Coast Guard 'remains vigilant' after training mishap

WASHINGTON - This past Sept. 11 a routine Coast Guard training exercise sent the National Capital Region into a panic. Cable news stations picked up radio transmissions from the Coast Guard crews who were role-playing the pursuit and capture of a hostile boat on the Potomac River.

The incident was soon being reported as a possible attack on Washington. The confusion was aggravated by the fact that President Barack Obama was at the Pentagon just a few hundred yards from where the boats were training, and because Coast Guard officials refused to comment when reporters asked what was going on.

The result was confusion, panic and the partial closing of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Within hours, the dust settled and the Coast Guard was left trying to explain why it held such a public training exercise so close to the president on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and didn't tell anybody.

The Coast Guard has since changed its policy about notifying local agencies before its train.

This week, WTOP was allowed to ride shotgun with one of those Coast Guard response boats as its crew patrolled along the Potomac River.

"We're underway everyday," says Lt. Jason Hagen, commander of Coast Guard Station Washington. "Our primary mission here is to protect the National Capital Region, detecting and deterring any kind of terrorist events."

Hagen commands 31 members of the Coast Guard and 17 reservists who are stationed at Bolling Air Force Base. Coast Guard Washington has four of the 25 foot response boats that patrol between Key Bridge in Georgetown south to Maryland Point on a daily basis.

"We're patrolling the critical infrastructure of the National Capital Region," Hagen says. "Bridges, airports, looking for anything out of the ordinary."

Hagen says the Coast Guard has learned from the Sept. 11 training incident.

"The events that happened that day certainly highlighted the need for us to improve upon our communications with our partners, the media and the public."

But Hagen points out that being prepared is essential to the Coast Guard's mission.

"Our training mission is an integral part of our operational readiness. In order for us to stay sharp and proficient, it requires us to do a constant training rhythm."

As for the aggressive maneuvers the boats were practicing that day, Hagen says it was something new for his sailors.

"High speed maneuvers, high speed turns, it's definitely something that's out of the ordinary and new to the Coast Guard."

Every day, a team of four departs from its station at Bolling Air Force Base to patrol the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. They're here for search and rescue missions and law enforcement, but primarily they are keeping an eye out for any suspicious behavior.

"The search and rescue case load in the National Capital Region is fairly low," Hagen says. "Washington Metro police and fire respond to most of those calls."

Hagen says his team does perform routine safety inspections of recreational boats while they are on patrol. And, he acknowledges the chances of an attack on Washington, D.C. by water are remote, but he also knows the recent attack on Mumbai, India was started by terrorists who entered the city by water.

"Small vessel threats in the United States are rare if ever, but it does happen in other countries, therefore we will remain vigilant."

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)