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After over 12 years, the RAID team mission in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait has finally come to an end. For those who don't know, the RAID Team works in a combat theater to assist the Army, and other service branches as needed, in moving containerized cargo and hazardous materials out of theater. The Coast Guard's expertise here is movement by vessel. They have saved the Army millions of dollars in fines, port costs, and delays but now, with the winding down of operations in Afghanistan, the program is over. Is there still a need for the RAID Team expertise? Should the RAID mission be expanded to assist the Army and other services to all around the world? Would love to hear back from other Coasties that worked with the RAID or other service members that worked with us.
Coast Guard Reserve
Iraq
Afghanistan
Kuwait
Edited 8 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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The RAID Teams will be reactivated at some point in the future. They are being decommed right now because there is no work for the Team to do. Everything is out of Afghanistan except the small amounts the units are brining in. There is nothing in Iraq except small unit material. The Army has closed their door in 2 of the old major ports. It would waste money right now to have a team in place. Wait to the next surge in troop movements and we will be asked to help out.
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Given the proven track record, I think we're just one crisis from seeing the program return.
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It depends if there is OCO funding? The CG can't afford to fund this on its current 11 statutory missions.
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CPO (Join to see)
LCDR, it boils down to priorities...but I agree. The DOD mission has rarely been a big priority for the Coast Guard. Fortunately our funding came from the Army and would probably have to come from them again.
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Having read some of the responces to this question, I remember the training I went through regarding prepositionning of ships and the safety measures we took regarding the cargo. seems that the Coast Guard is such a natural fit for this type of duty when it comes to port safety that not to do it could proove to be very dangerious. As usual, the Coast Guard gives the most bang for the buck, seems like we need a bit more funding to make sure the job gets done right.
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I think the way things are going in the region it will eventually be back. The need for the SDDC to continue moving large amounts of equipment is still there, and I think the benefits were amply demonstrated. One of the main differences going forward may be that they'll be less expeditionary and perhaps more consolidated with the SDDC command groups. Still it would be great to see it re-implemented regardless! Thanks Chief!
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After the End of Desert Storm, we saw ships coming back without any dunnage, blocking, or bracing, and many, many other unsafe and potentially catastophic issues. We saw unused missles and bombs with nails in the housings because people loading them had driven nails doen through pallets placed on top of bombs. We saw phosphorous grenades stowed below decks, ammo loose and rolling around, and other things that were just a cigarette butt away from igniting another Texas City disaster. Unfortunately, we don't learn from the past very well. We are short term thinkers and we replace experienced people with inexperienced people who try corner cutting until there is another disaster. The best thing to do is modify the RAID teams to make them smaller and easier to deploy and send them out on short missions of 60 to 90 days coordinated with vessel traffic coming back. Scaling up and scaling down is something we don't do well, however.
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The Army should fund it using their training funds. Pay the USCG for deployable instructor billets for Company/Battalion level Unit Movement Officers. Create training for Army personnel for both wartime/peacetime.
2-birds/1-stone: 1) ready assets for surge ops/ 2) joint operations & training opportunities
-Jason, RAID 7.
2-birds/1-stone: 1) ready assets for surge ops/ 2) joint operations & training opportunities
-Jason, RAID 7.
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CPO (Join to see)
That would work...or have it funded out of DOD and make it "officially" a unit that can assist all branches. Also, not limit it to CENTCOM, make it available to assist redeploying units anywhere.
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PO1 (Join to see)
The Issue with the training side of it that we are seeing as we depart theater is that the UMO's and Hazmat certifiers only do this job twice a deployment, and it's typically once on either end. We have a better than 75% 2890 failure rate and the paperwork issues alone will get your cargo held up at the port. That's only half of it, the physical container inspections, typically a minor thing like stenciling gets missed and yet someone throws CSC tag on their because they want to the AMMO 43 school and calls the container good. Again, held up at a port. Instructor billets would be nice, but that's not going to help at the fobs with the CSC issues.
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CWO2 (Join to see)
Sure hope so, would go back in a heartbeat. CITAT should have an OCONUS branch and that might work as well.
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Why would Uncle Sam want to cut something that is saving $$$ instead of giving it to countries that are screaming, "death to America." What is that about?
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I really believe the expertise that the USCG has in this mission should be continued. What could be the reason to stop it? Let the experts do what they do best. I had two sons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan so I know how important support of the mission is to all services. I think we should extend the RAID program and look around the world where this support would save money, increase efficiency and in short get the job done.
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