Coast Guard (Coast Guard)

In times of peace, the USCG operates as part of the Department of Homeland Security, serving as the front-line agency for enforcing laws at sea, protecting the marine environment, coastline and ports, and saving lives. In times of war, or at the direction of the president, the USCG serves under the Department of the Navy.

The USCG provides unique capabilities because of its distinctive blend of military, humanitarian, and civilian law-enforcement capabilities. Organizationally, the USCG is divided into Atlantic and Pacific commands and subordinate districts.

Coast Guard intelligence is one of 16 elements of the intelligence community (IC). Coast Guard intelligence specialties include countering illegal smuggling of weapons, drugs and migrants. At the headquarters level, intelligence and criminal investigations includes offices of security; plans and policy; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; and counterintelligence.

The USCG Intelligence and Criminal Investigations Program includes its National Intelligence Element, the Criminal Investigations Service, the Counterintelligence Service, the Intelligence Coordination Center (the USCG production center) and the Cryptologic Service. Its mission is to direct, coordinate and oversee intelligence and investigative operations and activities that support all USCG objectives by providing actionable (timely, accurate and relevant) intelligence to strategic decision makers, as well as operational and tactical commanders. The Coast Guard Intelligence and Criminal Investigations Enterprise also supports the National Strategy for Homeland Security and applicable National Security objectives.

Because the USCG employs unique expertise and capabilities in the maritime environment -- in domestic ports, coastal waters, offshore regions and even in foreign ports -- where other U.S. government agencies typically are not present, there exists the opportunity to collect intelligence that supports not only USCG missions, but other national security objectives, as well.