US Coast Guard to establish Special Missions Command as disaster and maritime response demands grow
The new command will unify the Coast Guard’s deployable specialized forces under a single operational structure
The US Coast Guard has announced plans to create a dedicated Special Missions Command to strengthen coordination and readiness among its elite deployable response units as operational demand continues to increase.
The command, which is expected to officially stand up in October, will centralize oversight of specialist teams currently managed separately by the service’s Atlantic and Pacific area commands.
Units falling under the new command will include maritime security response teams, maritime safety and security teams, port security units, regional dive lockers, and the National Strike Force – teams that are regularly involved in disaster response, hazardous materials incidents, maritime rescue support, and emergency contingency operations.
The Coast Guard said the new structure was intended to improve operational effectiveness and readiness in response to emerging threats, enhanced border security missions, and major national security events.
The specialized units also play a role in responding to oil spills, chemical incidents, and other environmental emergencies, alongside support operations involving helicopters, deployable rescue assets, and interagency coordination during large-scale incidents.
Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement: “The creation of the Special Missions Command is a vital evolution for our service. We are forging our most elite operators into a single, razor-sharp instrument of national power. The Special Missions Command is not an administrative change; it is an investment ensuring these elite teams are the best trained, equipped, and organized force possible, ready to protect the homeland and support the Joint Force.”
The command’s creation comes as emergency response agencies worldwide face rising demand linked to geopolitical instability, climate-driven disasters, and increasingly complex maritime operations.
Captain Robert Berry, lead for the command’s pre-commissioning team, said demand for the Coast Guard’s deployable specialized forces was currently at an “all-time high”.
The new command will be headquartered in Kearneysville, West Virginia, with the Coast Guard indicating the structure could later expand to include additional operational capabilities and specialist functions.
Want to read more about the evolving role of coast guards? In this feature, the AirMed&Rescue editorial team explores how state-operated and military coast guards are managing increasingly complex responsibilities.