Blumenthal Questions Coast Guard Commandant at Oversight Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Manufacturing, questioned Admiral Karl Schultz, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, yesterday at a hearing on Coast Guard oversight.

Blumenthal opened his questioning by asking about the Coast Guard’s commitment to establishing a National Coast Guard Museum in New London, Connecticut. Last year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included Blumenthal-supported language to support the construction and design of the National Coast Guard Museum in New London. The provision gives the Coast Guard the authority to officially partner with the National Coast Guard Museum Association and assume oversight of the museum’s final design, construction, and administration.

Blumenthal: “Commandant Schultz, I just want to make sure that I know the answer to this question. I think I do. The Coast Guard Museum is a continuing priority and you'll work with us in seeking additional funds, correct?”

Schultz: “Senator, I am absolutely committed to the establishment of a National Coast Guard Museum in New London. We're working with the National Coast Guard Museum Association, yourself, and your Senate counterpart Senator Murphy and the rest of the Connecticut delegation.”

Blumenthal then followed up with Schultz about a recent report regarding a cadet with the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy who was sexually assaulted while training on a private ship. The Coast Guard is charged with investigating incidents of sexual assault at sea and taking action to ensure the safety of all members of the U.S. maritime industry.

Blumenthal: “I've been disturbed by reports I've seen recently about merchant marine cadets who have been victims of sexual assault while at sea. I realize the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is separate from the Coast Guard, but the Coast Guard is responsible for investigating these incidents. I wonder if you could tell us whether you've seen an increase in the numbers of reports, whether you are disturbed?”

Schultz: “It is abhorrent to think someone, whether a member of our naval services or a merchant mariner, would be sexually assaulted at sea. I take great offense with that. We have had less than ten cases over the last ten years…Actually five cases. So it is not a lot of cases making it to the Coast Guard. We have investigated each of the five, referred them to the U.S. Attorney's office for action…I think there are some opportunities to work collaboratively with MARAD, the Department of Transportation, and shipping companies to make sure these terrible actions are being reported and then being actioned. We stand postured to action with our investigative services.”

In his closing remarks, Blumenthal also asked Commandant Schultz about a report released in August by the RAND Corporation which called for improving the representation of women as well as racial and ethnic minorities within the U.S. Coast Guard. Blumenthal-led provisions included in last year’s NDAA directed the Coast Guard to make significant investments in efforts to recruit, retain and invest in women in the Coast Guard workforce, and establishes an Advisory Board on Women in the Coast Guard to advise senior leadership on issues that specifically impact women members of the service. The provisions also require the Coast Guard to create a public strategy to improve leadership development and the culture of inclusion and diversity, and require that the Commandant add leadership training for additional junior officers in an effort to reinforce positive behaviors and address toxic leadership early in members’ careers. 

Blumenthal: “I understand that you are committed to implementing the goals and objectives of the report...and I wonder if you could update us as to the progress on recommendations focusing on outreach and recruiting, career development, advancement, promotion, those goals within the Coast Guard?”

Schultz: “We are absolutely committed…We've invested, sir, from $600,000 in D&I initiatives back around 2017 to more than $12 million right now. We are serious about this. It kind of reflects back to both my statement about being a nation served by a Coast Guard that’s more representative of the Americans we serve. There is no military service that interacts more with the public than the United States Coast Guard. We have to get this right and it is absolutely mine and the entire top leadership team's top intention.”

Blumenthal: “I am assuming that the commitment extends to the Coast Guard Academy and outreach and recruitment as well as working toward inclusion?”

Schultz: “Senator, absolutely. Our Academy, the class of 2025 is 40% women. It's 38% underrepresented minorities. We have the highest, both women and underrepresented, of any of the service academies…and we want to make our Academy not just the service academy part, but every Coast Guard officer that commissions goes through New London. That is a touch point. We want to make sure they are educated leaders, have an open mind, lead the fleet with no biases, no unconscious biases, and they want to be tremendous contributors to our United States Coast Guard going forward.”

The full transcript is copied below.

Blumenthal (D-CT): Thank and welcome to both of our witnesses today. Thank you for your service to our nation, your extraordinary commitment to the Coast Guard. Commandant Schultz, I just want to make sure that I know the answer to this question. I think I do. The Coast Guard Museum is a continuing priority and you'll work with us in seeking additional funds, correct?

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz: Senator, I am absolutely committed to the establishment of a National Coast Guard Museum in New London. We're working with the National Coast Guard Museum Association, yourself, and your Senate counterpart Senator Murphy and the rest of the Connecticut delegation.

Blumenthal: Thank you. I've been disturbed by reports that I’ve seen just recently about merchant marine cadets who have been victims of sexual assault while at sea. I realize the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is separate from the Coast Guard, but the Coast Guard is responsible for investigating these incidents. I wonder if you could tell us whether you've seen an increase in the numbers of reports, whether you are disturbed? I would guess you are disturbed by any report of sexual assault at sea, but has this problem been increasing in number of incidents reported?

Schultz: It is abhorrent to think of someone whether a member of our naval services or a merchant mariner would be sexually assaulted at sea. I take great offense with that. We have had less than ten cases, over the last ten years, less than ten cases, less than one case per year. Actually five cases. So it is not a lot of cases making it to the Coast Guard. We have investigated each of the five, referred them to the U.S. Attorney's office for action. We had one case where we went after an organization, a shipping company that didn't timely notify. But I suspect there's probably a gap there between actual behaviors occurring at sea and the amount of reporting. I think there are some opportunities to work collaboratively with MARAD, the Department of Transportation, and shipping companies to make sure these terrible actions are being reported and then being actioned. We stand postured to action with our investigative services. What is difficult is these ships are at sea, rotational crews, sometimes 300 days a year. So even when we have a case, getting to the ship, preservation of evidence, there is a lot of complexity. That said I think there is an area we all need to do better.

Blumenthal: And probably also in preventing them in the first place.

Schultz: Clearly, prevention is the most important part of this. Then when we have to respond we have to be aggressive and hold people accountable.

Blumenthal: Thank you. I understand that you are committed to implementing the goals and objectives of the report released in August by the RAND Corporation. It found a need for more diversity, equity and inclusion and I wonder if you could update us as to the progress on recommendations focusing on outreach and recruiting, career development, advancement, promotion, those goals within the Coast Guard?

Schultz: Thanks Senator. We are absolutely committed. The under-representative study by RAND was the second. We did a holistic women's study previous years and that helped us. We’ve closed retention gaps. We are stepping out with equal vigor. My first year in office we created the personal rights task force, so studies weren't just shelved, but things were acted on. We have maintained that into the fourth year of this tenure to action the URM study in specifics. We have a cross functional team that has broken this into chunks. We are going to go down every specific recommendation and try to drive them over the goal line. We've invested, sir, from $600,000 in D&I initiatives back around 2017 to more than $12 million right now. We are serious about this. It kind of reflects back to both my statement about being a nation served by a Coast Guard that’s more representative of the Americans we serve. There is no military service that interacts more with the public than the United States Coast Guard. We have to get this right and it is absolutely mine and the entire top leadership team's top intention.

Blumenthal: I am assuming that the commitment extends to the Coast Guard Academy and outreach and recruitment as well as working toward inclusion.

Schultz: Senator, absolutely. Our academy, the class of 2025 is 40% women. It's 38% underrepresented minorities. We have the highest, both women and underrepresented of any of the service academies but we are driving toward the 50% that reflects for women and driving toward, you know, still in terms of African-Americans in service about 5.5%, 6%. We need to drive that closer to the 11% or 12% that represents society with the propensity of service. We're trying to recruit in different places, we’ve stood up five new recruiting officer sites to get to places we haven’t successfully recruited, and we absolutely want to make our academy not just the service academy part but every Coast Guard officer that commissions goes through New London. That is a touch point. We want to make sure they are educated leaders, have an open mind, lead the fleet with no biases, no unconscious biases and they want to be tremendous contributors to our United States Coast Guard going forward.

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