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The United States Coast Guard ('''USCG''') is a Military branch of the United States involved in maritime law, mariner assistance and search and rescue, among other duties of any Coast Guard . One of the seven Uniformed Services Of The United States , and the smallest Armed Service Of The United States , its stated mission is to protect the public, the environment, and the United States economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America 's coasts, ports, and inland waterways. It has a broad and important role in homeland security, law enforcement, Search And Rescue , marine environmental pollution response and the maintenance of River , Intracoastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON). It also lays claim to being the United States' oldest continuous seagoing service. The United States Coast Guard has about 40,150 men and women on active duty. The Coast Guard's motto is ''Semper Paratus'', meaning "Always Ready". The Coast Guard began as the , 1915 , shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." Upon the declaration of war or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the authority of the Department Of The Navy . The Coast Guard later moved to the Department Of Transportation in 1967, and on March 1 , 2003 it became part of the Department Of Homeland Security . ORGANIZATION The headquarters of the Coast Guard is on 2100 Second Street, SW, in Washington, DC . In 2005, the Coast Guard announced plans to relocate to the grounds of the former St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington. Senior officers Admirals The Commandant Of The Coast Guard is the Coast Guard's senior officer, who, by law, holds the rank of Admiral . The Commandant is selected for a 4-year term, which may be renewed for additional 4-year periods. The current incumbent is Admiral Thomas H. Collins , who assumed command on May 30 , 2002 . On January 20, 2006, President Bush announced he intends to nominate Vice Admiral Thad Allen to serve as the next Commandant of the Coast Guard. Admiral Allen will receive his fourth star and promotion to Admiral when he assumes the position of Commandant. Vice Admirals The Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Terry Cross . The Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard is Vice Admiral Thad W. Allen . He also serves as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Headquarters. After Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf states in September 2005, Admiral Allen was sent to coordinate rescue and relief operations under Federal Emergency Management Administrator Michael Brown . Mr. Brown was relieved of day-to-day operations on September 9 and Admiral Allen was placed in charge of the overall effort. Admiral Allen was relieved of this position on January 27 , 2006 and has resumed his duties as Chief of Staff until he is appointed to the position of Commandant. The Commander of the Atlantic Area and Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic is Vice Admiral Vivien S. Crea , who assumed the command in July 2005. The Commander of the Pacific Area and Coast Guard Defense Forces West is Vice Admiral Harvey E. Johnson, Jr. . In early April 2006, VADM Harvey Johnson, Jr. was nominated by President Bush to become the Deputy Director of FEMA, following his retirement from the Coast Guard. Rear Admirals The Superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy is Rear Admiral (upper Half) (RADM) James C. Van Sice . The Director of Reserve and Training is RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara . In addition, each District is commanded by a Rear Admiral. Commodores The rank of Commodore is no longer used in the regular Coast Guard. The equivalent rank is Rear Admiral, Lower Half. The chief elected officers of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are called Commodores. This is not a military rank, however. The title of Commodore is occasionally granted to senior officers (typically of of pay grade 0-6, which is a Captain) who is placed in command of a group or squadron of cutters. It is not a flag rank, but rather a title used to signify command of multiple units afloat. Captains Coast Guard Captains, like their Navy counterparts, rank immediately below Rear Admiral (lower half). Coast Guard Captains command most large operational units -- sectors, large cutters, large air stations, integrated support commands, training centers and large headquarters units. Captains also direct most headquarters, area and district staff elements. Most captains have served in the Coast Guard for 21 to 30 years. By maritime tradition, the commanding officer of a ship is also called "captain" regardless of actual rank held. Thus, a young Lieutenant commanding a patrol boat is properly called "captain" even if his or her actual rank is Lieutenant , or Lieutenant (Junior Grade) . This tradition has also carried over to many shore units. Occasionally, terms like "old man" and "skipper" are also used, though not usually in the presence of the "captain." However, in current usage, the person in charge of a Coast Guard or Coast Guard Auxiliary boat is the " Coxswain " (pronounced cok-sun). Chief Petty Officers The Master Chief Petty Officer Of The Coast Guard (MCPOCG) is the senior enlisted person of the Coast Guard and serves as an advisor to the Commandant . Like the Commandant, the MCPOCG serves a four-year term. The current MCPOCG is Frank A. Welch , who assumed this position in 2002; his term expires in 2006, and his replacement is being sought. The Master Chief of the Coast Guard Reserve is MCPO Jeff Smith . Chief Petty Officers, often called "the Chief", are one of the leadership backbones of the Coast Guard. Chiefs are well versed on most anything, and the old addage of "go ask the Chief" holds true today. Chiefs are Officers-in-Charge of Motor Lifeboat Stations, act as Executive Petty Officers on Patrol Boats, and keep larger Coast Guard cutters on a true head bearing as Deck Watch Officers. Regional responsibilities The Coast Guard is divided into two Areas, the Atlantic and the Pacific, each of which is commanded by a Vice Admiral , with each being designated Maritime Defense Zones . The Coast Guard is then organized into districts, each responsible for a portion of the nation's coastline.
In each district, large operational centers known as ''Groups'' are being merged with ''Marine Safety Offices'' and being re-designated ''Sectors''. Smaller boat stations are ''Stations'', while aircraft fly from ''Coast Guard Air Stations''. ''Stations'' report to ''Sectors'', while ''Sectors'' and ''Coast Guard Air Stations'' report to District offices. An example of this is Sector Baltimore, which is located at Curtis Bay, Maryland. Sector Baltimore is responsible for the waters from the C&O Canal north of Baltimore to the south shore of the Potomac River. In this sector there are several stations, including Coast Guard Station Annapolis, located near the United States Naval Academy , Coast Guard Station Washington, D.C., located on Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., Coast Guard Station St. Inigoes, Maryland, and Coast Guard Station Quantico, Virginia, among others. Sector Baltimore also has the Baltimore Marine Safety Office. To the south of Sector Baltimore is Sector Hampton Roads, Virginia; to the north is Sector Delaware Bay. Sector Baltimore has no air station under its operational control, but helicopters from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and Auxiliary aircraft overfly the area on patrol. Coast Guard Air Stations The first Coast Guard Air Station was established in 1920 at Morehead City, North Carolina . Another Air Station was established in Biloxi, Mississippi between 1933 and 1947, and yet a third at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York . First District : CGAS Cape Cod , Massachusetts Fifth District : CGAS Atlantic City , New Jersey : CGAS Elizabeth City , North Carolina : This is both an operational and a training air station. Enlisted Coast Guardsmen in aviation ratings are taught at its Aviation Technical Training Center. Seventh District : CGAS Clearwater , Florida : CGAS Miami , Florida : CGAS Savannah , Georgia : CGAS Borinquen , Puerto Rico Eighth District : CGAS Houston , Texas : CGAS Corpus Christi , Texas : CGAS New Orleans , Louisiana : Coast Guard Aviation Training Center , Mobile, Alabama : This is both an operational and a training air station. Besides performing operational missions, Coast Guard Aviators (pilots) receive flight training on the HH-65, HH-60, and HU-25 aircraft. Ninth District : CGAS Detroit , Michigan : CGAS Traverse City , Michigan Eleventh District : CGAS Humboldt Bay , California : CGAS Sacramento , California : CGAS San Francisco , California : CGAS Los Angeles , California : CGAS San Diego , California Thirteenth District : CGAS Astoria , Oregon : CGAS North Bend , Oregon : CGAS Port Angeles , Washington Fourteenth District : CGAS Barbers Point , Hawaii Seventeenth District : CGAS Kodiak , Alaska : CGAS Sitka , Alaska PERSONNEL Officer Corps Commissioned officers join the Coast Guard by several means: U.S. Coast Guard Academy The United States Coast Guard Academy is located on the Thames River in New London, Connecticut . It is the only military academy, apart from the specialized Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences , to which no Congressional or Presidential appointments are made. All Cadet s enter by open competition utilizing SAT scores, high school grades, activities, etc. About 175 cadets are commissioned Ensigns each year. Graduates of the Academy must serve 5 years' active duty. Officer Candidate School In addition to the Coast Guard Academy , officers may enter the Coast Guard through a 17-week Officer Candidate School (OCS) at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. Graduates of OCS must serve 3 years' active duty. OCS is a rigorous seventeen-week course of instruction which prepares candidates to serve effectively as officers in the United States Coast Guard. In addition to indoctrinating students into a military life-style, OCS also provides a wide range of highly technical information necessary for performing the duties of a Coast Guard officer. Graduates of the program receive a commission in the Coast Guard at the rank of Ensign and are required to serve a minimum of three years of active duty. Graduates may be assigned to a ship, flight training, to a staff job, or to an operations ashore billet. However, first assignments are based on the needs of the US Coast Guard. Personal desires and performance at OCS are considered. All graduates must be available for world wide assignment. Chief Warrant Officer Highly qualified enlisted personnel from E-6 through E-9 compete every year for appointment as a Chief Warrant Officer. Successful candidates are chosen by a board and then commissioned as Chief Warrant Officers (W-2). In addition to United States citizens, foreign cadets and candidates also attend Coast Guard officer training. Enlisted Newly enlisted personnel are sent to eight weeks of Basic Training at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May in Cape May, NJ . The training schedule includes:
Following graduation, most members are sent to their first unit while they await orders to attend advanced training, in Class "A" Schools , in their chosen Rating , the naval term for Military Occupational Specialty (MOS). Some members go directly to "A" School upon graduation from Basic Training . Petty Officer s follow career development paths similar to those of the Navy. Enlisted Coast Guard members who have reached the pay grade of E-7, or Chief Petty Officer, must attend the U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy at Petaluma, California , or an equivalent Department Of Defense school, to be promoted to Pay Grade E-8. United States Air Force master sergeants, as well as international students representing their respective maritime services, are also eligible to attend the CPO Academy . The basic themes of this school are:
EQUIPMENT The U.S. Coast Guard uses Cutter s and small boats on the water, and fixed- and rotary wing ( Helicopter s) aircraft in the air. Cutters A ''cutter'' is any Coast Guard vessel, with a permanently assigned crew and accommodations for the extended support of that crew. See chapter 10 USCG Regulations (Cutters are traditionally 65 ft. or greater in length). Larger cutters (over 180 feet (55 m) in length) are controlled by Area Commands (Atlantic Area or Pacific Area). Smaller cutters come under control of District Commands. Cutters usually carry a motor Surf Boat and/or a Rigid-hulled Inflatable Boat . ''Polar''-class Icebreaker s (WAGB) carry an Arctic Survey Boat (ASB) and Landing Craft. The ''CGC Ahi'' is the last 87-foot cutter to be added to the Coast Guard fleet. Currently, the Coast Guard is leasing five PC-179 coastal patrol ships from the U.S. Navy; two (including ''CGC Monsoon'' operate from San Diego) and three from Pascagoula, Mississippi. These vessels are used primarily for counterdrug patrols. (PA3 Brian Leshak, "CG Leases Navy Ships, Fights Drug War." Coast Guard Magazine 2/2006, pp. 32-33). Any Coast Guard crew with Officers or Petty Officers assigned has Law-enforcement authority (14 USC Sec. 89) and can conduct armed boardings. '', commissioned in 1967 (U.S. Coast Guard Photo)]]
Aircraft The Guard owns about 210 aircraft. Fixed-wing aircraft, such as ( HC-130 Hercules turboprops and HU-25 Guardian jets) operate from Air Stations on long-duration missions. Helicopters ( HH-65 Dolphin , HH-60 Jayhawk , and MH-68 Stingray ) operate from Air Stations, Air Facilities, and flight-deck equipped Cutters, and can rescue people or intercept smuggling vessels. The Coast Guard flies five aircraft types:
The Coast Guard is planning to purchase 36 CASA CN-235 from Spanish aircraft manufacturer Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) for medium range search. As of February 2 2006 , the first of the aircraft are under construction for delivery in early 2007 {Link without Title} . In addition to regular Coast Guard aircraft, privately-owned General Aviation aircraft are used by Coast Guard Auxiliarists for patrols and Search-and-rescue missions. Boats '' Fast Ferry into the port of Rochester, New York on 2004-08-08 ]] The Coast Guard operates about 1,400 boats, defined as any vessel not designated as a Cutter (traditionally less than 65 ft. (20 meters) in length), which generally operate near shore and on inland waterways. The most common is 41 feet (12.5 meters) long, of which the Guard has more than 200; the shortest is 12 feet (4 meters).
The Coast Guard recently introduced a standard search-and-rescue (SAR) and response boat, the is 25-foot ''Defender''-class Boat , to replace nonstandard boats and platforms at Coast Guard stations. The ''Defender'' class can go faster than 40 knots (75 km/h), cruise at 35 knots, mount an M-60 or M-240 Machine Gun in the bow, and be transported by a C-130 Hercules aircraft (or, more prosaically, a boat trailer.) The ''Defender'' class has twin Honda outboard motors and has a range of 105 or 125 nautical miles, depending on the type of fuel tanks used. It can launch with a 2-person crew, but has a carrying capacity for 10 persons. It has less than 1 meter (3 feet) draft. Small Arms Since 1986, Coast Guardsmen on patrol have been armed with Beretta 9 Mm pistol. The Coast Guard is transitioning to the .40 caliber SigSauer P229R DAK). {Link without Title} Other small arms include the M16A2 automatic rifle and M4 Carbine variant, or in some cases with Remington 870 shotguns firing lethal rounds or non-lethal rubber bullets. {Link without Title} PA2 John Edwards and PA1 Kimberly Smith, PADET Atlantic City. "Learning to Shoot All Over Again." Coast Guard magazine, Issue 2, 2006, pp.14-19. Communications Coast Guard Radio Stations cover a wide geographical area using both Very High Frequency , High Frequency , and Medium Frequency radios. There are twelve major radio stations covering long-range transmissions and an extensive network of VHF radio stations along the nation's coastline and inland rivers. SYMBOLS OF THE COAST GUARD Core Values of the Coast Guard The Coast Guard, like the other armed services of the United States, has a set of Core Values which serve as basic ethical guidelines to Coast Guard members. As listed in the recruit pamphlet, ''The Helmsman'', they are:
Coast Guard Ensign The Coast Guard Ensign (flag) was first flown by the Revenue Cutter Service in 1790 to distinguish revenue cutters from merchant ships. The order stated the Ensign would be "16 perpendicular stripes, 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." (There were 16 states in the United States at the time). This flag 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 U.S. Coast Guard. It was derived from the Jack of the Coast Guard ensign which used to fly from the stern of 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 Racing Stripe The Racing Stripe was designed in 1964 to give the Coast Guard a distinctive, modern image and first used in 1967. The symbol is a narrow blue bar, a narrow white stripe between, and a broad red bar with the Coast Guard shield centered. The stripes are canted at a 64 degree angle, coincidentally the year the "Racing Stripe" was designed. The "Stripe" has been adopted for the use of other coast guards, such as the Canadian Coast Guard , the Italian Guardia Costiera , and the Australian Customs Service . Auxiliary vessels maintained by the Coast Guard also carry the "Stripe" in inverted colors. Semper Paratus The official march of the Coast Guard is " Semper Paratus " ( Latin for "Always Ready"). The origin of the phrase is obscure; however, the Coast Guard Historian's Office notes the first use was by the New Orleans ''Bee'' newspaper in the 1830s, referring to the actions of the Revenue Cutter Service . The original music and lyrics (and the version here) were written by Captain Francis Saltus Van Boskerck in 1927. The current verse, as well as a second chorus, were written by Homer Smith , 3rd Naval District Coast Guard quartet, Chief Cole, Walton Butterfield in 1943. In 1969 the first line of each verse was changed. ''Verse 1'' : From Aztec Shore to Arctic Zone, : To Europe and Far East, : The Flag is carried by our ships : In times of war and peace; : And never have we struck it yet, : In spite of foemen's might, : Who cheered our crews and cheered again : For showing how to fight. ''Chorus'' : We're always ready for the call, : We place our trust in Thee. : Through surf and storm and howling gale, : High shall our purpose be, : "Semper Paratus" is our guide, : Our fame, our glory, too. : To fight to save or fight and die! : Aye! Coast Guard, we are for you. ''Verse 2'' : "Surveyor" and "Narcissus," : The "Eagle" and "Dispatch," : The "Hudson" and the "Tampa," : These names are hard to match; : From Barrow's shores to Paraguay, : Great Lakes' or Ocean's wave, : The Coast Guard fights through storms and winds : To punish or to save. ''Verse 3'' : Aye! We've been "Always Ready" : To do, to fight, or die! : Write glory to the shield we wear : In letters to the sky. : To sink the foe or save the maimed : Our mission and our pride. : We'll carry on 'til Kingdom Come : Ideals for which we've died. MISSIONS The Coast Guard carries out five basic missions:
A given unit within the Coast Guard may carry out more than one mission at once. For example, a 25-foot RHIB assigned to security around a key city also watches out for out-of-place or missing aids to navigation, pollution, and unsafe boating practices. Maritime safety Search and Rescue The Coast Guard has responsibility for Search And Rescue (SAR) operations in U.S. and international waters. Inland rescues are usually performed by 25-foot, 27-foot, and 41-foot (7.6 m, 8.2 m, and 12.5 m) boats. HH-60 and HH-65 helicopters serve on both the high seas and inshore. Search and rescue operations are numerous and varied. A sample of operations in February 2005 included:
Large-scale search and rescue operations occur less frequently, but often involve many Coast Guard vessels and aircraft from a large area. Helicopters and Rescue Swimmer s participated in the 36-hour rescue of six crew members from the 570-foot tanker '' Bow Mariner '', which exploded and sank off of Chincoteague, Virginia , on February 28 , 2004. Two rescue swimmers were awarded the Coast Guard Medal for their extraordinary efforts to keep the rescued mariners alive. Another large-scale operation took place in December 2004 in the Aleutian Islands , when the cargo ship '' Seledang Ayu '', of Malaysia n registry, broke in two in heavy seas. The ''Seledang Ayu'' carried Soybean s, 424,000 Gallon s (1,600 m³) of fuel oil, and 18,000 gallons (68 m³) of diesel. The operation saved 12 of the ship's 18 crew members and prevented harm to nearby wildlife. Six of the ship's crew members died when a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed during the rescue. Marine safety The Coast Guard operates a Marine Safety Office (MSO), now being converted to combined commands called Sectors, in each major port in the United States. Typically the Commanding Officer of the MSO/Sector is also known as the " Captain Of The Port " (COTP) for merchant mariners. Personnel from the MSOs inspect commercial vessels, respond to pollution, investigate marine casualties and merchant mariners, manage waterways, and license merchant mariners. The MSO/Sector also drafts recommendations for the transit of Liquid Natural Gas carrier Vessel s. In addition to this mission, the Coast Guard carries out investigations to determine the cause of accidents on American-flagged ships or ships in American waters, such as the sinking of the Singapore-flagged and Greek-operated tanker ''Bow Mariner'' off the coast of Virginia on February 28, 2004. The investigators interview survivors and determine the probable cause of the accident. In the case of the ''Bow Mariner'', the Coast Guard determined the accident was the fault of the captain and the operators of the vessel and filed for a civil penalty to be imposed against the operator in the amount of $11,000. Recreational boating safety The Coast Guard and its Auxiliary (see below), working with the U.S. Power Squadrons , perform Vessel Safety Checks (VSC) on recreational boaters throughout the country. Qualified Vessel Safety Check inspectors check for proper registration, an adequate number and type of personal flotation devices (PFDs), loaded fire extinguishers, and the ability to send a distress signal, either visibly by flare or flag, or by radio. Although Auxiliarist and Power Squadron VSC inspectors do not have law enforcement authority, Coast Guardsmen can Issue Citation s to vessels without adequate equipment, and in extraordinary cases order a recreational boat to return to Port . International Ice Patrol Icebergs off the Grand Banks have always posed a problem for shipping. In 1833, the ''Lady of the Lake'' struck an iceberg and sank with the loss of 70 lives. Between 1882 and 1890, four more cargo vessels were sunk and 40 more damaged. Following the sinking of the RMS ''Titanic'' in April 1912, an international conference of major Atlantic maritime powers agreed to fund USCG patrols to locate and report Iceberg s in the North Atlantic, in particular off the Grand Banks . The International Ice Patrol was founded as a result of this conference. The first ships for the International Ice Patrol were the U.S. Navy destroyers Chester and Birmingham, which were dispatched for the remainder of the 1912 season. The Navy could not spare ships for these patrols in 1913, and the Revenue Cutter Service assigned ''RCS Seneca'' and ''RCS Miami'' to patrol. The Revenue Cutter Service was tasked with maintaining the IIP on February 7 , 1914. The IIP was continued into 1941, during the World War II, to allow the United States a legal pretext to sail to Greenland. In 1946, the IIP resumed operations flying three modified B-17 bombers and using cutters such as the '' USCGC Tampa ''. Today, this mission is carried out by Coast Guard HC-130 aircraft from CGAS Elizabeth City, North Carolina , forward-deployed to Gander, Newfoundland . These aircraft report sightings to the International Ice Patrol headquarters in Groton, Connecticut . Officers assigned to the IIP are required to hold not only a security clearance, but possess at least a master's degree in Marine Science . References: ''Enlisted-Professional Military Education Study Guide, Requirement 3-5.02-K'' Maritime mobility The Coast Guard maintains the LORAN-C and DGPS radio navigation systems, as well as Buoy s, Daymark s, and other visual aids to Navigation {Link without Title} in U.S. waters and in selected foreign waters—a major activity of Coast Guard buoy tenders, and of special Auxiliary Patrol s. The Coast Guard has three large Icebreaker s, and many cutters can clear ice-clogged Waterway s for essential seagoing Traffic . The Coast Guard operates many U.S. Drawbridge s, including the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Washington, D.C. . Homeland and maritime security Maritime security missions are coordinated through the Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement, which is part of the Operations Directorate headquartered in Washington, D.C. Immediately after the September 11, 2001 Attacks , the Coast Guard imposed restrictions on traffic in American waters. Vessels over 300 Ton s Displacement must file notice within 96 hours of estimated time of arrival in American waters, or 24 hours for short voyages. Liquefied Natural Gas carriers are forbidden to enter American waters without escort and to anchor near major cities. Coast Guard and Auxiliary units patrol key harbors and waterfronts and intercept foreign merchant Vessel s for identification and crew checks. The Coast Guard stepped up patrols in waters near New York City and Washington in 2004 after receiving reports of increased Threat s. Maritime security patrols increase in number and intensity around special events, such as the Super Bowl , national political Convention s, and Independence Day celebrations. Such patrols were provided during the 2004 Republican Party national convention in New York City; the June 2004 G-8 Summit at Sea Island, Georgia near Savannah, Ga.; and the January 20 , 2005 , presidential inauguration in the Potomac and Anacostia River s of Washington, D.C. In addition, following the July 7, 2005 London Bombings , Coast Guard units were placed on a higher level of Alert . Coast Guard Helicopter s enforce temporary flight restriction zones in Rotary Wing Air Intercept missions with the North American Air Defense Command , the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the United States Secret Service . As part of the Coast Guard's "Deepwater" program, cutters will carry 70 unarmed Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle s. Port and Waterways Security The Coast Guard is responsible for the security of 361 U.S. ports and 95,000 statute miles (150,000 km) of waterways. The local Coast Guard commander has Legal Authority over shipping in American waters as Captain Of The Port . This role has increased in importance since the Sept. 11 attacks. The Captain of the Port can declare inland waters in his jurisdiction to be "special security zones", wherein commercial Vessel s must report their Movement s to the nearest Coast Guard station. The Coast Guard has dedicated Port Security Unit s (PSUs) that can be deployed around the U.S. or overseas, as in the Persian Gulf War . Coast Guard PSUs from Seattle, Washington ; San Pedro, California ; Port Clinton, Ohio ; Gulfport, Mississippi and St. Petersburg, Florida were called up for active duty in the Persian Gulf between December of 2002 and December of 2004. Coast Guard members also jointly staff the U.S. Navy 's Naval Coastal Warfare Squadrons (NCWRONs), part of the Naval Coastal Warfare command structure. Coast Guard members assigned to NCWRONs have served in the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, Korea and elsewhere around the world. Both PSUs and NCWRONs are primarily staffed by Reserve personnel. In 2006, the U.S. Coast Guard's Ninth District and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police began a program called "Shiprider", in which a 12 Mounties from the RCMP detachment at Windsor and 16 Coast Guard boarding officers from stations in Michigan ride in each other's vessels. The intent is to allow for seamless enforcement of the international border. (PA1 John Masson, "Territorial Teamwork", Coast Guard Magazine 2/2006, pp. 26-27). Drug interdiction The Coast Guard is the lead agency in maritime drug interdiction. It shares legal responsibility with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Coast Guard units coordinate their Caribbean Sea activities with the U.S. Navy , the Royal Navy , and the Royal Netherlands Navy . Coast Guard missions were responsible for about 52% of the Cocaine seized by the U.S. government in 2002. For example, in February 2004, the USCGC ''Hamilton'' (WHEC-715), based in San Diego, Califoria, operating north of the Galapagos Islands , seized 6,000 pounds of cocaine from a vessel. The ''Hamilton'' launched a helicopter that fired at and disabled the vessel's engine. Another vessel with 2,600 pounds of cocaine was also seized. The Helicopter Interdiction Squadron (HITRON), based in Jacksonville, Florida, flies armed Stingray helicopters. Since its foundation to 2006, it has participated in 98 separate arrests. Alien migrant interdiction The Coast Guard, especially its Florida-based Seventh District, enforces U.S. Immigration Law at sea. Major areas of operations are off the Florida coast, the Mona Passage between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico , and Guam . Many of these missions are also search-and-rescue missions, since many migrants take to sea in unseaworthy vessels. However, interdiction does not always succeed. In October 2002, for example, a 50-foot (15 m) wooden freighter carrying 220 undocumented Haiti ans ran aground near Miami. U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and Living Marine Resource The Coast Guard's legal authority to enforce fisheries laws flows from the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation And Management Act Of 1976 , which extended U.S. authority over fisheries to the 200 miles (370.4 kilometers) authorized by international law. Their missions include: # Protecting the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone from foreign encroachment # Enforcing domestic fisheries law # Maintaining international fisheries agreements Law and treaty enforcement Law and treaty enforcement account for about 1/3 of the Coast Guard's budget. Title 14, U.S. Code, Section 2 states: "The Coast Guard shall enforce or assist in the enforcement of all applicable laws on, under and over the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States." National Defense During wartime, the Coast Guard falls under the operational orders of the Department Of The Navy . In other times, Coast Guard Port Security Unit s are often sent overseas to guard the security of ports and other assets. The Coast Guard also jointly staffs the U.S. Navy 's Naval Coastal Warfare Groups and Squadrons (the latter of which were known as Harbor Defense Command s until late-2004) which oversee defense efforts in foreign littoral combat and inshore areas. In 2002, the Coast Guard provided several 110-foot Patrol Boat s that were shipped to the Persian Gulf to conduct maritime interception operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. These ships became the core of a new unit, home ported in Bahrain, known as Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). In addition to the patrol boats, PATFORSWA serves as the supporting unit for other Coast Guard units deployed in the Global War on Terrorism. Numerous Port Security Units, Harbor Defense Commands/NCW Squadrons and Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETs) from the elite Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLETs) have also been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Protection of natural resources Marine pollution education, prevention, response and enforcement Marine pollution occurs not only through carelessness, but through accident. In the event of large vessels sinking, after the rescue of any crew, the Coast Guard's next goal is to prevent oil and other hazardous materials from coming ashore. For example, on November 26 , 2004, the ''Athos I'', a 750-foot cargo vessel of Cypriot registry, lost 30,000 gallons (114 m³) of Heavy Crude oil near Philadelphia as it was en route to the Citgo oil facility in Paulsboro, New Jersey . This incident triggered a response from the Coast Guard's Philadelphia Marine Safety Office, the Environmental Protection Agency , the New Jersey State Police , and from Citgo. The Coast Guard's role was firstly, to minimize the damage from the spill, by setting up protective booms around the spill, and secondly, to work with the New Jersey State Police in air and boat patrols to assess the damage. Foreign vessel inspections According to Title 33 of the Code Of Federal Regulations , vessels entering American waters must provide in advance to the Coast Guard data about the ship's cargo, the names and passport numbers of each crew member, details about the ship's ownership and agents, and a list of recent port calls in a "Notice of Arrival" form. This information is collated in the National Vessel Movement Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and shared with U.S. Naval Intelligence in Suitland, Maryland as well as with the Port State Control (PSC) offices in major ports throughout the United States. From there, the Captain of the Port or his representatives in the PSC determines if the vessel involved needs a security inspection, a safety inspection, or both. Vessels must be inspected every 6 months. In September 2002, Coast Guard inspectors searched a Container Ship in New Jersey based on intelligence information and because the inspectors detected radiation in the vessel. The cargo turned out to be ceramic tiles. See also: www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/pscweb Living marine resources protection Marine and environmental science The Coast Guard is the only one of the armed services that has an enlisted rate for environmental technician. UNIFORMS In 1972, the current Coast Guard dress blue uniform were introduced for wear by both officers and enlisted personnel (Prior to 1972, they wore U.S. Navy uniforms with Coast Guard insignia). Roughly identical to the old-style U.S. Air Force uniforms, the uniform consists of a blue four-pocket single breasted jacket and trousers in a slightly darker shade. A light-blue shirt, with "enhanced" shoulder boards for officers and pin-on collar insignia for CPOs and enlisted personnel, is worn when in shirt-sleeve order (known as "Tropical Blue Long"). It is similar to the WWII-era uniforms worn by Coast Guard Surfmen. Officer rank insignia parallels that of the U.S. Navy, but with the gold Navy "line" star being replaced with the gold Coast Guard Shield and with the Navy blue background color replaced by Coast Guard blue. Enlisted rank insignia is also similar to the Navy with the Coast Guard shield replacing the eagle on collar and cap devices. Group Rate marks (stripes) for junior enlisted members (E-3 and below) also follow U. S. Navy convention with white for Seamen, red for Fireman, and Green for Airman. In a departure from the U. S. Navy conventions, all petty Officers E-6 and below wear red chevrons and All Chief Petty Officers (CPO) wear gold. See USCG Uniform Regulations {Link without Title} for current regulations. Unlike the U.S. Navy, which has a winter blue and a summer white uniform for both enlisted personnel and officer, the Coast Guard has whites, but is worn only by officers during the summer for formal parade and change-of-command ceremonies--CPOs, Petty Officers, and enlisted rates wear the blue uniform year round. When worn as a dress uniform, a white shirt replaces the light-blue shirt and a white belt may be worn for honor guards. A mess dress uniform is worn by officers and CPOs for formal evening ceremonies. The current working uniform of the Coast Guard is the Operational Dress Uniform (ODU), which is similar to the Battle Dress Uniform worn by the other armed services, but is in dark blue with no camouflage patterns and does not have lower pockets on the blouse. Rather, the blouse is tucked into the trousers. The ODU is worn with steel-toed boots in most circumstances, but low-cut black or brown boat shoes may be prescribed for certains situations. The former dark blue working uniform has been withdrawn from use by the Coast Guard, but may be worn by Auxiliarists until no longer serviceable. Enlisted Coast Guardsmen do not wear "Dixie cup" covers as do U.S. Navy Sailors; they wear the enlisted version of the CPO combination covers for full dress, a garrison cover for Class "B," wear, and a baseball-style cover either embroidered with "U.S. Coast Guard" in gold block lettering or the name of their ship, unit or station in gold, for the ODU uniform. Male and female drill instructors at Training Center Cape May wear the traditional "Smokey the Bear" campaign hat. The Coast Guard Auxiliary wears uniforms identical to Coast Guard officers, but with silver stripes denoting office held by the Auxiliarist (rather than rank). Insignia are marked with an "A" in the center. HISTORY OF THE COAST GUARD Early history The Coast Guard's predecessor service, the Revenue Cutter Service , was founded on August 4 , 1790 , when the Tariff Act permitted construction of ten cutters and recruitment of 100 revenue officers. From 1790, when the Continental Navy was disbanded, to 1798, when the United States Navy was created, the Revenue Cutter Service provided the only armed American presence on the sea. Revenue Marine cutters were involved in the Quasi-War with France from 1798 to 1799, the War Of 1812 , and the Mexican War . Another predecessor service, the U.S. Lighthouse Service , was organized by statute in 1789. In 1794, the Revenue Cutter Service was given the mission of preventing trading in slaves from Africa to the United States. Between 1794 and 1865, the Service captured approximately 500 slave ships. In 1808, the Service was responsible for enforcing President Thomas Jefferson 's embargo closing U.S. ports to European trade. During the American Civil War , the Revenue Service cutter '' Harriet Lane '' fired the first shots of the war at sea at the steamer ''Nashville'' during the siege of Fort Sumter . A Confederate Revenue Marine was formed by crewmen who left the Revenue Cutter Service. Federal cutters were assigned to the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron . In the 1880s through the 1890s, the Revenue Cutter Service was instrumental in the development of Alaska . Captain "Hell Roaring" Michael A. Healy , master of the USRC ''Bear'' , rescued whalers trapped at Point Barrow, Alaska , and brought Reindeer to Alaska to provide a steady food source. Healy had the reputation as a rough sailing master and was court-martialed several times, but was restored to rank again and again. During the Snake River Gold Rush of 1900, the Revenue Cutter Service returned destitute miners to Seattle from Alaska. The Coast Guard took its unofficial motto, "You have to go out, but you don't have to come back," from the 1899 regulations of the United States Life Saving Service , which stated: :"In attempting a rescue the keeper will select either the boat, breeches buoy, or life car, as in his judgment is best suited to effectively cope with the existing conditions. If the device first selected fails after such trial as satisfies him that no further attempt with it is feasible, he will resort to one of the others, and if that fails, then to the remaining one, and 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 added , or unless the conformation of the coast—as bluffs, precipitous banks, etc.—is such as to unquestionably preclude the use of a boat." These regulations were repeated in the 1934 Coast Guard regulations. History Of Training Center Cape May, New Jersey Sewell Point, the area occupied by the Training Center, has a long history of naval presence. During the American Revolution and throughout the nineteenth century, Cape May Sound was used as a harbor of refuge. In 1917, the Navy established a "section base" in Cape May, to provide training, vessel support and communication facilities for coastal defense. Initially, the Navy converted an abandoned amusement center, built along the oceanfront, for military use. The old skating rink became the mess hall and sleeping quarters, the stage was made into a galley, the "human roulette wheel" -- a scrub table and the "barrel of fun" became a brig. When the old wooden structure burned down in 1918, the Navy built standard military facilities along the harbor front (some of these buildings still stand today). After World War I, the base was adapted to accommodate dirigibles. The largest hangar in the world, 700 feet long and over 100 feet tall, was built to accommodate an airship under construction in Britain. Unfortunately, the ZR-2 crashed on its test flight and "lighter-than-air" craft were never fully adopted for Navy use. In 1924, the U.S. Coast Guard (see History) occupied the base and established air facilities for planes used in support of U.S. Customs Service efforts. During the Prohibition era, several cutters were assigned to Cape May to foil rumrunners operating off the New Jersey coast. After Prohibition, the Coast Guard all but abandoned Cape May leaving a small air/sea rescue contingent. For a short period of time (1929-1934), part of the base was used as a civilian airport. With the advent of World War II, a larger airstrip was constructed and the Navy returned to train aircraft carrier pilots. The over the water approach simulated carrier landings at sea. The Coast Guard also increased its Cape May forces for coastal patrol, anti-submarine warfare, air/sea rescue and buoy service. In 1946, the Navy relinquished the base to the Coast Guard. In 1948, all entry level training on the east coast was moved to the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Receiving Station in Cape May. The Coast Guard consolidated all recruit training functions in Cape May in 1982. For over fifty years, Coast Guard Training Center Cape May has fulfilled its mission: # Training Center Cape May builds the enlisted corps by preparing America’s volunteers for success in the Coast Guard. We provide apprentices who are willing and ready to learn their profession. We enhance the quality of life and readiness of those we serve. Although modern training facilities have replaced most of the original Naval Base buildings, the Coast Guard is respectful of the history of Sewell Point and our host city. Birth of the modern Coast Guard In 1915, the Revenue Cutter Service, the Lifesaving Service and the Steamship Inspection Bureau were merged to form the Coast Guard. The Lighthouse Service was merged into the Coast Guard in 1939. Prohibition In the 1920s, the Coast Guard was given several former U.S. Navy four-stack Destroyer s to help enforce Prohibition . The effort was not entirely successful, due to the slowness of the destroyers. However, the mission provided many Coast Guard officers and Petty Officer s with operational experience which proved invaluable in World War II . World War II Before the American entry into World War II , cutters of the Coast Guard patrolled the North Atlantic. President Roosevelt ordered the International Ice Patrol to continue as a legal pretext to patrol Greenland , whose Cryolite mines were vital to refining aluminum and whose geographic location allowed accurate weather forecasts to be made for Europe. The Greenland patrol was maintained by the Coast Guard for the duration of the war. The USCGC ''Modoc'' , was peripherally involved in the chase and sinking of the German Battleship ''Bismarck'' . Shortly after Germany declared war on the United States, German Submarine s began Operation Drumbeat ("Kesselpauke"), sinking ships off the American coast. Many Coast Guard cutters were involved in rescue operations following German attacks on American shipping. The USCGC ''Icarus'' , a 165-foot (50 m) cutter that previously had been a rumrunner chaser during Prohibition , sank ''U-352'' on May 9 , 1942 , and the USCGC ''Thetis'' sank ''U-157'' on June 10 , 1942 . During the war, Coast Guard units sank 12 German and two Japanese submarines and captured two German surface vessels. In addition to antisubmarine operations, the Coast Guard worked closely with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps . Many of the Coxswain s of American Landing Craft , such as the Higgins Boat ( LCVP ), used in amphibious invasions were Coast Guardsmen who had received amphibious training with the cooperation of the U.S. Marine Corps. Coast Guard cutters and ships partially manned by Coast Guardsmen were used in the North African invasion of November 1942 ( Operation Torch ) and the invasion of Sicily in 1943 ( Operation Husky ). During the Normandy Invasion of June 6 , 1944 , a 60-cutter flotilla of wooden 83-foot (25 m) Coast Guard cutters, nicknamed the "Matchbox Fleet", cruised off all five landing beaches as combat search-and-rescue boats, saving 400 Allied airmen and sailors. Division O-1, including the Coast Guard-manned USS ''Samuel Chase'' , landed the U.S. Army 's 1st Infantry Division on Omaha Beach . Off Utah Beach , the Coast Guard manned the Command Ship USS ''Bayfield'' . Several Coast Guard-manned landing craft were lost during D-Day to enemy fire and heavy seas. In addition, a cutter was beached during the storms off the Normandy coast which destroyed the U.S.-operated Artificial Harbor . The USCGC ''Taney'' , a notable World War II era High Endurance Cutter, is the only warship still afloat today that was present for the Attack On Pearl Harbor in 1941, although she was actually stationed in nearby Honolulu. On August 27 , 1944 , the all Coast Guard-manned USS LST-327 stuck a mine or was torpedoed while crossing the English Channel. 22 Coast Guardsmen were killed. On September 12 , 1944, the Liberty Ship ''George Ade'' was torpedoed by a German U-boat off Cape Hatteras, N.C. CGC Jackson and CGC Bedloe, heading to assist the survivors of the Ade, were caught in the Great Atlantic Hurricane Of 1944 the day after, sinking both cutters and killing 48 Coast Guardsmen. A U.S. Navy seaplane rescued the survivors. (PA2 Judy Silverstein, "Adrift: A CGC Jackson survivor recounts his harrowing survival at sea", Coast Guard Magazine 2/2006, pp. 28-31.) On January 29, 1945, the '' USS Serpens (AK-97) '', a Coast Guard manned Liberty ship, exploded off Guadalcanal, Solomons Islands, while loading depth charges. 193 Coast Guardsmen, 56 Army stevedores, and one U.S. Public Health Service member were killed in the explosion. This was the biggest single disaster to befall the Coast Guard during WW2. USS Serpens home page As was common during this period, many of Hollywood 's able-bodied screen stars became enlistees and left their film careers on hiatus in order to support the national defense. Specifically, actors Gig Young , Cesar Romero , and Richard Cromwell all served admirably in various capacities in the USCG in the Pacific for several years. Douglas Munro Signalman 1st Class Douglas Munro (1919–1942), the only Coast Guardsman to receive the Medal Of Honor , earned the decoration during World War II as a small boat coxswain during the Battle Of Guadalcanal in 1942. A Navy Destroyer Escort , USS ''Douglas A. Munro'' (DE-422), was named in his honor in 1944. The cutter USCGC ''Munro'' (WHEC-724) was commissioned in 1971, and is still on active service. Korean War During the Korean War , Coast Guard officers helped arrange the evacuation of the Korea n Peninsula during the initial North Korea n attack. On August 9 , 1950 , Congress enacted Public Law 679, known as the Magnuson Act . This act charged the Coast Guard with ensuring the security of the United States' ports and harbors on a permanent basis. In addition, the Coast Guard established a series of weather ships in the north Pacific Ocean and assisted civilian and military aircraft and ships in distress, and established a string of LORAN stations in Japan and Korea that assisted the United Nations Forces . The 1960s The Coast Guard was active in the Vietnam War . Coast Guard Detachments 11, 12, and 13, under operational control of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet , assisted in interdicting supply by sea of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces. Seven Coast Guardsmen were killed during the war in combat and search and rescue operations. In addition, several Coast Guard aviators served with the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Rescue and Recovery forces in Southeast Asia from 1968 to 1972. In 1967, the Coast Guard adopted the red and blue "slash" as part of the regular insignia for cutters, boats, and aircraft. This "slash" was in turn adopted by several other foreign coast guards, in particular the Canadian Coast Guard . The 1970s The Ancient Order Of The Pterodactyls was founded in 1977 in order to preserve the history of Coast Guard aviation. It was also at this time that the Coast Guard adopted the blue uniforms seen today, replacing Navy-style uniforms worn prior to the Vietnam War. The Kudirka Incident On November 23 , 1970 , Simonas "Simas" Kudirka , a Soviet seaman of Lithuania n nationality, leapt from the 400-foot (120 m) mother ship ''Sovetskaya Litva'', anchored in American waters (near Aquinnah , Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard Island), aboard the USCGC ''Vigilant'' , sailing from New Bedford . The Soviets accused Kudirka of theft of 3,000 rubles from the ship's safe. Ten hours passed. After attempts to get the U.S. State Department to provide guidance failed, Rear Admiral William B. Ellis , commander of the First Coast Guard District, ordered Commander Ralph E. Eustis to permit a KGB detachment to board the ''Vigilant'' to return Kudirka to the Soviet ship. This led to a change in asylum policy by the U.S. Coast Guard. Admiral Ellis and his chief of staff were given administrative punishment under Article 15 of the UCMJ . Commander Eustis was given a non-punitive letter of reprimand and assigned to shore duty. Kudirka was tried for treason by the Soviet Union and given a ten-year sentence in the Gulag . Subsequent investigations revealed that Kudirka could claim American citizenship through his mother and was allowed to come to the United States in 1974. The incident was portrayed in a 1978 Television Movie , '' The Defection Of Simas Kudirka '', with Alan Arkin playing Kudirka and Donald Pleasence playing the captain of the Soviet ship. The 1980s On January 28, 1980, the 180-ft buoy tender '' CGC Blackthorn (WLB-391) '' collided with the 605-foot oil tanker ''S.S. Capricorn'' and capsized when the Capricorn's anchor entangled the cutter. 23 Coast Guardsmen were drowned. In 1980, the Coast Guard was involved in the rescue of the crew of the ''M/V Prinsendam'' in the Gulf of Alaska. In April, 1980, the government of Cuba began to allow any person who wanted to leave Cuba to assemble in Mariel Harbor and take their own transport. The U.S. Coast Guard, working out of Seventh District Headquarters in Miami, Florida, rescued boats in difficulty, inspected vessels for adequate safety equipment, and processed refugees. This task was made even more difficult by a hurricane which swamped many vessels in mid-ocean and by the lack of cooperation by Cuban Border Guard officials. By May, 600 reservists had been called up, the U.S. Navy provided assistance between Cuba and Key West , and the Auxiliary was heavily involved. 125,000 refugees were processed between April and May 1980. The 1990s (WMEC-166), best known for her rescues during the " Perfect Storm " of 1991.]] In 1994, about 38,000 Cubans attempted to sail from Cuba to Florida, many on homemade rafts. The Coast Guard and Navy performed intensive search and rescue efforts to rescue rafters at sea. Sixteen 110 foot (34 m) cutters—half the complement of the Coast Guard—were involved in this operation, as well as buoy tenders not normally assigned to high seas duty. Due to a change in Presidential policy, rescued Cubans were sent to the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . The 2000s For details on the Coast Guard's response to the September 11, 2001 Attacks , see #Missions above. In 2002, the Coast Guard sent several 110-foot (34 m) cutters to the Persian Gulf to enforce the U.N. embargo on goods to and from Iraq . Port Security Unit s and Naval Coastal Warfare units also accompanied the U.S. military buildup. In March 2003, the Coast Guard was transferred from the Transportation Department to the Homeland Security Department. In September 2003, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld mooted transferring all military responsibilities of the Coast Guard to the Navy and assigning the Coast Guard purely homeland defense responsibilities. On April 24 , 2004 , Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan B. Bruckenthal , 24, became the first Coast Guard member to die in combat since the Vietnam War . He was killed in a suicide boat attack on a Basra oil terminal off the coast of Iraq . With his death, all branches of the military had seen at least one death in that war. After Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the Coast Guard dispatched a number of helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, small boats, and Auxiliary aircraft as well as 25 cutters to the Gulf Coast, rescuing 2,000 people in two days, and around 33,500 people in all. The crews also assessed storm damage to offshore oil platforms and refineries. More than 2,400 personnel from all districts conducted search, rescue, response, waterway reconstitution and environmental impact assessment operations. In total, the Coast Guard air and boat rescued more than 33,500 people and assisted with the joint-agency evacuation of an additional 9,400 patients and medical personnel from hospitals in the Gulf coast region. Future The Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) Program is designed to meet future threats to the U.S. from the sea. Although the program involves obtaining new ships and aircraft, Deepwater also involves upgraded information technology for command, control, communications and computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR). A key part of the Deepwater system is the Maritime Security Cutter, Large (WMSL), which is designed to replace the 378-foot (115 m) high-endurance cutters currently on duty. This ship will have a length of 421 feet (128 m), be powered by a Gas Turbine engine with two auxiliary Diesel Engine s, and be capable of 12,000 nautical mile (22,000 km) voyages lasting up to 60 days. The keel laying of the USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750), the first ship in this class, took place in September 2004. The ship is scheduled to be delivered in 2007. The second keel (WMSL-751) was laid in 2005, though the ship is yet to be named. Another key vessel is the Maritime Security Cutter, Medium (WMSM), which will be 341 ft (104 m) long, displace 2,921 tons (2968 tonnes), and be capable of 45-day patrols of up to 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km). Both the WMSL and the WMSM cutters will be able to carry two helicopters or four VTOL Unmanned Air Vehicle s (VUAVs), or a combination of these. ISSUES FACING THE COAST GUARD The Coast Guard faces several issues in the near future. Lack of coverage affects many areas with high maritime traffic. For example, local officials in Scituate, Massachusetts , have complained that there is no permanent Coast Guard station, and the presence of the Coast Guard in winter is vital. Some of the reason for this lack of coverage is the relatively high cost of building storm-proof buildings on coastal property; the Cape Hatteras station was abandoned in 2005 after winter storms wiped out the 12-foot sand dune serving as its protection from the ocean. Lack of strength to meet its assigned missions is being met by a legislated increase in authorized strength from 39,000 to 45,000. In addition, the volunteer Auxiliary is being called to take up more non-combatant missions. However, volunteer coverage does have limits. Aging vessels are another problem. In 2005, the Coast Guard terminated contracts to upgrade the 110-foot Island Class cutters to 123-foot cutters due to warping and distortion of the hulls. Of the 40 largest navies in the world, the Coast Guard's is the 38th oldest. PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE COAST GUARD Source: U.S. Coast Guard
THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is a volunteer civilian service, established in 1939 as the Coast Guard Reserve , that assists the Coast Guard in carrying out its noncombatant and non-law enforcement missions. There are approximately 39,000 Auxiliarists. Auxiliarists may use their own vessels, including boats and aircraft, in carrying out Coast Guard missions, or apply specialized skills such as Web page design or radio operating to assist the Coast Guard. The basic unit of the Auxiliary is the flotilla, which has at least 10 members and may have as many as 100. Several flotillas form a division. There are several divisions in each Coast Guard District. The Atlantic and Pacific areas select a Commodore, and there is a national Commodore. However, legally, each Auxiliarist has the same 'rank.' Auxiliarists wear the same uniform as Coast Guardsmen with modified officers' insignia based on their office: the stripes on uniforms are silver, and metal insignia bear a red or blue "A" in the center. Unlike their counterparts in the Civil Air Patrol , Auxiliarists come under direct orders of the Coast Guard. Auxiliary vessels may not carry weapons, but can be used for noncombatant purposes and for scouting. THE COAST GUARD RESERVE The United States Coast Guard Reserve is the military reserve of the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Reserve was founded on Feburary 19, 1941. Although Reservists normally train on a schedule of once a weekend and for 15 days every year, many Reservists are integrated directly with Coast Guard units. During the Vietnam War period and shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard considered abandoning the Reserve program, but instead the force was reoriented into force augmentation. Since September 11, 2001, over 8500 Reservists have been activated and 400 Reservists are currently on active duty. All the Coast Guard's Port Security Unit s and most of its Naval Coastal Warfare units are Reserve units. The Reserve is managed by the Director of Reserve and Training, RADM Sally Brice-O'Hara. MEDALS AND HONORS OF THE COAST GUARD One Coast Guardsman, Douglas Munro , has earned the Medal Of Honor , the highest military award of the United States. Six Coast Guardsmen have earned the Navy Cross and 12 the Distinguished Flying Cross . Prior to the transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, the highest peacetime decoration was the Department Of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal . The highest unit award was the Secretary Of Transportation Outstanding Unit Award . In wartime, members of the Coast Guard are eligible to receive the U.S. Navy version of the Medal Of Honor . A Coast Guard version of the Medal of Honor does exist, but it has never been bestowed. See Also: Awards and decorations of the United States military ALUMNI ORGANIZATION Those who have piloted or flown in U.S. Coast Guard aircraft under official flight orders may join the Ancient Order Of The Pterodactyls ("Flying Since the World was Flat"). EXTERNAL LINKS
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