14 U.S.C. § 339 — Prevention and response workforces

(a) The Secretary^* of Transportation, acting through the Commandant^*, must make sure there are clear career paths for both civilian and military Coast Guard personnel who want to work in "prevention" or "response" jobs — spelling out the education, training, experience, and assignments someone needs to reach the most senior positions in those fields. The Secretary must publish and share this career-path information.

(b) People assigned to certain specialized roles must meet minimum qualifications: (1) a marine inspector needs training, experience, and qualifications equal to what a recognized classification society (under section 3316 of title 46) would require for inspecting that type of vessel, system, or equipment; (2) a marine casualty investigator needs training and experience in investigating accidents, reconstructing marine casualties, collecting and preserving evidence, understanding human factors, and documenting findings using recognized best practices; (3) a marine safety engineer needs knowledge, skill, and hands-on experience in how commercial vessels are built and operated, in judging a vessel's strength, stability, and safety, or in how vessel crews are trained and qualified; (4) a waterways operations manager needs knowledge, skill, and experience managing the maritime transportation system; and (5) a port and facility safety and security specialist needs knowledge, skill, and experience in the safety, security, and environmental duties tied to maritime ports and facilities.

(c) The Commandant can require someone training for one of these specialized careers to serve an apprenticeship under a qualified mentor. Anyone training to become a marine inspector, marine casualty investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist must serve at least a one-year apprenticeship — unless the Commandant allows a shorter period for specific qualifications.

(d) The Secretary, through the Commandant, must build a management information system that tracks, at minimum: each person's qualifications, their assignment history and how long they've held each assignment, and promotion rates for both military and civilian personnel.

(e) Every Coast Guard sector must have a Chief of Prevention, who must be at least a Lieutenant Commander (or a civilian employee at GS-13 or higher), and who must be a qualified marine inspector for the types of vessels common in that sector, plus qualified as at least one of: marine casualty investigator, marine safety engineer, waterways operations manager, or port and facility safety and security specialist.

(f) Anyone who signs a letter of qualification for marine safety personnel must themselves hold a letter of qualification for that same type of certification.

(g) Every Coast Guard sector must also have a Chief of Response, who must be at least a Lieutenant Commander or a civilian employee at GS-13 or higher.