Recently, the US Coast Guard made a new policy which mandates they don’t release the names of people involved in search & rescue cases. For a number of reasons, this policy ought to be reversed.
Here’s the message announcing the new policy:
R 241605Z AUG 07 ZUI ASN-A00236000015 ZYBFM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-3//
TO ALCOAST
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UNCLAS //N05720//
ALCOAST 414/07
COMDTNOTE 5720SUBJ: COAST GUARD POLICY ON RELEASE OF NAMES DURING ACTIVE SAR CASES
A. PUBLIC AFFAIRS MANUAL, COMDTINST M5728.2C
B. COAST GUARD ADDENDUM TO THE NATIONAL SAR sUPPLEMENT, COMDTINSTM16130.2D
C. COAST GUARD FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY ACTS MANUAL,COMDINST M5260.3
D. 5 US CODE 552, THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
E. 5 US CODE 552A, THE PRIVACY ACT
1. THE RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC CONCERNING INDIVIDUALS BEING SOUGHT OR HAVING BEEN RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD OFTEN SUPPORTS THE SAR MISSION.
2. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE RELEASE OF NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS BEING SOUGHT OR HAVING BEEN RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD MAY BE RELEASED BY THE RESPONSIBLE PAO OR SMC WHILE A SAR CASE IS OPEN AND ACTIVE.
ONCE THE CASE IS CLOSED IN MISLE, ANY REQUEST FOR NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE REQUESTOR IAW REFS C, D AND E.
3. THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE NEXT REVISION OF REFS A AND B.
4. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
5. RELEASED BY RADM DAVID P. PEKOSKE, ASSISTANT COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS
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