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Written by the United States
Coast Guard Reserve to introduce its members to the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Reprinted with permission. Portions have been edited.
 For
nearly 60 years, tens-of-thousands of men and women of the Coast Guard
Auxiliary have spent millions of volunteer hours helping the Coast Guard
carry out its mission. They have saved countless lives through their work,
on and off the water.
Auxiliarists
are probably best known for educating the public through their boating
safety classes and Vessel Safety Checks. Yet, they do much more. The Coast
Guard Authorization Act, passed October 19, 1996, authorizes Coast Guard
Auxiliary Personnel is to assist the Coast Guard, as authorized by the
Commandant, in performance of any Coast Guard function, duty, role,
mission, or operation, authorized by law.
When
the Coast Guard "Reserve" was authorized by act of Congress on June 23,
1939, the Coast Guard was given a legislative mandate to use civilian
volunteers to promote safety on and over the high seas and the nation's
navigable waters. The Coast Guard Reserve was then a non-military service
comprised of unpaid, volunteer U.S. citizens who owned motorboats or
yachts.
Two
years later, on Feb. 19, Congress amended the 1939 act with passage of the
Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941. Passage of this act designated the
Reserve as a military branch of the active service, while the civilian
volunteers, formerly referred to as the Coast Guard Reserve, became the
Auxiliary. So, Feb. 19 is formally recognized as the birth of the Coast
Guard Reserve while June 23 is recognized as the birthday of the Coast
Guard Auxiliary.
When
America entered World War II, 50,000 Auxiliary members joined the war
effort. Some Auxiliarists served weeks at a time with the Temporary
Reserve. They guarded waterfronts, carried out coastal picket patrols,
rescued survivors from scuttled ships, and did anything else they were
asked to do. Many of their private vessels were placed in service.
After
the war, Auxiliarists resumed their recreational boating safety duties.
The Auxiliary's four cornerstones - Vessel Examination, Education,
Operations, and Fellowship - were established and remain the Auxiliary's
pillars in the 1990's.
The
Vessel Examination program evolved into the well known Vessel Safety Check
(VSC), a free examination available to any recreational boater. VSCs help
boaters ensure their craft complies with Federal regulations.
As
for education, the Auxiliary teaches boating safety to recreational
boaters of all ages. The Auxiliary offers the Boating Skills and
Seamanship Course (geared towardpower boaters), the Sailing and Seamanship
Course (for sail boaters), as well as basic and advanced navigation
courses.
The
Auxiliary operates safety and regatta patrols and is an integral part of
the Coast Guard Search and Rescue team. Auxiliarists also stand
communication watches, assist during mobilization exercises, perform
harbor and pollution patrols, provide platforms for unarmed boarding
parties, and recruit new people for the Service.
Today,
as in 1939, Auxiliarists are civilian volunteers who are authorized to
wear a uniform similar to the Coast Guard Officer's uniform. Distinctive
emblems, buttons, insignias, and ribbons are employed to identify the
wearer as a member of the Auxiliary. One such insignia is the letter "A"
on the shoulder boards of an Auxiliarist. Despite their silver shoulder
boards (versus gold for Coast Guard officers), Auxiliarists hold no rank.
The shoulder boards symbolize the office and level to which an individual
Auxiliarist has been either appointed or elected.
The
Coast Guard Auxiliary has members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam. Membership is open to men and
women, 17years or older, U.S. citizens of all states and territories,
civilians or active duty or former members of any of the uniformed
services and Reserve components, including the Coast Guard Reserve.
Facility (radio, boat, or aircraft) ownership is desirable but not
mandatory.
Although
under the authority of the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, the
Auxiliary is internally autonomous, operating on four organizational
levels: Flotilla, Division, District, and National.
The
flotilla is the basic organizational unit of the Auxiliary and is
comprised of at least 15 qualified members who carry out Auxiliary program
activities. Every Auxiliarist is a member of a local flotilla. Each
flotilla is headed by an elected Flotilla Commander (FC) and Flotilla Vice
Commander (VFC). In addition, there are appointed Flotilla Staff Officers
(FSO), each with specialized skills or training, who assist with oversight
of administrative and operational activities.
For
maximum administrative effectiveness in carrying out Auxiliary programs,
flotillas in the same general geographic area are grouped into divisions.
The division provides administrative, training and supervisory support to
flotillas and promotes district policy. Each division is headed by a
Division Captain (DCP), Division Vice Captain (VCP), and a number of Staff
Officers (SO). Divisions usually consist offive or more flotillas.
Flotillas
and divisions are organized in districts comparable to the Coast Guard
districts and must be assigned the same district number. Some districts
are further divided into regions. The district or region provides
administrative and supervisory support to divisions, promotes policies of
both the district commander and national Auxiliary committee. All
districts and regions are governed by a District Commodore (DCO), District
Vice Commodore (VCO), and District Rear Commodore (RCO), under the
guidance of the Coast Guard District Commander. Coast Guard officers are
assigned at the this level to oversee and promote the Auxiliary programs.
To assist with oversight of administrative and operational activities, the
District Commodore appoints a number of District Staff Officers (DSO) and
Assistant District Staff Officers (ADSO).
The
Auxiliary has national officers who are responsible, along with the
Commandant, for the administration and policy-making for the entire
Auxiliary. These officers comprise the National Executive Committee (NEXCOM)
that iscomposed of the Chief Director of Auxiliary (an Active Duty Coast
Guard officer), National Commodore (NACO), the National Vice Commodores (NAVCO),
and the National Department Chiefs (DC).
NEXCOM
and the National Staff make up the Auxiliary Headquarters organization.
The Chief Director is a senior Coast Guard officer and directs the
administration of the Auxiliary on policies established by the Commandant.
The overall supervision of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is under the
Assistant Commandant for Operations (G-O), who reports directly to the
Commandant.
Auxiliarists
are dedicated civilians who believe strongly in the Coast Guard and its
missions. A hearty thank you is the only pay an Auxiliarist expects.
Personally, they receive tremendous satisfaction for a job well done. They
have proven valiant throughout the years and take the oath of membership
seriously. They contribute immeasurably to Team Coast Guard efforts. |
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Title XIV - United State Code of
Federal Regulations
CHAPTER 23 - COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
§ 821. Administration of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
§ 822. Purpose of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
§ 823. Eligibility, enrollments
§ 823a. Members of the Auxiliary; status.
§ 824. Disenrollment.
§ 825. Membership in other organizations.
§ 826. Use of member's facilities.
§ 827. Vessel deemed public vessel.
§ 828. Aircraft deemed public aircraft.
§ 829. Radio station deemed government station.
§ 830. Availability of appropriations.
§ 831. Assignment and performance of duties.
§ 832. Injury or death in line of duty.
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