache job I could probably do that but I would want to skip the attache job in Moscow. Would that be all right? Uh, I think that'll be fine. And uh, yeah, I could totally see why Thank you, Jim. Thank you, Nick. Thank you, Jeff. Really appreciate you guys coming on Step up piranhas