U.S. Coast Guard missions have grown considerably since it transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Using "best practices" from the excellence theory of public relations and high reliability organizational theory, this study examines whether the current structure of the U.S. Coast Guard public affairs program is sufficient to effectively provide a full spectrum of public affairs services over the range of activities that the service has been engaged in since transferring to DHS. Differences between two types of public affairs officers (PAO), primary duty PAOs and collateral duty PAOs are examined to provide insight into whether the U.S. Coast Guard has the right people in the right place to conduct excellent public affairs at the right time. Based on the survey research results with these two key groups, the researcher recommends creating the External Affairs Limited Duty Officer specialty and provides additional options to increase public affairs effectiveness
