The Deployable Operations Group establishes a single command authority to rapidly provide the Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Defense Department, Department of Justice and other interagency operational commanders adaptive force packages drawn from the U.S. Coast Guard's deployable specialized force units. The DOG's purpose is to develop systems and processes for standardized training, equipment, organization, planning and scheduling of rapidly deployable specialized forces to execute mission objectives in support of tactical and operational commanders.
Although the DOG is the Coast Guard's source for special operations forces, it does not function under SOCOM because the Coast Guard does not operate under the Defense Department. Composed of about 2,000 service members, the DOG is broken up into Port Security Units (PSU), Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLET), Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST), Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) and the National Strike Force (NSF).
Coast Guard Port Security Units are deployable units organized for sustained operations. They can deploy within 24 hours and establish operations within 96 hours. PSUs conduct OCONUS port security in support of requesting regional CINC's. They provide waterside protection to key assets (e.g., pier areas, high value vessels and harbor entrances) at the termination/origination point of the sea lines of communications. PSU's may operate in U.S. territorial waters under the direction of a Coast Guard or Maritime Defense Zone (MDZ) command or in foreign waters as part of the Harbor Defense Command (HDC or HDCU) within the Naval Coastal Warfare Command Structure.
Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team (PACTACLET) personnel, home-ported in San Diego, provide specialized law enforcement and maritime security capability to enforce U.S. laws across a full spectrum of maritime response situations, as well as maritime security augmentation to designated elements of other U.S. government agencies in support of Coast Guard, national security and law enforcement operations in the maritime environment.
First established in 1982, their primary mission is to deploy aboard U.S. and allied naval vessels to conduct and support maritime law enforcement, interdiction, security and operations. PACTACLET currently has 130 deployable personnel, and since 2009, it has removed 80 metric tons of cocaine and four metric tons of marijuana, and detained 126 suspected drug smugglers, resulting in 248 man years sentenced in U.S. federal prison.
Multi-mission active-duty mobile Maritime Safety and Security Teams, modeled after Coast Guard expeditionary port security units (reserve component) and law enforcement detachments, are established regionally to protect military load-outs, enforce security zones (moving and fixed), defend critical waterside facilities in strategic ports, interdict illegal activities and provide a modest level of shore-side force protection. They provide enhanced port safety and security and law enforcement capabilities to the economically or militarily significant port where they are based. They deploy in support of national special security events that require Coast Guard presence, such as OpSail, Olympics, major disasters or storm recovery operations.
The National Strike Force (NSF) provides highly trained, experienced personnel and specialized equipment to Coast Guard and other federal agencies to facilitate preparedness for and response to oil and hazardous substance pollution incidents in order to protect public health and the environment. The NSF's area of responsibility covers all Coast Guard districts and federal response regions. The NSF totals more than 200 active duty, civilian, reserve and auxiliary personnel and includes the National Strike Force Coordination Center (NSFCC); the Atlantic Strike Team; the Gulf Strike Team; the Pacific Strike Team; and the Public Information Assist Team.
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