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Coast Guard Calls In Reserve Forces

WILMINGTON, N.C. - More than 170 reservists throughout the Fifth Coast Guard District -from New Jersey down to North Carolina - reported for duty this weekend at Wilmington, N.C., to assist with port security during the Department of Defense's ongoing military loading operations.

The recalled members will work side-by-side with their active duty counterparts in a number of areas during the outload operations, including manning the Incident Command Post set up at Marine Safety Office Wilmington and serving as boat crews to maintain the security zones in and around the ports of Wilmington, Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU), N.C., and Morehead City.

"We're grateful that the reserve forces are here to augment our active duty components during this outload," said Capt. Jane Hartley, Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Wilmington. "Our reservists enable us to continue the significant duties that are placed on us with the outload without interrupting our other missions."

The Coast Guard relies on its reserve component to supplement its active duty personnel and units across a broad range of missions, including maritime homeland security. This capability adds to the Coast Guard's multi-mission and flexible character.

Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, more than 2,700 reservists Coast Guard-wide were recalled to active duty. According to Hartley, this is the largest call up of reservist in Wilmington and Morehead City since Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Military loading operation are not new to Wilmington, Morehead City or to the Coast Guard. "Protecting military outloads in U.S. ports is merely an extension of the Coast Guard's responsibility for safeguarding our ports and waterways as the lead federal agency for maritime homeland security," said Hartley. "Our Armed Forces service members and their equipment are deploying from numerous ports around the nation in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and future contingencies. We're working with the Military Sealift Command, the state ports, MOTSU and others here to make sure it's done right. Safety and security are the primary objectives of everyone involved."