10 Ideas for Solutions to Eradicating Sexual Misconduct from the U.S. Coast Guard, by LT Galen Varun, USCG (Ret.)

Whistler, Chiefs, et al

Posting testimonials non-stop appears to have gotten the attention of leadership. Although I am skeptical of any meaningful change, I certainly could be wrong.

In light of all these troubling accounts, I don't want to just present problems but offer solutions. Perhaps it could be of some value if your team is collecting ideas of types of tangible changes could be made in order to eradicate this problem within the service.

My solutions to remedy this and other mischievous behaviorial issues within the workforce are amongst a sea of others. The likelihood of adoption within the Coast Guard are slim to none. However, if senior leaders are truly befuddled for solutions, here are mine:

1. Start at Ground Zero--the Coast Guard Academy. Cadets there are assigned to "help" junior classmen. However, they have no qualifications besides having experienced the same demoralizing, degrading and dehumanizing behavior their upperclassmen did to them. It's probably time we either eliminated or restructured many of interactions between cadet classes. Seriously, what leadership value does harassing a junior classman really bring to either individual if the junior classman cannot move their fork of food to their mouth like a human robot? What leadership value does it bring to either individual if a junior classman cannot recite ditties verbatim without needing to reference source material. In order to not get picked on, cadets learn to appease senior classmen, regardless of how meaningful the topic. This silent code of obedience perpetuates itself to turning a blind eye to misconduct in the field in order to preserve their own careers. Many of these interactions between classes can be replaced with civilians, enlisted, sourced out to contractors or simply done away with altogether. Trust me, four years is plenty long for leadership opportunities for each and every cadet rather than subject to bullying by an unscrupulous upperclassmen.

2. Everybody is replaceable. Admirals are replaceable. Officers are all replaceable. Senior Chiefs are all replaceable, and so on. Who cares how much time/money the Coast Guard invested in this person. If they violate Core Values there somebody else behind them who won't. Bringing an O-6 to justice should be no more difficult as bringing an E-6 on a Cutter to justice. The perception that one person is "more valuable" than another is rooted in racism. Nobody is entitled to treat another human being with disrespect regardless of rank. Period.

3. The Coast Guards's position on workplace misconduct ought to mimic that of their drug and alcohol policies. Zero tolerance, one warning/next incident you're gone. A verbal warning isn't enough. A 3307 entry simply isn't enough. A dropped UCMJ violation case simply isn't enough. Zero tolerance is zero tolerance. But what about false accusations? Wonderful. Move the accuser out of the unit and put a strike in the record of the accused. In the event investigation determines it was false, remove the strike from accuser and give it to the accused. Two strikes for anybody = bye bye.

4. Investigations. Immediately seize the practice of random Coast Guard personnel having to investigate another. Nobody is trained in investigation or interrogation techniques. So why are we putting our people in charge of finding truth of allegations? Even CGIS agents are former Coasties for God's sake. Investigations into workplace misconduct MUST be performed by an outside source by people who are skilled in detective work and have no CG affiliation. What's the prohibitive factor here? Money. The Coast Guard can't just hire a firm to do this work for us for free. It's hard enough to get a new Polar Class Icebreaker, let alone a whole firm to investigate harassment claims.

5. Re-open cold/closed cases as needed in order to put out the fire. This happens in the law enforcement field all the time. People need closure. Our brothers and sisters have been traumatized by this stuff. Perpetrators are out there enjoying the full suite of government benefits on the taxpayers dime. This is horrifically wrong. Recall perpetrators from retirement if you must. The American people want justice for the wrongdoers of the world, including those who dishonored their obligation to their country. Again, limiting factor here is money.

6. Forget NDA's, put guilty individuals on display. Make them give unit/Sector/District apologies. Make them discourage others rather then what victims are currently having do. Cost = zero. Impacts = priceless.

7. Incentivize reporting. "If you have information that can lead to a sexual predator/workplace misconduct guilty verdict you could receive up to (arbitrary cash number here) as a reward. We see those types of signs throughout society--on America's Most Wanted, at the Post Office, at Walmart, on milk cartons, etc. Informants provide leads. Leads turn into convictions. Convictions turn into closure for victims. These leads must get investigated by the firm spoke of in bullet #4 (above).

8. Dismantle the Coast Guards's current solution and have victims just simply call local law enforcement. Law enforcement might just have a better shot of doing anything substantial than the broken system in place now does.

9. Set up a Victims Compensation Fund similar to 9/11, school shootings, Gulf War Burn Pits and other traumatic events already have in place. Anyone who previously filed are presumptively entitled to compensation. Part (not all) of the funding of this pool of compensation money must come from the operational funds of each Coast Guard unit. The other part of funding would need to come from the American taxpayer to set things right. California did this recently in the form of slavery reparations. It can be done and must be done.

10. Finally, what do you think would be the result if there was an asterisk next to billets on the Assignment Shopping List that meant "This unit has a member who has been known by the United States Coast Guard as a sexual predator. Acceptance of this billet acknowledges that an individual at this unit may or may not victimize you during your tour of duty!" No names, just a disclaimer. Imagine the impacts that would have. Do you think survivors of previous trauma would agree to take that particular billet? What about people who have never been victimized? Do you think they'd want to accept that billet? Society does this by means of signs in people's front yards. It's been normalized.

I know these are challenging times. I also know that inaction is a form of action. There is plenty that can be done but won't be done. I love this service just as much as you Master Chief. It's probably time the service enacted meaningful change to combat the problem rather than just hope for the best with the current solutions in place.

v/r

LT Galen Varon, USCG (Ret.)