32 Proceedings Fall 2024 The U.S. Coast Guard’s Persistent Presence in the Indo-Pacific by CAPT erin williAms Coast Guard Military Professor Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies U.S. Coast Guard Cdr yVonne yAnG Coast Guard Pacific Area Supervisor MER RAC/IUUF COE U.S. Coast Guard T he Indo-Pacific region is a critical theater of opera- tions and an important region for the United States and the Coast Guard. It encompasses vital sea lanes, economic hubs, and geopolitical hot spots, and its vast expanse of water serves as a crucial lifeline for global trade and economic prosperity. The region, stretching from America’s Pacific coast- line to the Indian Ocean, is home to more than half of the global population, nearly two-thirds of the world’s economy, and seven of the world’s largest militaries.1 As a Pacific nation, the United States has invested heavily in advancing its inter ests in this strategically important region, which has resulted in a significant increase in the Coast Guard’s Indo-Pacific footprint. America’s pivot to the Indo-Pacific ensures a free and open maritime domain in a highly contested region that is not only key for economic vitality but also faces grow- ing tensions and environmental challenges.2 To address these complexities, the U.S. government has invested significantly in new programs and have strengthened alliances and partnerships across the region. U.S. Coast Guard’s Oceania Presence Operating primarily through soft power, the Coast Guard plays a crucial role as a trusted U.S. partner in upholding the maritime rules-based international order. This means that the Coast Guard is an agency leveraged to influence other nations through diplomacy, capacity- building, and cultural exchange, rather than as a coer- cive military service perceived as hard power. The U.S. National Defense Strategy has identified the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the pacing challenge in the region.3 The strategy states, “the PRC seeks to undermine U.S. alliances and security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region, and leverage its growing capa- bilities … to coerce its neighbors and threaten their interests.”4 Such activities have led to maritime boundary disputes, transnational crime, and environmental degra- dation, impacting the stability and security of the region. To address these challenges, the Coast Guard launched Operation Blue Pacific, a comprehensive effort aimed at countering threats and enhancing maritime security and presence in the region, in 2019. Prior to Operation Blue Pacific, Coast Guard units and members conducted engagements and missions in an uncoordinated manner across Oceania, which led to duplication of efforts, overlapping visits, visit fatigue of our foreign partners, and inefficient use of Coast Guard resources. Conceived by CDRs Leah Cole and Mark Brass, the operation rapidly gained traction. It embraces a multifaceted approach that emphasizes partnership- and capacity-building and operational excellence. Maximizing extensive collaboration across all Coast Guard entities operating in the Pacific islands, Operation Blue Pacific has evolved into a key operation of the service that is focused on persistent presence and measured outcomes. By establishing a cross-specialty Coast Guard team and creating an Oceania Regional Engagement Plan, Operation Blue Pacific has become a model for effective maritime security operations in the international domain. The National Security Council also recognizes the effectiveness of the Coast Guard as a trusted partner in the region. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy, released in February 2022, makes the Coast Guard a central compo- nent in its implementation of activities to bolster Indo- Pacific security. The strategy focuses on increasing the Coast Guard’s presence, training, and advising to bolster our partners’ capabilities throughout Oceania, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.5 In 2023, the Coast Guard made significant shifts to support missions in the Indo-Pacific, including changing the homeport of the 270-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane from Portsmouth, Virginia, to Honolulu, as the Indo-Pacific support cutter. This move underscores the Coast Guard’s commitment to strengthening partnerships and enhancing stability in the region. During its first patrol, the Harriet Lane engaged in bilateral operations and engagements with Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). An example of its work included enacting the shiprider agreement,
