The Coast Guard Ethos - a Bias to Communicate Happy Birthday US Coast Guard! By Firestorm Expert Council member John Pat Philbin, Commander, USCG (Ret.) As the Coast Guard approaches 222 years of loyal service to America, I’d like to share a personal observation that I believe illustrates what makes the organization such a terrific return on investment.  In the interest of full disclosure, I retired as Chief of Public Affairs in 2004, having served for more than 21 years, so I bring a certain bias to my comments. Rather than chronicle its founding as the U.S. Revenue Service on August 4, 1790, when the United States commissioned ten sea-going vessels to maintain our sovereignty, deter smuggling and ensure maritime economic benefits were protected, I’d like to focus on why the agency has been so resilient, agile and responsive to America’s challenges through the years.  Ove...