Coast Guard Commandant: Local Bases Safe From Budget Ax

Posted Jan 27, 2012 by Howard Altman

Updated Jan 27, 2012 at 11:01 PM

On a chilly night that saw Clearwater celebrate its designation as a “Coast Guard City,” Congressman C.W. Bill Young talked about how the work of the maritime service – rescues, drug interdiction, security – could make “many, many movies.”

If the relationship between the city and the service were a love story, the movie would have a happy ending. At least for the foreseeable future.

Named one of the Coast Guard’s 12 such cities, and the only one in Florida, Clearwater was honored for its “outstanding support.”

In the transient life of service members, Coasties “know they have a home” in Clearwater, said Adm. Robert Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard.

After the ceremony, which included speeches, a wild display of bayonet-tipped rifle twirling and the Coast Guard Quintet, I shanghaied the Admiral for a few minutes to ask him about the future of the Coastie presence here, given that the Department of Defense is looking to trim nearly half a trillion bucks from the budget over the next 10 years.

The Coast Guard, he said, will continue to maintain its presence in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, which includes Air Station Clearwater, “the biggest and busiest” air station in the nation, he said.

There will be no cuts in personnel or assets here, he said. All the ships, planes, helicopters and crews will remain.