DISTRIBUTION – SDL No. 170
NON-STANDARD DISTRIBUTION:
Commandant U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7202
United States Coast Guard 2703 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave
Washington, DC 20593-7907
Staff Symbol: VCG
Phone: (202) 372-4411
COMDTINST 5420.40C
10 AUG 2021
COMMANDANT INSTRUCTION 5420.40C
Subj: COMMANDANT’S EXECUTIVE DECISION MAKING (EDM) PROCESS
1. PURPOSE. To promulgate the framework for Coast Guard Executive Decision Making and
the decision support role of key executive forums.
2. ACTION. All Flag Officers, Senior Executive Service (SES) civilian employees, and their
staffs shall familiarize themselves and comply with the provisions of this Instruction.
Internet release is authorized.
3. DIRECTIVE AFFECTED. Commandant Executive Decision Making (EDM) Process,
COMDTINST 5420.40B is cancelled.
4. DISCUSSION. A properly designed decision-making framework facilitates well-informed
and timely decisions made at the right level in the organization. It provides regular,
repeatable and transparent processes that promote appropriate deliberation while ensuring
decision-makers receive accurate, timely input from relevant parties. To ensure decisions
optimize enterprise efficiency and effectiveness, cross-programmatic impacts and the
concerns of affected stakeholders must be considered. Decision making is best done at
multiple levels throughout the organization. As detailed below, a key role for the
Commandant as the organization’s Chief Executive is to set the vision and direction for the
Coast Guard. Once the Commandant’s strategic vision/direction is promulgated, subordinate
leaders must align their executive decisions with this direction. Typically, executive
decisions are made by those closest to the issues that are given the responsibility to lead
programs or operations. For all decisions, the Judge Advocate General (CG-094), Director,
Governmental and Public Affairs (CG-092), and Assistant Commandant for Resources (CG-
8) shall be consulted as appropriate and early as practicable and shall be available to advise
all levels with executive decision-support. Enterprise decisions may require higher level
engagement and this Instruction provides avenues for ensuring those decisions are made at
the appropriate organizational level.
