United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard
Seal of the United States Coast Guard
Founded	January 28, 1915(1915-01-28)(as current service) August 4, 1790(1790-08-04) (as theRevenue-Marine)
Country	United States
Type	Coast guard
Role	Port and waterway security Drug interdiction Aids to navigation Search and rescue Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing Marine safety Defense readiness Migrant interdiction Marine environmental protection Ice operations Law enforcement
Size	40,558 active duty personnel 7,724 reserve personnel 21,000 auxiliarists 8,577 civilian personnel (as of 2020)
Part of	United States Armed Forces Department of Homeland Security
Headquarters	Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters Building, Washington, D.C., U.S.
Nickname(s)	"Coasties" "The Guard"
Motto(s)	Semper Paratus Always ready
Colors	CG Red, CG Blue, White
March	"Semper Paratus"
Anniversaries	4 August
Equipment	List of U.S. Coast Guard equipment
Engagements	See list Quasi-War War of 1812 Seminole Wars West Indies Anti-Piracy Operations African Anti-Slavery Operations Mexican–American War American Civil War Spanish–American War World War I World War II Korean War Vietnam War Invasion of Grenada Invasion of Panama Persian Gulf War Operation Uphold Democracy Kosovo War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Operation Inherent Resolve
Website	uscg.mil gocoastguard
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	PresidentJoe Biden
Secretary of Homeland Security	Alejandro Mayorkas
Commandant	ADMLinda L. Fagan
Vice Commandant	ADMKevin E. Lunday
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard	MCPOCGHeath B. Jones
Insignia
Ensign
Service mark
Flag
Jack
Wordmark

TheUnited States Coast Guard(USCG) is themaritime security,search and rescue,andlaw enforcementservice branchof theUnited States Armed Forcesand one of the country's eightuniformed services.The service is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the United States military branches for having a maritimelaw enforcementmission with jurisdiction in both domestic andinternational watersand afederalregulatory agencymission as part of its duties. It is the largestcoast guardin the world, rivaling the capabilities and size of mostnavies.

The U.S. Coast Guard is ahumanitarianand security service. It protects theUnited States' borders and economic and security interests abroad; and defends its sovereignty by safeguardingsea lines of communicationand commerce across U.S.territorial watersand itsExclusive Economic Zone.Due to ever-expanding risk imposed by transnational threats through the maritime andcyberdomains, the U.S. Coast Guard is at any given time deployed to and operating on all seven continents and in cyberspace to enforce its mission. Like itsUnited States Navysibling, the U.S. Coast Guard maintains a global presence with permanently-assigned personnel throughout the world and forces routinely deploying to bothlittoralandblue-waterregions. The U.S. Coast Guard's adaptive, multi-mission "white hull" fleet is leveraged as a force of both diplomatic soft power and humanitarian and security assistance over the more overtly confrontational nature of "gray hulled" warships. As a humanitarian service, it saves tens of thousands of lives a year at sea and in U.S. waters, and provides emergency response and disaster management for a wide range of human-made and natural catastrophic incidents in the U.S. and throughout the world.

The U.S. Coast Guard operates under theU.S. Department of Homeland Securityduring peacetime. During times of war, it can be transferred in whole or in part to theU.S. Department of the Navyunder theDepartment of Defenseby order of theU.S. Presidentor by act ofCongress.Prior to its transfer to Homeland Security, it operated under theDepartment of Transportationfrom 1967 to 2003 and theDepartment of the Treasuryfrom its inception until 1967.A congressional authority transfer to the Navy has only happened once: in 1917, duringWorld War I.By the time the U.S. enteredWorld War IIin December 1941, the U.S. Coast Guard had already been transferred to the Navy byPresident Franklin Roosevelt.

Created by Congress as theRevenue-Marineon 4 August 1790 at the request ofAlexander Hamilton,it is the oldest continuously operating naval service of the United States.As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton headed the Revenue-Marine, whose original purpose was collectingcustoms dutiesat U.S. seaports. By the 1860s, the service was known as theU.S. Revenue Cutter Serviceand the term Revenue-Marine gradually fell into disuse.

The modern U.S. Coast Guard was formed by a merger of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and theU.S. Life-Saving Serviceon 28 January 1915, under the Department of the Treasury. In 1939, theU.S. Lighthouse Servicewas also merged into the U.S. Coast Guard. As one of the country's six armed services, the U.S. Coast Guard and its predecessor have participated in every major U.S. war since 1790, from theQuasi-War with Franceto theGlobal War on Terrorism.

As of December 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard's authorized force strength is 44,500 active duty personneland 7,000 reservists.The service's force strength also includes 8,577 full-time civilian federal employees and 31,000 uniformed volunteers of theU.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.The service maintains an extensive fleet of roughly 250 coastal and ocean-goingcutters,patrol ships, buoy tenders, tugs, and icebreakers; as well as nearly 2,000 small boats and specialized craft. It also maintains an aviation division consisting of more than 200 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.While the U.S. Coast Guard is the second smallest of the U.S. military service branches in terms of membership, the service by itself is the world's 12th largestnavalforce.

Mission

Main article:Missions of the United States Coast Guard

Role

The Coast Guard carries out three basic roles, which are further subdivided into eleven statutory missions. The three roles are:

• Maritime safety
• Maritime security
• Maritime stewardship

With a decentralized organization and much responsibility placed on even the most junior personnel, the Coast Guard is frequently lauded for its quick responsiveness and adaptability in a broad range of emergencies. In a 2005 article inTimemagazine followingHurricane Katrina,the author wrote, "the Coast Guard's most valuable contribution to [a military effort when catastrophe hits] may be as a model of flexibility, and most of all, spirit." Wil Milam, arescue swimmerfromAlaskatold the magazine, "In the Navy, it was all about the mission. Practicing for war, training for war. In the Coast Guard, it was, take care of our people and the mission will take care of itself."

Missions

The eleven statutory missions as defined by law are divided intohomeland securitymissions and non-homeland security missions:

Non-homeland security missions

• Ice operations,including theInternational Ice Patrol
• Living marine resources (fisherieslaw enforcement)
• Marine environmental protection
• Marine safety
• Aids to navigation
• Search and rescue

Homeland security missions

• Defense readiness
• Maritimelaw enforcement
• Migrant interdiction
• Ports, waterways and coastal security (PWCS)
• Drug interdiction

Search and rescue

The U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue (CG-SAR) is one of the Coast Guard's best-known operations.TheNational Search and Rescue Plandesignates the Coast Guard as the federal agency responsible for maritime SAR operations, and theUnited States Air Forceas the federal agency responsible for inland SAR.Both agencies maintainrescue coordination centersto coordinate this effort, and have responsibility for both military and civilian search and rescue.The two services jointly provide instructor staff for the National Search and Rescue School that trains SAR mission planners and coordinators. Previously located on Governors Island, New York, the school is now located atCoast Guard Training Center Yorktownat Yorktown, Virginia.

National Response Center

Operated by the Coast Guard, the National Response Center (NRC) is the soleU.S. Governmentpoint of contact for reporting alloil,chemical,radiological,biological,and etiologicalspillsand discharges into the environment, anywhere in the United States and its territories.In addition to gathering and distributing spill/incident information forFederal On Scene Coordinatorsand serving as the communications and operations center for the National Response Team, the NRC maintains agreements with a variety of federal entities to make additional notifications regarding incidents meeting established trigger criteria. The NRC also takes Maritime Suspicious Activity and Security Breach Reports. Details on the NRC organization and specific responsibilities can be found in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan.The Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE)database system is managed and used by the Coast Guard for tracking pollution and safety incidents in the nation's ports.

National Maritime Center

The National Maritime Center (NMC) is the merchant mariner credentialing authority for the USCG under the auspices of theDepartment of Homeland Security.To ensure a safe, secure, and environmentally sound marine transportation system, the mission of the NMC is to issue credentials to fully qualified mariners in the United States maritime jurisdiction.

Authority as an armed service

Members of the U.S. Coast GuardMaritime Security Response Team (MSRT)hooking and climbing onto a target to show the skills needed to complete a variety of missions dealing withanti-terrorism,protecting localmaritimeassets, and harbor and inshore security patrols as well asdetecting, stopping, and arresting submerged divers,using theUnderwater Port Security System

The six uniformed services that make up theU.S. Armed Forcesare defined inTitle 10 of the U.S. Code:"The term" armed forces "means the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard." The Coast Guard is further defined byTitle 14 of the United States Code:"The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy." Coast Guard organization and operation is as set forth inTitle 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

On 25 November 2002, theHomeland Security Actwas signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush, designating the Coast Guard to be placed under theU.S. Department of Homeland Security.The transfer of administrative control from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was completed the following year, on 1 March 2003.

The U.S. Coast Guard reports directly to the civilian Secretary of Homeland Security. However, under14 U.S.C.§ 3as amended by section 211 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006, upon the declaration of war and whenCongressso directs in the declaration, or when thePresidentdirects, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Defense as a service in theDepartment of the Navy.

As members of the military, Coast Guardsmen on active and reserve service are subject to theUniform Code of Military Justiceand receive the same pay and allowances as members of the same pay grades in the other uniformed services.

The service has participated in every major U.S. conflict from 1790 through today, including landing troops onD-Dayand on the Pacific Islands inWorld War II,in extensive patrols and shore bombardment during theVietnam War,and multiple roles inOperation Iraqi Freedom.Maritime interception operations, coastal security, transportation security, andlaw enforcement detachmentshave been its major roles in recent conflicts inIraq.

On 17 October 2007, the Coast Guard joined with theU.S. NavyandU.S. Marine Corpsto adopt a newmaritime strategycalledA Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapowerthat raised the notion of prevention of war to the same philosophical level as the conduct of war.This new strategy charted a course for the Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps to work collectively with each other and international partners to prevent regional crises, man-made or natural, from occurring, or reacting quickly should one occur to avoid negative impacts to the United States. During the launch of the new U.S. maritime strategy at the International Seapower Symposium at theU.S. Naval War Collegein 2007, Coast Guard Commandant AdmiralThad Allensaid the new maritime strategy reinforced the time-honored missions the service has carried out in the United States since 1790. "It reinforces the Coast Guard maritime strategy of safety, security and stewardship, and it reflects not only the global reach of our maritime services but the need to integrate and synchronize and act with our coalition and international partners to not only win wars... but to prevent wars," Allen said.

Authority as a law enforcement agency

Title 14 USC, section 2 authorizes the Coast Guard to enforce U.S. federal laws.This authority is further defined in14 U.S.C.§ 522,which gives law enforcement powers to all Coast Guard commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers.Unlike the other branches of theUnited States Armed Forces,which are prevented from acting in a law enforcement capacity by18 U.S.C.§ 1385,thePosse Comitatus Act,andDepartment of Defensepolicy, the Coast Guard is exempt from and not subject to the restrictions of the Posse Comitatus Act.

Further law enforcement authority is given by14 U.S.C.§ 703and19 U.S.C.§ 1401,which empower U.S. Coast Guard active and reserve commissioned officers, warrant officers, and petty officers as federalcustoms officers.This places them under19 U.S.C.§ 1589a,which grants customs officers general federal law enforcement authority, including the authority to:

(1) carry a firearm;
(2) execute and serve any order, warrant, subpoena, summons, or other process issued under the authority of the United States;
(3) make an arrest without a warrant for any offense against the United States committed in the officer's presence or for a felony, cognizable under the laws of the United States committed outside the officer's presence if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is committing a felony; and
(4) perform any other law enforcement duty that the Secretary of Homeland Security may designate.

— 19 USC §1589a. Enforcement authority of customs officers

The U.S.Government Accountability OfficeReport to theHouse of Representatives,Committee on the Judiciary on its 2006 Survey of Federal Civilian Law Enforcement Functions and Authorities, identified the Coast Guard as one of 104 federal components that employedlaw enforcement officers.The report also included a summary table of the authorities of the Coast Guard's 192 special agents and 3,780 maritime law enforcement boarding officers.

Coast Guardsmen have the legal authority to carry their service-issued firearms on and off base. This is rarely done in practice, however; at many Coast Guard stations, commanders prefer to have all service-issued weapons in armories when not in use. Still, one court has held in the case ofPeople v. Booththat Coast Guard boarding officers are qualified law enforcement officers authorized to carry personal firearms off-duty for self-defense.

History

Main article:History of the United States Coast Guard

The Coast Guard traced its roots to the small fleet of vessels maintained by theUnited States Department of the Treasurybeginning in the 1790s to enforce tariffs (an important source of revenue for the new nation).Secretary of the TreasuryAlexander Hamiltonlobbied Congress to fund the construction of tencutters,which it did on 4 August 1790 (now celebrated as the Coast Guard's official birthday). Until the re-establishment of the Navy in 1798, these "revenue cutters" were the only naval force of the early United States. As such, the cutters and their crews frequently took on additional duties, including combating piracy, rescuing mariners in distress, ferrying government officials, and even carrying mail.Initially not an organized federal agency at all, merely a "system of cutters," each ship operated under the direction of the customs officials in the port to which it was assigned. Several names, including "Revenue-Marine," were used as the service gradually becoming more organized. Eventually it was officially organized as theUnited States Revenue Cutter Service.In addition to its regular law enforcement and customs duties, revenue cutters and their crews were used to support and supplement the Navy in various armed conflicts including theAmerican Civil War.

A separate federal agency, theU.S. Life-Saving Service,developed alongside the Revenue-Marine. Prior to 1848, there were various charitable efforts at creating systems to provide assistance to shipwrecked mariners from shore-based stations, notably by theMassachusetts Humane Society.The federal government began funding lifesaving stations in 1848 but funding was inconsistent and the system still relied on all-volunteer crews. In 1871,Sumner Increase Kimballwas appointed chief of the Treasury Department's newly created Revenue Marine Division, and began the process of organizing the Revenue-Marine cutters into a centralized agency. Kimball also pushed for more funding lifesaving stations and eventually secured approval to create the Lifesaving Service as a separate federal agency, also within the Treasury Department, with fulltime paid crews.

In 1915 these two agencies, the Revenue Cutter Service and the Lifesaving Service, were merged to create the modern United States Coast Guard. TheLighthouse Serviceand theBureau of Marine Inspection and Navigationwere absorbed by the Coast Guard 1939 and 1942 respectively. In 1967, the Coast Guard moved from theU.S. Department of the Treasuryto the newly formedU.S. Department of Transportation,an arrangement that lasted until it was placed under theU.S. Department of Homeland Securityin 2003 as part of legislation designed to more efficiently protect American interests following theterrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

In times of war, the Coast Guard or individual components of it can operate as a service of theDepartment of the Navy.This arrangement has a broad historical basis, as the Coast Guard has been involved in wars as diverse as theWar of 1812,theMexican–American War,and theAmerican Civil War,in which the cutterHarriet Lanefired the first naval shots attempting to relieve besiegedFort Sumter.The last time the Coast Guard operated as a whole within the Navy was inWorld War II,in all some 250,000 served in the Coast Guard during World War II.

Coast Guard Squadron One,was a combat unit formed by the United States Coast Guard in 1965 for service during theVietnam War.Placed under the operational control of the United States Navy, it was assigned duties inOperation Market Time.Its formation marked the first time since World War II that Coast Guard personnel were used extensively in a combat environment. The squadron operated divisions in three separate areas during the period of 1965 to 1970. Twenty-sixPoint-class cutterswith their crews and a squadron support staff were assigned to the U.S. Navy with the mission of interdicting the movement of arms and supplies from theSouth China SeaintoSouth VietnambyViet CongandNorth Vietnamjunkandtrawleroperators. The squadron also provided81mm mortarnaval gunfire support to nearby friendly units operating along the South Vietnamese coastline and assisted the U.S. Navy duringOperation Sealords.

Coast Guard Squadron Three,was a combat unit formed by the United States Coast Guard in 1967 for service during theVietnam War.Placed under the operational control of the United States Navy and based inPearl Harbor.It consisted of five USCG High Endurance Cutters operating on revolving six-month deployments. A total of 35 High Endurance Cutters took part in operations from May 1967 to December 1971, most notably using their 5-inch guns to provide naval gunfire support missions.

Often units within the Coast Guard operate underDepartment of the Navyoperational control while other Coast Guard units remain under theDepartment of Homeland Security.

Deployable Operations Group/Deployable Specialized Forces

Main article:Deployable Specialized Forces

The Deployable Operations Group (DOG) was a Coast Guard command established in July 2007. The DOG established a single command authority to rapidly provide the Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense,Department of Justiceand other interagency operational commanders adaptive force packages drawn from the Coast Guard's deployable specialized force units. The DOG was disestablished on 22 April 2013 and reorganized into Deployable Specialized Forces (DSF) units were placed under the control of the Atlantic and Pacific Area Commanders.

The planning for the unit began after the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, and culminated with its formation on 20 July 2007. Its missions included maritime law enforcement,anti-terrorism,port security,pollution response, anddiving operations.

There were over 25 specialized units within the Deployable Operations Group including theMaritime Security Response Team,Maritime Safety and Security Teams,Law Enforcement Detachments,Port Security Units,theNational Strike Force,and Regional Dive Lockers. The DOG also managed Coast Guard personnel assigned to the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command and was involved in the selection of Coast Guard candidates to attendNavy BUD/Sand serve withNavy SEAL Teams.

Images

• 
  Marine CorpsPrivates First Class William A. McCoy and Ralph L. Plunkett holding a sign thanking the Coast Guard after theBattle of Guamin 1944
• 
  A gun crew on boardUSCGCPoint Comfort(WPB-82317)firing an 81 mm mortar during the bombardment of a suspectedViet Congstaging area one mile behind An Thoi in August 1965
• 
  USCGCDuane(WPG-33)shelling targets in Vietnam in 1967, where the Coast Guard was a part ofOperation Market Time
• 
  United States Coast Guard Squadron One unit patch during theVietnam War
• 
  Seal of theUnited States Coast Guard Deployable Operations Group
• 
  USSVandegrift(FFG 48)andUSCGCMellon(WHEC-717)cruising side by side in theJava Seaon May 28, 2010
• 
  A member of USCGLaw Enforcement Detachment(LEDET) 106 performing a security sweep aboard a tanker ship in the NorthPersian Gulfin July 2007
• 
  A Coast Guardsman stands guard over more than 40,000 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $500 million being offloaded from the CutterSherman,23 April 2007.
• 
  A boatswain's mate keeps watch on a small boat as it heads for the USCGCChandeleurin 2008
• 
  A Coast GuardAviation Survival Technicianassisting with the rescue of a pregnant woman duringHurricane Katrinain 2005

Organization

Main articles:Organization of the United States Coast GuardandUnited States Coast Guard Order of Battle

The new Department of Homeland Security headquarters complex is on the grounds of the formerSt. Elizabeths Hospitalin theAnacostiasection of Southeast Washington, across theAnacostia Riverfrom former Coast Guard headquarters.

The fiscal year 2016 budget request for the U.S. Coast Guard was$9.96 billion.

USCG Districts

Districts and units

The Coast Guard's current district organization is divided into 9 districts. Their designations, district office and area of responsibility are as follows:

U.S. Coast Guard districts

District	District Office	Area of responsibility	Note
1st	Boston, Massachusetts	New Englandstates, easternNew Yorkand northernNew Jersey	1
5th	Portsmouth, Virginia	Pennsylvania,southernNew Jersey,Delaware,Maryland,Virginia,andNorth Carolina	5
7th	Miami, Florida	South Carolina,Georgia,easternFlorida,Puerto Rico, and theU.S. Virgin Islands	7
8th	New Orleans, Louisiana	Western Riversof the U.S. and theGulf of Mexico	8
9th	Cleveland, Ohio	Great Lakes	9
11th	Alameda, California	California,Arizona,Nevada,andUtah	11
13th	Seattle, Washington	Oregon,Washington,IdahoandMontana	13
14th	Honolulu, Hawaii	Hawaiiand Pacific territories	14
17th	Juneau, Alaska	Alaska	17

Shore establishments

The Douglas A. Munro Coast Guard Headquarters building in St. Elizabeths West Campus

Shore establishment commands exist to support and facilitate the mission of the sea and air assets andCoastal Defense.U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters is located in Southeast Washington, D.C. Examples of other shore establishment types areCoast Guard Sectors(which may include Coast Guard Bases), Surface Forces Logistics Center (SFLC),Coast Guard Stations,Coast Guard Air Stations,and theUnited States Coast Guard Yard.Training centers are included in the shore establishment commands. The military college for the USCG is called theUnited States Coast Guard Academywhich trains both new officers through a four year program and enlisted personnel joining the ranks of officers through a 17 week program called Officer Candidate School (OCS). Abbreviated TRACEN, the other Training Centers includeTraining Center Cape Mayfor enlisted bootcamp,Training Center PetalumaandTraining Center Yorktownfor enlisted "A" schools and "C" schools, andCoast Guard Aviation Technical Training CenterandCoast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobilefor aviation enlisted "A" school, "C" schools, and pilot officer training.

Personnel

The Coast Guard has a total workforce of 87,569.The formal name for a uniformed member of the Coast Guard is "Coast Guardsman", irrespective of gender. "Coastie" is an informal term commonly used to refer to current or former Coast Guard personnel. In 2008, the term "Guardian" was introduced as an alternative but was later dropped. AdmiralRobert J. Papp Jr.stated that it was his belief that no Commandant had the authority to change what members of the Coast Guard are called as the term Coast Guardsman is found in Title 14 USC which established the Coast Guard in 1915."Team Coast Guard" refers to the four components of the Coast Guard as a whole: Regular, Reserve, Auxiliary, and Coast Guard civilian employees.

Commissioned officers

Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard holdpay gradesranging from O-1 to O-10 and have the same rank structure as the Navy.Officers holding the rank of ensign (O-1) through lieutenant commander (O-4) are considered junior officers, commanders (O-5) and captains (O-6) are considered senior officers, and rear admirals (O-7) through admirals (O-10) are considered flag officers. TheCommandant of the Coast Guardand theVice Commandant of the Coast Guardare the only members of the Coast Guard authorized to hold the rank of admiral.

The Coast Guard does not have medical officers orchaplainsof its own. Instead,chaplains from the U.S. Navy,as well as officers from theU.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corpsare assigned to the Coast Guard to perform chaplain-related functions and medical-related functions, respectively. These officers wear Coast Guard uniforms but replace the Coast Guard insignia with that of their own service.

The Navy and Coast Guard share identical officer rank insignia except that Coast Guard officers wear a gold Coast Guard Shield in lieu of a line star or staff corps officer insignia.

Commissioned officer grade structure of the United States Coast Guard

US DoD Pay Grade	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9	O-10
NATO Code	OF-1		OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9
Insignia
Title	Ensign	Lieutenant (Junior Grade)	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Commander	Commander	Captain	Rear Admiral (Lower Half)	Rear Admiral	Vice Admiral	Admiral
Abbreviation	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM

Warrant officers

Main article:Warrant officer (United States)

Highly qualified enlisted personnel in pay grades E-6 through E-9 with a minimum of eight years' experience can compete each year for appointment as warrant officers (WO). Successful candidates are chosen by a board and then commissioned as chief warrant officer two (CWO2) in one of twenty-one specialties. Over time, chief warrant officers may be promoted to chief warrant officer three (CWO3) and chief warrant officer four (CWO4). The ranks of warrant officer (WO1) and chief warrant officer five (CWO5) are not currently used in the Coast Guard. Chief warrant officers may also compete for the Chief Warrant Officer to Lieutenant Program. If selected, the warrant officer will be promoted to lieutenant (O-3E). The "E" designates over four years' active duty service as a warrant officer or enlisted member and entitles the member to a higher rate of pay than other lieutenants.

Warrant officer grade structure of the United States Coast Guard

US DoD Pay Grade	W-2	W-3	W-4
NATO Code	WO-2	WO-3	WO-4
Insignia
Title	Chief Warrant Officer 2	Chief Warrant Officer 3	Chief Warrant Officer 4
Abbreviation	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4

Enlisted personnel

See also:List of United States Coast Guard enlisted ranksandList of United States Coast Guard ratings

Enlisted members of the Coast Guard have pay grades from E-1 to E-9 and also follow the same rank structure as the Navy. Enlisted members in pay grades of E-4 and higher are consideredpetty officersand follow career development paths very similar to those of Navy petty officers.

Petty officers in pay grade E-7 and higher arechief petty officersand must attend the Coast GuardChief Petty Officer Academy,or an equivalent Department of Defense school, in order to be advanced to pay grade E-8. The basic themes of the school are:

• Professionalism
• Leadership
• Communications
• Systems thinking and lifelong learning

Enlisted rank insignia is also nearly identical to Navy enlisted insignia. The Coast Guard shield replacing thepetty officer's eagleon collar and cap devices for petty officers or enlisted rating insignia for seamen qualified as a"designated striker".Group Rate marks (stripes) for junior enlisted members (E-3 and below) also follow Navy convention with white for seaman, red for fireman, and green for airman. In a departure from the Navy conventions, all petty officers E-6 and below wear red chevrons and all chief petty officers wear gold.

Enlisted and non-commissioned officer grade structure of the United States Coast Guard
Note: Crossed anchors in the graphics indicate a rating ofBoatswain's Mate

U.S. DoD Pay grade	E-1	E-2	E-3	E-4	E-5	E-6	E-7	E-8	E-9			Special
NATO Code	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5	OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
Insignia
Title	Seaman Recruit	Seaman Apprentice	Seaman	Petty Officer Third Class	Petty Officer Second Class	Petty Officer First Class	Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Master Chief Petty Officer	Command Master Chief Petty Officer	Deputy Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guardor Other senior enlisted leaders	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
Abbreviation	SR	SA	SN	PO3	PO2	PO1	CPO	SCPO	MCPO	CMC	DMCPOCG	MCPOCG

Training

Officer training

Training exercise atCape Disappointment State Park, Washington

TheU.S. Coast Guard Academyis a four-yearservice academylocated inNew London, Connecticut.Approximately 200 cadets graduate each year, receiving aBachelor of Science degreeand a commission as anensignin the Coast Guard. Graduates are obligated to serve a minimum of five years on active duty. Most graduates are assigned to duty aboard Coast Guard cutters immediately after graduation, either as Deck Watch Officers (DWOs) or as Engineer Officers in Training (EOITs). Smaller numbers are assigned directly to flight training atNaval Air Station Pensacola,Florida or to shore duty at Coast GuardSector,District, or Area headquarters units.

In addition to the Academy, prospective officers, who already hold a college degree, may enter the Coast Guard throughOfficer Candidate School(OCS), also located at the Coast Guard Academy. OCS is a 17-week course of instruction that prepares candidates to serve effectively as officers in the Coast Guard. In addition to indoctrinating students into a military lifestyle, OCS provides a wide range of highly technical information necessary to perform the duties of a Coast Guard officer.

Graduates of OCS are usually commissioned as ensigns, but some with advanced graduate degrees may enter aslieutenants (junior grade)orlieutenants.Graduating OCS officers entering active duty are required to serve a minimum of three years, while graduating reserve officers are required to serve four years. Graduates may be assigned to a cutter, flight training, a staff job, or an operations ashore billet. OCS is the primary channel through which the Coast Guard enlisted grades ascend to the commissioned officer corps. Unlike the other military services, the Coast Guard does not have aReserve Officers' Training Corps(ROTC) program.However, the Coast Guard does have the Select Reserve Direct Commission, an officer program for prospective candidates interested serving as a Coast Guard Reserve Officer.

Lawyers, engineers, intelligence officers, military aviators holding commissions in other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces requesting interservice transfers to the Coast Guard, graduates of maritime academies, and certain other individuals may also receive an officer's commission in the Coast Guard through theDirect Commission Officer(DCO) program. Depending on the specific program and the background of the individual, the course is three, four or five weeks long. The first week of the five-week course is an indoctrination week. The DCO program is designed to commission officers with highly specialized professional training or certain kinds of previous military experience.

Recruit training

Recruit companies visitingArlington National Cemeteryfor their one day of off-base liberty, which is their only break in an eight-week boot camp at theCoast Guard Training CenterinCape May, New Jersey

Newly enlisted personnel are sent to eight weeks ofrecruit trainingatCoast Guard Training Center Cape MayinCape May, New Jersey.New recruits arrive atSexton Halland remain there for three days of initial processing which includes haircuts, vaccinations, uniform issue, and other necessary entrance procedures. During this initial processing period, the new recruits are led by temporary company commanders. These temporary company commanders are tasked with teaching the new recruits how to march and preparing them to enter into their designated company. The temporary company commanders typically do not enforce any physical activity such as push ups or crunches. When the initial processing is complete, the new seaman recruits are introduced to their permanent company commanders who will remain with them until the end of training. There is typically a designated lead company commander and two support company commanders. The balance of the eight-week boot camp is spent in learning teamwork and developing physical skills. An introduction of how the Coast Guard operates with special emphasis on the Coast Guard's core values is an important part of the training.

The current nine Recruit Training Objectives are:

• Self-discipline
• Military skills
• Marksmanship
• Vocational skills and academics
• Military bearing
• Physical fitness and wellness
• Water survival and swim qualifications
• Esprit de corps
• Core values(Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty)

Service schools

Following graduation from recruit training, most members are sent to their first unit while they await orders to attend advanced training inClass "A" Schools.At "A" schools, Coast Guard enlisted personnel are trained in their chosenrating;rating is a Coast Guard and Navy term for enlisted skills synonymous with the Army's and Marine Corps'military occupation codes(MOS) and Air Force'sAir Force Specialty Code(AFSC). Members who earned highASVABscores or who were otherwise guaranteed an "A" School of choice while enlisting may go directly to their "A" School upon graduation from Boot Camp.

Civilian personnel

The Coast Guard employs over 8,577 civilians in over two hundred different job types includingCoast Guard Investigative Servicespecial agents,lawyers, engineers, technicians, administrative personnel, tradesmen, and federal firefighters.Civilian employees work at various levels in the Coast Guard to support its various missions.

Equipment

Main article:List of equipment of the United States Coast Guard

Cutters

USCGCBertholf(WMSL-750),the firstLegend-classnational security cutters

The Coast Guard operates 243 Cutters,defined as any vessel more than 65 feet (20 m) long, that has a permanently assigned crew and accommodations for the extended support of that crew.

• National Security Cutter(WMSL): Also known as the Legend-class, these are the Coast Guard's latest class of 418-foot (127 m) cutter. At 418 ft. these are the largest USCG military cutters in active service. One-for-one, Legend-class ships have replaced individually decommissioned 1960sHamilton-classcutters, (also known as theHigh Endurance Cutter(WHEC)). A total of eleven were authorized and budgeted; as of 2021 eight are in service, and two are under construction.
• Medium Endurance Cutter(WMEC): These are mostly the 210-foot (64 m)Reliance-class, and the 270-foot (82 m) Famous-class cutters, although the 283-foot (86 m)Alex Haleyalso falls into this category. Primary missions are law enforcement, search and rescue, and military defense.Heritage-class cuttersare expected to eventually replace theReliance- and Famous-class cutters as they are completed.
• Polar-classicebreaker(WAGB): There are three WAGB's used for icebreaking and research though only two, the heavy 399-foot (122 m)Polar Starand the newer medium class 420-foot (130 m)Healy,are active.Polar Seais located in Seattle, Washington but is not currently in active service. The icebreakers are being replaced with new heavy icebreakers under thePolar icebreaker program,the world's largest coast guard vessel due for delivery in 2025.
• USCGCEagle:A 295-foot (90 m) sailing barque used as a training ship for Coast Guard Academy cadets and Coast Guard officer candidates. She was originally built in Germany asHorst Wessel,and was seized by the United States as aprize of warin 1945.
• USCGCMackinaw:A 240-foot (73 m) heavy icebreaker built for operations on theGreat Lakes.
• Seagoing Buoy Tender(WLB): These 225-foot (69 m) ships are used to maintain aids to navigation and also assist with law enforcement and search and rescue.
• Coastal Buoy Tender(WLM): The 175-foot (53 m) Keeper-class coastal buoy tenders are used to maintain coastal aids to navigation.
• Sentinel-classcutter(WPC): The 154-foot (47 m) Sentinel-class, also known by its program name, the "Fast Response Cutter" -class and is used for search and rescue work and law enforcement.
• Bay-classicebreaking tug(WTGB): 140-foot (43 m) icebreakers used primarily for domestic icebreaking missions. Other missions include search and rescue, law enforcement, and aids to navigation maintenance.
• Patrol Boats(WPB): There are two classes of WPBs currently in service; the 110-foot (34 m)Island-class patrol boatsand the 87-foot (27 m)Marine Protector-class patrol boats
• Small Harbor Tug(WYTL): 65-foot (20 m) small icebreaking tugboats, used primary for ice clearing in domestic harbors in addition to limited search and rescue and law enforcement roles.

Boats

U.S. Coast Guard 45-foot (14 m) Response Boat Medium (RB-M)

The Coast Guard operates about 1,650 boats,defined as any vessel less than 65 feet (20 m) long, which generally operate near shore and on inland waterways.

The Coast Guard boat fleet includes:

• 47-foot Motor Lifeboat(MLB): The Coast Guard's 47-foot (14 m) primary heavy-weather boat used for search and rescue as well as law enforcement and homeland security.
• Response Boat – Medium(RB-M): A new multi-mission 45-foot (14 m) vessel intended to replace the 41-foot (12 m) utility boat. 170 planned
• Special Purpose Craft – Near Shore Lifeboat: Only 2 built. Shallow draft, 42-foot (13 m) lifeboat substituted for the 47-foot (14 m) Motor Life Boat, based at Chatham, Massachusetts
• Deployable Pursuit Boat(DPB): A 38-foot (12 m) launch capable of pursuing fast cocaine smuggling craft.
• Long Range Interceptor(LRI): A 36-foot (11 m) high-speed launch that can be launched from the stern ramps of the larger Deepwater cutters.
• Aids to Navigation Boat(TANB/BUSL/ATON/ANB): Various designs ranging from 26 to 55 feet (7.9 to 16.8 m) used to maintain aids to navigation.
• Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement (SPC-LE): Intended to operate in support of specialized law enforcement missions, utilizing three 300 horsepower (220 kW)Mercury Marineengines. The SPC-LE is 33 feet (10 m) long and capable of speeds in excess of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) and operations more than 30 miles (48 km) from shore.
• Defender-class boat:A 25-foot (7.6 m) high-speed boat, for a variety of missions, includingsearch and rescue,port securityand law enforcement duties. Also known as the Response Boat – Small (RB-S).
• 25-foot Transportable Port Security Boat(TPSB): A 25-foot (7.6 m) well-armed boat used byPort Security Unitsfor force protection.
• Special Purpose Craft, Shallow-water (SPC-SW): 24 feet (7.3 m)
• Cutter Boat – Over the Horizon(OTH): A 23-foot (7.0 m) rigid hull inflatable boat used by medium and high endurance cutters and specialized units.
• Short Range Prosecutor (SRP):A 23-foot (7.0 m) rigid hull inflatable boat that can be launched from a stern launching ramp on the National Security Cutters.

Aircraft

Every aircraft in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet in June 2024. From left:HC-130J,C-27J,HC-144,C-37B,MH-60T,MH-65E

The Coast Guard operates approximately 201fixed and rotary wing aircraftfrom 24Coast Guard Air Stationsthroughout the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Most of these air stations are tenant activities at civilian airports, several of which are former Air Force Bases and Naval Air Stations, although several are also independent military facilities. Coast Guard Air Stations are also located on active Naval Air Stations,Air National Guardbases, and Army Air Fields.

Coast Guard aviators receive Primary (fixed-wing) and Advanced (fixed or rotary-wing) flight training with their Navy and Marine Corps counterparts atNAS Whiting Field,Florida, andNAS Corpus Christi,Texas, and are consideredNaval Aviators.After receivingNaval Aviator Wings,Coast Guard pilots, with the exception of those slated to fly the HC-130, report toU.S. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, Mobile, Alabamato receive 6–12 weeks of specialized training in the Coast Guard fleet aircraft they will operate. HC-130 pilots report toLittle Rock AFB,Arkansas, for joint C-130 training under the auspices of the314th Airlift Wingof theU.S. Air Force.

Fixed-wing aircraft operate from Air Stations on long-duration missions. Helicopters operate from Air Stations and can deploy on a number of different cutters. Helicopters can rescue people or intercept vessels smuggling migrants or narcotics. Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the Coast Guard has developed a more prominent role in national security and now has armed helicopters operating in high-risk areas for the purpose of maritime law enforcement and anti-terrorism.

The Coast Guard is now developing anunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)program that will utilize theMQ-9 Reaperplatform for homeland security and search/rescue operations. To support this endeavor, the Coast Guard has partnered with the Navy andU.S. Customs and Border Protectionto study existing/emerging unmanned aerial system (UAS) capabilities within their respective organizations. As these systems mature, research and operational experience gleaned from this joint effort will enable the Coast Guard to develop its own cutter and land-based UAS capabilities.

Current aircraft

Type	Manufacturer	Origin	Class	Role	Introduced	In service	Notes
C-27J Spartan	Alenia Aeronautica	U.S. Italy	Turboprop	Search and rescue	2014	14	Former Air Force aircraft, acquired in return for the release of seven HC-130H aircraft to the United States Forest Service for use as aerial tankers.
C-37A	Gulfstream	U.S.	Jet	Priority Airlift	1998	1	Priority Airlift for high-ranking members of theDepartment of Homeland Securityand U.S. Coast Guard.
C-37B	Gulfstream	U.S.	Jet	Priority Airlift	2017	1	Priority Airlift for high-ranking members of theDepartment of Homeland Securityand U.S. Coast Guard.
HC-130H Hercules	Lockheed Martin	U.S.	Turboprop	Search and rescue	1974	14	Most have been removed from service and are being replaced by HC-130J aircraft. Seven were turned over to the United States Forest Service to be converted to aerial firefighting tankers.
HC-130J Hercules	Lockheed Martin	U.S.	Turboprop	Search and rescue	2003	12	More on order, currently being manufactured to replace HC-130H.
HC-144A Ocean Sentry	Airbus	U.S. Spain	Turboprop	Search and rescue	2009	15
HC-144B Minotaur	Airbus	U.S. Spain	Turboprop	Search and rescue	2016	3	Minotaur upgrade of HC-144A aircraft includes advance navigation and search and rescue equipment.
MH-60T Jayhawk	Sikorsky	U.S.	Helicopter	Medium Range Recovery (MRR)	1990	51	may remain in service until 2035
MH-65E Dolphin	Eurocopter	U.S. France	Helicopter	Short Range Recovery (SRR)	1984	46	Upgraded version of MH-65D with advanced avionics and search and rescue equipment

Weapons

USCGC Legare fire the ship's MK-75 76mm cannon

Naval guns

Most Coast Guard Cutters have one or more naval gun systems installed, including:

• TheOto Melara 76 mm,a radar-guided computer controlled gun system that is used on Medium Endurance Cutters. The 3-inch gun's high rate of fire and availability of specialized ammunition make it a multi-purpose gun capable of anti-shipping, anti-aircraft, ground support, and short-range anti-missile defense.
• The MK 110 57 mm gun, a radar-guided computer controlled variant of theBofors 57 mm gun.It is used on theLegend-class cutter, also known as the National Security Cutter (NSC).It is a multi-purpose gun capable of anti-shipping, anti-aircraft, and short-range anti-missile defense. The stealth mount has a reduced radar profile. Also, the gun has a small radar mounted on the gun barrel to measure muzzle velocity for fire control purposes and can change ammunition types instantly due to a dual-feed system. It can also be operated/fired manually using a joystick and video camera (mounted on gun).
• TheMk 38 Mod 0weapons system consists of an M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun and the Mk 88 Mod 0 machine gun mount. A manned system, its gyro-stabilization compensates for the pitching deck. It provides ships with defensive and offensive gunfire capability for the engagement of a variety of surface targets. Designed primarily as a close-range defensive measure, it provides protection against patrol boats, floating mines, and various shore-based targets.
• TheMk 38 Mod 2weapons system is a remotely operated Mk 38 with an electronic optical sight, laser range-finder,FLIR,a more reliable feeding system, all of which enhance the weapon systems capabilities and accuracy.
• ThePhalanx CIWS(pronounced "sea-wiz" ) is a close-in weapon system for defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles. it can also be used against a variety of surface targets. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm 6-barreledM61 Vulcancannon mounted on a swiveling base, it is used on the Coast Guard's National Security Cutters. This system can operate autonomously against airborne threats or may be manually operated with the use of electronic optical sight, laser range-finder and FLIR systems against surface targets.
• TheSea PROTECTOR MK50is a remotely controlled gyro-stabilizedM2.50 caliber heavy machine gun.The sight package includes a daylight video camera, a thermal camera and an eye-safe laser rangefinder operated by a joystick. It is also furnished with a fully integrated fire control system that provides ballistic correction. The Mk50s are used on only fourMarine Protector-classCutters, theUSCGCSea Fox(WPB-87374),USCGCSea Devil(WPB-87368),USCGCSea Dragon(WPB-87367)andUSCGCSea Dog(WPB-87373)

Small arms and light weapons

TheSIG P229R-DAK is thestandard sidearm of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The U.S. Coast Guard uses a wide variety of small arms and light weapons. Handguns, shotguns, and rifles are used to arm boat crew and boarding team members and machine guns are mounted aboard cutters, boats, and helicopters.

Small arms and light weapons arms include:

• M99mmpistol
• SIG Sauer P229RDAK.40 S&Wpistol
• Remington M870P12 gaugeshotgun
• M16A2 rifle
• M4 carbine
• Mk 18 carbine
• M14 Tactical rifle
• Mk 11 (KAC SR-25)
• Mk 11 Mod 2 precision rifle
• FNM240 machine gun
• M2.50 caliber heavy machine gun
• Mk 19 40mm grenade launcher
• Barrett M107.50-caliber rifle,used by marksmen from theHelicopter Interdiction Tactical SquadronandLaw Enforcement Detachmentsto disable the engines on fleeing boats.

Symbols

Core values

The Coast Guard, like the other armed services of the United States, has a set of core values that serve as basic ethical guidelines for all Coast Guard active duty, reservists, auxiliarists, and civilians. TheCoast Guard Core Valuesare:

Honor:Integrity is our standard. We demonstrate uncompromising ethical conduct and moral behavior in all of our personal actions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust.
Respect:We value our diverse workforce. We treat each other with fairness, dignity, and compassion. We encourage individual opportunity and growth. We encourage creativity through empowerment. We work as a team.
Devotion to Duty:We are professionals, military and civilian, who seek responsibility, accept accountability, and are committed to the successful achievement of our organizational goals. We exist to serve. We serve with pride.

The Guardian Ethos

In 2008, the Coast Guard introduced the Guardian Ethos. As the Commandant, Admiral Allen noted in a message to all members of the Coast Guard: [The Ethos] "defines the essence of the Coast Guard," and is the "contract the Coast Guard and its members make with the nation and its citizens."

The Coast Guard Ethos

In an ALCOAST message effective 1 December 2011 the Commandant, Admiral Papp, directed that the language ofGuardian Ethosbe superseded by theCoast Guard Ethosin an effort to use terminology that would help with the identity of personnel serving in the Coast Guard.The termCoast Guardsmanis the correct form of address used in Title 14 USC and is the form that has been used historically. This changed the line in the Guardian Ethos "I am a Guardian." to become "I am a Coast Guardsman."

The Ethos is:

In Service to our Nation
With Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty
We protect
We defend
We save
We are Semper Paratus
We are the United States Coast Guard

— The Coast Guard Ethos

Creed of the United States Coast Guardsman

Main article:Creed of the United States Coast Guardsman

The "Creed of the United States Coast Guardsman" was written by Vice AdmiralHarry G. Hamlet,who served as Commandant of the Coast Guard from 1932 to 1936.

I am proud to be a United States Coast Guardsman.
I revere that long line of expert seamen who by their devotion to duty and sacrifice of self have made it possible for me to be a member of a service honored and respected, in peace and in war, throughout the world.
I never, by word or deed, will bring reproach upon the fair name of my service, nor permit others to do so unchallenged.
I will cheerfully and willingly obey all lawful orders.
I will always be on time to relieve, and shall endeavor to do more, rather than less, than my share.
I will always be at my station, alert and attending to my duties.
I shall, so far as I am able, bring to my seniors solutions, not problems.
I shall live joyously, but always with due regard for the rights and privileges of others.
I shall endeavor to be a model citizen in the community in which I live.
I shall sell life dearly to an enemy of my country, but give it freely to rescue those in peril.
With God's help, I shall endeavor to be one of His noblest Works...
A UNITED STATES COAST GUARDSMAN.

— Creed of the United States Coast Guardsman

"You have to go out, but you don't have to come back!"

This unofficial motto of the Coast Guard dates to an 1899United States Lifesaving Serviceregulation, which states in part: "In attempting a rescue,... he will not desist from his efforts until by actual trial, the impossibility of effecting a rescue is demonstrated. The statement of the keeper that he did not try to use the boat because the sea or surf was too heavy will not be accepted, unless attempts to launch it were actually made and failed."

Coast Guard Ensign

Ensign of the United States Coast Guard

Former Coast Guard ensign, used from 1915 to 1953

The Coast GuardEnsign(flag) was first flown by theRevenue Cutter Servicein 1799 to distinguish revenue cutters from merchant ships. A 1 August 1799 order issued by Secretary of the TreasuryOliver Wolcott Jr.specified that the Ensign would be "sixteen perpendicular stripes (for the number of states in the United States at the time), alternate red and white, the union of the ensign to be the arms of the United States in a dark blue on a white field."

This ensign became familiar in American waters and served as the sign of authority for the Revenue Cutter Service until the early 20th century. The ensign was originally intended to be flown only on revenue cutters and boats connected with the Customs Service but over the years it was found flying atop custom houses as well, and the practice became a requirement in 1874. On 7 June 1910, PresidentWilliam Howard Taftissued an Executive Order adding an emblem to (or "defacing") the ensign flown by the Revenue cutters to distinguish it from what is now called theCustoms Ensignflown from the custom houses. The emblem was changed to the official seal of the Coast Guard in 1927.

The purpose of the ensign is to allow ship captains to easily recognize those vessels having legal authority to stop and board them. It is flown only as a symbol of law enforcement authority and is never carried as a parade standard.

Coast Guard Standard

The Coast Guard Standard is used in parades and carries the battle honors of the Coast Guard. It was derived from thejackof the Coast Guard ensign which was flown by revenue cutters. The emblem is a blue eagle from the coat of arms of the United States on a white field. Above the eagle are the words "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD" below the eagle is the motto, "SEMPER PARATUS" and the inscription "1790."

The Service Mark was developed to distinguish Coast Guard cutters from other government and commercial ships.

Service Mark ( "Racing Stripe" )

The Racing Stripe, officially known as the Service Mark, was designed in 1964 by the industrial design office ofRaymond LoewyAssociates to give the Coast Guard a distinctive, modern image. Loewy had designed the colors for theAir Force Onefleet forJackie Kennedy.PresidentKennedywas so impressed with his work, he suggested that the entire Federal Government needed his make-over and suggested that he start with the Coast Guard.The stripes are canted at a 64-degree angle, coincidentally the year the Racing Stripe was designed.

The racing stripe is borne by Coast Guard cutters, aircraft, and many boats. First used and placed into official usage as of 6 April 1967, it consists of a narrow blue stripe, a narrow white stripe between, and a broad CG red bar with the Coast Guard shield centered.Red-hulled icebreaker cutters and most HH-65/MH-65 helicopters (i.e., those with a red fuselage) bear a narrow blue stripe, a narrow empty stripe the color of the fuselage (an implied red stripe), and broad white bar, with the Coast Guard shield centered. Conversely, black-hulled cutters (such as buoy tenders and inland construction tenders) use the standard racing stripe. Auxiliary vessels maintained by the Coast Guard also carry the Racing Stripe, but in inverted colors (i.e., broad blue stripe with narrow white and CG red stripes) and the Auxiliary shield. Similar racing stripe designs have been adopted for the use of other coast guards and maritime authorities and many other law enforcement and rescue agencies.

Uniforms

Photo showing a variety of Coast Guard uniforms. From Left: Service Dress White, Tropical Blue, Service Dress Blue, Winter Dress Blue, Camouflage Utility Uniform, Operational Dress Uniform

Main article:Uniforms of the United States Coast Guard

For most of the Coast Guard's history its uniforms largely mirrored the style of U.S. Navy uniforms, distinguishable only by their insignia. In 1974, under the leadership of AdmiralChester R. Bender,the initial versions of the current Coast Guard Service Dress Blue and Tropical uniforms were introduced. This represented a major departure from many common conventions in naval and maritime uniforms. Notably, "Bender's Blues" were a common service dress uniform for all ranks, dispensing with thesailor suitandsailor capformerly worn by enlisted members.Rank insignia remained consistent with the naval pattern and some distinctly-nautical items such as thepea coat,officer's sword, and dress white uniforms remained.

Today, the Coast Guard's uniforms remain among the simplest of any branch of the armed forces, with fewer total uniforms and uniform variants than the other armed services. There are only three uniforms that typically serve as standard uniforms of the day—the Operational Dress Uniform, Tropical Blue, and Service Dress Blue (Bravo).

Coast Guard Reserve

A USCGPort Security Unitboat patrolling inUmm Qasr,Iraq in 2003

Main article:United States Coast Guard Reserve

TheUnited States Coast Guard Reserveis the reserve military force of the Coast Guard.The Coast Guard Reserve was founded on 19 February 1941. The Coast Guard has 8700 reservistswho normally drill two days a month and an additional 12 days of active duty each year, although many perform additional drill and active duty periods, to include those mobilized to extended active duty. Coast Guard reservists possess the same training and qualifications as their active duty counterparts, and as such, can be found augmenting active duty Coast Guard units every day.

During theVietnam Warand shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard considered abandoning the reserve program, but the force was instead reoriented into force augmentation, where its principal focus was not just reserve operations, but to add to the readiness and mission execution of every-day active duty personnel.

Since 11 September 2001, reservists have been activated and served on tours of active duty, to include deployments to thePersian Gulfand also as parts of Department of Defense combatant commands such as theU.S. NorthernandCentralCommands. Coast GuardPort Security Unitsare entirely staffed with reservists, except for five to seven active duty personnel. Additionally, most of the staffing the Coast Guard provides to theNavy Expeditionary Combat Commandare reservists.

The Reserve is managed by the Assistant Commandant for Reserve, Rear Admiral James M. Kelly, USCG.

Women in the Coast Guard

Main article:Women in the United States Coast Guard

SPARSrecruiting poster duringWorld War II

There have been women in the United States Coast Guard since 1918, and women continue to serve in it today.

DuringWorld War I,in January 1918, radio and telegraph operatorMyrtle Hazardenlisted as an electrician. She was the only woman to serve during the war and she is the namesake ofUSCGCMyrtle Hazard.While some newspapers reported that twin sisters Genevieve and Lucille Baker were the first women to serve in the Coast Guard, their attempt to enlist was rejected.

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Badge of theUnited States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Main article:United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

TheUnited States Coast Guard Auxiliaryis the uniformed, non-military volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard, created on 23 June 1939 by an act of Congress.Although a civilian organization, it was originally named the "United States Coast Guard Reserve"and was later re-named the" United States Coast Guard Auxiliary "on 19 February 1941 when amilitary reserve forcefor the Coast Guard was created. As part of "Team Coast Guard" (the term used to collectively describe all active, reserve, auxiliary, and civilian employees), the Auxiliary carries out, or assists in, nearly all of the Coast Guard's noncombatant and non-law enforcement missions.Auxiliarists are subject to direction from the Commandant of the Coast Guard. As of 2022, there were approximately 26,000 members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Coast Guard policy has assigned many of its duties related to recreational boating safety to the Auxiliary, including public boating safety education and outreach. This includes offering boating skills courses, liaising with marine-related businesses at the local level, and providing voluntary Vessel Safety Checks (formerly called Courtesy Examinations) to the public.Additionally, Auxiliarists use their own vessels, boats, and aircraft (once registered as Coast Guard facilities) to provide operational support to the Coast Guard by conducting safety patrols, assisting in search and rescue missions, inspectingaids to navigation,and performing other tasks on behalf of the Coast Guard.

Prior to 1997, Auxiliarists were largely limited to activities supporting recreational boating safety. In 1997, however, new legislation authorized the Auxiliary to participate in any and all Coast Guard missions except direct military and direct law enforcement.Auxiliarists may directly augment active duty Coast Guard personnel in non-combat, non-law enforcement roles (e.g. radio communications watch stander, interpreter, cook, etc.) and may assist active duty personnel in inspecting commercial vessels and maintaining aids-to-navigation. Auxiliarists may support the law enforcement and homeland security missions of the Coast Guard but may not directly participate (make arrests, etc.), and Auxiliarists are not permitted to carry a weapon while serving in any Auxiliary capacity.

Medals and honors

Main article:Awards and decorations of the United States Coast Guard

See also:Awards and decorations of the United States military

One Coast Guardsman,Douglas Albert Munro,has earned theMedal of Honor,the highest military award of the United States.Fifty five Coast Guardsmen have earned theNavy Crossand numerous men and women have earned theDistinguished Flying Cross.

The highest peacetime decoration awarded within the Coast Guard is theHomeland Security Distinguished Service Medal;prior to the transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, the highest peacetime decoration was theDepartment of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal.The highest unit award available is thePresidential Unit Citation.

In wartime, members of the Coast Guard are eligible to receive the Navy version of the Medal of Honor. A Coast Guard Medal of Honor is authorized but has not yet been developed or issued.

In May 2006, at the Change of Command ceremony when AdmiralThad Allentook over as Commandant, PresidentGeorge W. Bushawarded the entire Coast Guard, including the Coast Guard Auxiliary, theCoast Guard Presidential Unit Citationwith hurricane device, for its efforts during and afterHurricane KatrinaandTropical Storm Rita.

Notable Coast Guardsmen

Main article:List of U.S. Coast Guard people

Numerous celebrities have served in the Coast Guard including tennis playerJack Kramer,golferArnold Palmer,All Star baseball playerSid Gordon,boxerJack Dempsey;surfer and inventorTom Blake;musiciansKai Winding,Rudy Vallee,Derroll Adams,andTom Waits;actorsBuddy Ebsen,Sid Caesar,Victor Mature,Richard Cromwell,Alan Hale Jr.,William Hopper,Beau Bridges,Jeff Bridges,Cesar Romero;authorAlex Haley;and SenatorClaiborne Pell.

Vice AdmiralThad Allenin 2005 was named Principal Federal Officer to oversee recovery efforts in the Gulf Region afterHurricane Katrina.After promotion to Admiral, on the eve of his retirement as Commandant, Allen again received national visibility after being named National Incident Commander overseeing the response efforts of theDeepwater Horizon oil spill.

Former Coast Guard officers have been appointed to numerous civilian government offices. After retiring as Commandant of the Coast Guard in 2002, AdmiralJames Loywent on to serve asUnited States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.After their respective Coast Guard careers,Carlton Skinnerserved as the firstCivilian Governor of Guam;G. William Miller,65thSecretary of the Treasury,and retired Vice AdmiralHarvey E. Johnson Jr.served as Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer of theFederal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) under PresidentGeorge W. Bush.Rear AdmiralStephen W. Rochonwas appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as the Director of the Executive Residence andWhite House Chief Usher,beginning service on 12 March 2007, and continued to serve in the same capacity under PresidentBarack Obama.

Two Coast Guard aviators, CommanderBruce E. Melnickand CaptainDaniel C. Burbank,have served asNASAastronauts.Coast Guard ReserveCommanderAndre Douglaswas selected in 2021 to joinNASA Astronaut Group 23.

Signalman First ClassDouglas Albert Munrowas awarded theMedal of Honorposthumously, and is the only Coast Guardsman to ever receive this honor.

Organizations

Coast Guard Aviation Association

Those who have piloted or flown in Coast Guard aircraft under official flight orders may join theCoast Guard Aviation Associationwhich was formerly known as the "Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl" ( "Flying Since the World was Flat" ). The Ancient Albatross Award is presented to the active duty USCG member who qualified as an aviator earlier than any other person who is still serving. Separate enlisted and officer awards are given.

Coast Guard CW Operators Association

The Coast Guard CW Operators Association (CGCWOA) is a membership organization comprising primarily former members of the United States Coast Guard who held the enlisted rating of Radioman (RM) or Telecommunications Specialist (TC), and who employed International Morse Code (CW) in their routine communications duties on Coast Guard cutters and at shore stations.

USCG Chief Petty Officers Association

Members of this organization unite to assist members and dependents in need, assist with Coast Guard recruiting efforts, support the aims and goals of the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Academy, keep informed on Coast Guard matters, and assemble for social amenities; and include Chief, Senior Chief, and Master Chief Petty Officers, active, reserve and retired. Membership is also open to all Chief Warrant Officers and Officers who have served as a Chief Petty Officer.

USCG Chief Warrant and Warrant Officers Association (CWOA)

Established in 1929, the Chief Warrant and Warrant Officers Association, United States Coast Guard (CWOA) represents Coast Guard warrant and chief warrant officers (active, reserve and retired) to the Congress, White House and the Department of Homeland Security. Additionally, the association communicates with the Coast Guard leadership on matters of concern to Coast Guard chief warrant officers.

In popular culture

The U.S. Coast Guard maintains a Motion Picture and Television Office (MOPIC) inHollywood, California,along with its sister services at theDepartment of Defensededicated to enhancing public awareness and understanding of the Coast Guard, its people, and its missions through a cooperative effort with the entertainment industry.

In film

• Don Winslow of the Coast Guard(1943), based on theDon Winslow of the Navycomic strip, depicts a Coast Guard intelligence officer hunting down Japanese spies on the west coast of the United States during WWII.
• Fighting Coast Guard(1951), depicts Coast Guard trained to help win WWII.
• The Boatniks(1970), a slapstick comedy depicting a clumsy Coast Guard ensign newly assigned as skipper of a cutter in theNewport Beacharea.
• The Guardian(2006), depicts theAviation Survival Technician(AST) program.
• Pain & Gain(2013), starringDwayne JohnsonandMark Wahlberg,depicted the Coast GuardDeployable Specialized Forcesin action.
• The Finest Hours(2016), A film portraying the rescue of the crew ofSS PendletonbycoxswainBernard C. Webberand the three other crewmen ofCoast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG 36500.
• Deepwater Horizon(2016), depicts the events of 20 April 2010 when the mobile drilling platform Deepwater Horizonsuffered a mass casualty explosionthat resulted in the deaths of 11 crew members. The film also depicts the Coast Guard's coordination and response in the immediate aftermath of the explosion.

On television

The Coast Guard has been featured in severaltelevision series,including:

• Coast Guard Alaska: Search and Rescue,a series onThe Weather Channelthat features a Coast Guard search-and-rescue unit based inKodiak, Alaska.Several series havespun offthe original to focus on units based inCape DisappointmentandFlorida.

See also

U.S. Coast Guard

• AMVER
• Badges of the United States Coast Guard
• Chaplain of the United States Coast Guard
• Coast Guard Day
• Coast Guard Intelligence
• Code of Federal Regulations, Title 33
• Joint Maritime Training Center
• List of United States Coast Guard cutters
• List of United States Coast Guard stations
• Maritime Law Enforcement Academy
• Maritime Security Risk Analysis Model
• MARSEC
• National Data Buoy Center
• Naval militias in the United States
• North Pacific Coast Guard Agencies Forum
• Patrol Forces Southwest Asia
• SPARS
• United States Coast Guard Legal Division
• United States Coast Guard Police
• United States Coast Guard Research & Development Center
• U.S. National Ice Center

Related agencies

• List of United States federal law enforcement agencies
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE)
• United States Maritime Service
• United States Merchant Marine

Further reading

• Dolbow, Jim (2017).The Coast Guardsman's Manual(11th ed.). Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland.ISBN978-1682471890.
• Coast Guard: Observations on Progress Made and Challenges Faced in Developing and Implementing a Common Operational Picture: Testimony before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of RepresentativesGovernment Accountability Office

External links

• Official website
  • About U.S. Coast Guard
  • Coast Guard Magazine
  • USCG Proceedings Magazine
  • Coast Guard Directives and Publications
  • Coast Guard Flags
  • USCG Homeport Website
• Tilley, J. A."A History of Women in the Coast Guard".U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office.Retrieved10 May2020.Women & the U. S. Coast Guard
• "Women in the U. S. Coast Guard: Moments in History".U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office. 4 December 2019.Retrieved10 May2020.
• Coast Guardin theFederal Register
• Reports on the Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
• A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower[1]Archived30 April 2020 at theWayback Machine
• U.S. Coast Guard Videos
• Military search and social network for current and former members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard
• U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Website
• Coast Guard ChannelArchived2 May 2021 at theWayback Machine
• Coast Guard News
• Congressional Research Service (CRS)Reports regarding the U.S. Coast GuardCRS Search ResultsArchived5 November 2021 at theWayback Machine
• Greg Trauthwein (17 March 2014)."USCG... Past, Present & Future".Maritime Reporter and Marine News magazines online.Retrieved26 February2015.
• US Coast Guard Network Group on LinkedIn
• "America's Waterway Watch".U.S. Coast Guard Office of Port & Facility Compliance. 26 June 2017.Retrieved10 May2020.
• United States Coast Guardat theWayback Machine(archived 29 January 1997)