comdtinst m16114.32c - U.S. Coast Guard

Part 2 – Operations and Missions
Chapter 5 – Mission Types
F.2. Authority
The statutory authority for the Coast Guard’s national defense role is
contained in Title 14 U.S.C. Sections 1, 2, and 141. Title 14 states that
the Coast Guard shall be a military service and a branch of the armed
forces at all times.
MILOPS Support and Planning
The Coast Guard is specifically authorized to assist the Department of
Defense in performance of any activity for which the Coast Guard is
especially qualified. The Coast Guard’s national defense role is to
provid e non-redundant, complementary naval forces that support the
National Military Strategy. The use of the Coast Guard’s capabilities
and resources in support of the National Military Strategy is addressed by
the Oct 1995 DOT/DoD Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), which is
currently undergoing reissue by DoD/DHS.
F.3. MILOPS
Support
The Coast Guard’s role in National Military Strategy is to assist the
Department of Defense (DoD) in activities in which it is especially
qualified, including:
(01) Maritime Safety and Security
(02) Maritime Law Enforcement
(03) Marine Environmental Protection
(04) Marine Mobility (includes ATON)
(05) National Defense (includes conducting military and defense
operations in peacetime, smaller scale contingencies, military
operations other than war, and major theater war)
F.4. MILOPS
Planning
COTP planners will normally coordinate unit involvement in the
MILOPS planning process. The COTP is responsible for the security of
vessels and waterfront facilities in the port, as well as the safety of the
general public and environment. It is likely that when supporting or
performing MILOPS missions, units will be tasked by the cognizant
COTP through their Operational Commander. Selected Sector forces
may be placed under the tactical control of a DoD command to execute
specific Homeland Defense missions.
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