The Coast Guard continues its focus on improving Headquarters’ operations, including development of organizational efficiencies and realigning functions to best inform decision making.
Effective Friday, 5 September, the Office of Budget and Programs (CG-82) moved from the Assistant Commandant for Resources / Chief Financial Officer (CG-8) to establish a new Office of Coordination, Programming and Accountability (CG-CPA).
The office will report directly to the Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard (CG-CoS).
The move will help ensure all Coast Guard programs align with the priorities of senior leadership and the administration. Alignment will be critical in the next few years, as the Service continues a massive modernization effort through Force Design 2028.
After decades of underinvestment and severe readiness challenges, the President and Secretary of Homeland Security directed Force Design 2028 to renew the Coast Guard to become a more agile, capable, and responsive fighting force.
As the Chief Financial Officer, CG-8 will retain oversight of the Service’s planning, programming, budgeting and execution process. But all functions previously performed by CG-82 will become the responsibility of the new CG-CPA office.
CG-CPA core functions will include:
- Formulating and defending the Coast Guard's annual budget submission;
- Ensuring Coast Guard programs and activities are aligned to USCG strategic direction, budget submissions and leadership intent; and
- Coordinating and reviewing external reports, including Government Accountability
- Office audits, Office of the Inspector General audits, and reports and queries to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and Department.
The new office is led by Capt. Nick Simmons, the former CG-82 office chief, who retains the title of “Coast Guard Budget Director,” but now reports to acting Coast Guard Chief of Staff, Mr. Gary Rasicot. This is in many ways a return to the Service’s previous Chief of Staff construct, which included the Commandant’s Office of Program Analysis (then G-CPA), which evolved to become part of CG-82.
CG-CPA will align internal and external messaging with other CoS elements, provide dedicated program coordination across headquarters elements and the field, and support day-to-day staff operations. Their efforts will enable senior leaders across the service to focus on strategic goals and requirements, rather than tactics and execution.
To learn about additional changes to improve the Coast Guard’s overall organization, please visit the Organization section of the Force Design 2028 website.
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