United States Coast Guard | Department of Defense

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| The Pentagon | U.S. Army || U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corp || U.S. Coast Guard |.|Homeland Security
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United States Coast Guard

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Active

28 January 1915 – present

Country

Western-america

Type

Coast Guard

Role

Defense operations, maritime law enforcement,
search and rescue,
and crisis response

Size

45,890 active personnel
9,000 reserve personnel
200 ships
667 aircraft

Part of

Department of Defense

Headquarters

The Pentagon
Arlington County, U.S.

Motto

Semper Paratus (English: Always ready)

Engagements

ENGAGEMENTS

Engagements:
Quasi-War
War of 1812
Seminole Wars
Mexican–American War
American Civil War
Spanish–American War
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Invasion of Grenada
Persian Gulf War
Kosovo War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War

Commanders

Commander-in-Chief

President Garrett Walker

Secretary of Defense

Ret. GEN. Glen McMahon

Secretary of Homeland Security

Robert Neller

Commandant

ADM Charles D. Tinsley

Insignia

Flag

Jack

Mark

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's seven uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission (with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters) and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to the U.S. Department of the Navy by the U.S. President at any time, or by the U.S. Congress during times of war. This has happened twice, in 1917, during World War I, and in 1941, during World War II.

Created by Congress on 4 August 1790 at the request of Alexander Hamilton as the Revenue Marine, it is the oldest continuous seagoing service of the United States. As Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton headed the Revenue Marine, whose original purpose was collecting customs duties in the nation's seaports. By the 1860s, the service was known as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and the term Revenue Marine gradually fell into disuse.

The modern Coast Guard was formed by a merger of the Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Life-Saving Service on 28 January 1915, under the U.S. Department of the Treasury. As one of the country's five armed services, the Coast Guard has been involved in every U.S. war from 1790 to the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. As of 2014, the Coast Guard had over 36,000 men and women on active duty, 7,350 reservists, 29,620 auxiliarists, and 7,064 full-time civilian employees. In terms of size, while the U.S. Coast Guard is the smallest of the military service branches, by itself is the world's 12th largest naval force.

The Coast Guard's legal authority differs from the other four armed services, as it operates simultaneously under Title 10 of the U.S. Code and its other organic authorities, such as Titles 6, 14, 19, 33, and 46. Because of its legal authority, the Coast Guard can conduct military operations under the U.S. Department of Defense or directly for the President in accordance with Title 14 USC 1–3. The Coast Guard's enduring roles are maritime safety, security, and stewardship. To carry out those roles, it has 11 statutory missions as defined in 6 U.S.C. § 468, which include enforcing U.S. law in the world's largest exclusive economic zone of 3.4 million square miles (8,800,000 km2). The Coast Guard's motto Semper Paratus means Always ready in Latin.

Mission

The mission of 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

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

Non-Homeland Security Missions:

• Ice operations, including the International Ice Patrol

• Living marine resources (fisheries law enforcement)

• Marine environmental protection

• Marine safety

• Aids to navigation

• Search and rescue
  

Homeland Security Missions:

• Defense readiness

• Maritime law enforcement

• Migrant interdiction

• Ports, waterways and coastal security (PWCS)

• Drug interdiction

Personnel

Commissioned Officers
Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard hold pay grades ranging 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. The Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard are the only members of the Coast Guard authorized to hold the rank of admiral.

The Coast Guard does not have medical officers or chaplains of its own. Instead, chaplains from the U.S. Navy, as well as officers from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps are 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.

Enlisted
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 considered petty officers and follow career development paths very similar to those of Navy petty officers.

Petty officers in pay grade E-7 and higher are chief petty officers and must attend the Coast Guard Chief 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 the petty officer's eagle on 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 the 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.

Uniforms
The uniforms of the US Coast Guard have evolved gradually since the first uniform regulations for officers were issued in 1915 on the formation of the Coast Guard. The predominant colors of US Coast Guard uniforms are navy blue and orange for rescue missions.

Active Vessels

Ship Classes

Icebreakers:

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Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Healy Cost: $860 Million Maintenance: $90 Million In service: 1976-present Speed: 18 knots Length: 399 ft (122 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	None	Ships In Class - 21 USCGC Polar Star USCGC Polar Sea USCGC Healy USCGC Mackinaw USCGC Glacier USCGC Katmai Bay USCGC Mobile Bay USCGC Biscayne Bay USCGC Penobscot Bay USCGC Thunder Bay USCGC Sturgeon Bay USCGC Bristol Bay USCGC Neah Bay USCGC Morro Bay USCGC Staten Island USCGC Eastwind USCGC Southwind USCGC Westwind USCGC Northwind USCGC Burton Island USCGC Edisto

Cutters:

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Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: National Security Cost: $1 Billion Maintenance: $90 Million In service: 2008-present Speed: +30 knots Length: 418 ft (127 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	1 x MK 110 57mm gun a variant of the Bofors 57 mm gun and Gunfire Control System 1 × 20 mm Block 1B Baseline 2 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System 4 × crew-served .50 caliber (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine guns 2 × crew-served M240B 7.62 mm machine guns	Ships In Class - 11 USCGC Bertholf USCGC Waesche USCGC Stratton USCGC Hamilton USCGC James USCGC Munro USCGC Kimball USCGC Midgett USCGC Stone USCGC Alexander USCGC Ellsworth

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Hamilton Cost: $780 Million Maintenance: $60 Million In service: 1965-present Speed: +30 knots Length: 378 ft (115 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	Otobreda 76 mm cannon 2 × 25 mm Mk38 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 6 x .50 caliber machine guns	Ships In Class - 12 USCGC Hamilton USCGC Dallas USCGC Mellon USCGC Chase USCGC Boutwell USCGC Sherman USCGC Gallatin USCGC Morgenthau USCGC Rush USCGC Munro USCGC Jarvis USCGC Midgett

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Famous Cost: $300 Million Maintenance: $40 Million In service: 1983-present Speed: +19 knots Length: 270 feet (82 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	1 × OTO Melara Mark 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns	Ships In Class - 13 USCGC Bear USCGC Tampa USCGC Harriet Lane USCGC Northland USCGC Spencer USCGC Seneca USCGC Escanaba USCGC Tahoma USCGC Campbell USCGC Thetis USCGC Forward USCGC Legare USCGC Mohawk

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Reliance Cost: $300 Million Maintenance: $30 Million In service: 1964-present Speed: 18 knots Length: 210 feet (64 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	1 × 25mm Mk 38 autocannon 2 × M2HB .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine guns	Ships In Class - 14 USCGC Reliance USCGC Diligence USCGC Vigilant USCGC Active USCGC Confidence USCGC Resolute USCGC Valiant USCGC Courageous USCGC Steadfast USCGC Dauntless USCGC Venturous USCGC Dependable USCGC Vigorous USCGC Durable USCGC Decisive USCGC Alert

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Juniper Cost: $1 Billion Maintenance: $100 Million In service: 1996-present Speed: 30 knots Length: 225 feet (69 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	2 × M2HB .50 caliber (12.7mm) machine guns	Ships In Class - 17 USCGC Vigor USCGC Juniper USCGC Willow USCGC Kukui USCGC Elm USCGC Walnut USCGC Spar USCGC Maple USCGC Aspen USCGC Sycamore USCGC Cypress USCGC Oak USCGC Hickory USCGC Fir USCGC Hollyhock USCGC Sequoia USCGC Alder

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Sentinel Cost: $570 Million Maintenance: $50 Million In service: 2006-present Speed: 28 knots Length: 154 feet (47 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	1 × Mk 38 Mod 2 25 mm autocannon 4 × crew-served Browning M2 machine guns	Ships In Class - 54 USCGC Bernard C. Webber USCGC Richard Etheridge USCGC William Flores USCGC Robert Yered USCGC Margaret Norvell USCGC Paul Clark USCGC Charles David Jr. USCGC Charles W. Sexton USCGC Kathleen Moore USCGC Raymond Evans USCGC William Trump USCGC Isaac Mayo USCGC Richard Dixon USCGC Heriberto Hernandez USCGC Joseph Napier USCGC Winslow W. Griesser USCGC Donald Horsley USCGC Joseph Tezanos USCGC Rollin A. Fritch USCGC Lawrence O. Lawson USCGC John F. McCormick USCGC Bailey T. Barco USCGC Benjamin B. Dailey USCGC Oliver F. Berry USCGC Jacob L. A. Poroo USCGC Joseph Gerczak USCGC Richard T. Snyder USCGC Nathan Bruckenthal USCGC Forrest O. Rednour USCGC Robert G. Ward USCGC Terrell Horne III USCGC Benjamin A. Bottoms USCGC Joseph O. Doyle USCGC William C. Hart USCGC Angela McShan USCGC Daniel Tarr USCGC Edgar Culbertson USCGC Harold Miller USCGC Myrtle Hazard USCGC Oliver Henry USCGC Charles Moulthrop USCGC Robert Goldman USCGC Frederick Hatch USCGC Glenn Harris USCGC Emlen Tunnell USCGC John Scheuerman USCGC Clarence Sutphin USCGC Pablo Valent USCGC Douglas Denman USCGC William Chadwick USCGC Warren Deyampert USCGC Maurice Jester USCGC John Patterson USCGC William Sparling

Patrol Ships:

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Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Cyclone Cost: $600 Million Maintenance: $50 Million In service: 1993-present Speed: +30 knots Length: 179 ft (55 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	2 × MK 38 25 mm autocannon 5 × .50 caliber machine guns 2 × MK 19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers 2 × M240B machine guns 6 × FIM-92 Stinger SAMs 2 × MK-60 quadruple BGM-176B Griffin B missile launchers	Ships In Class - 14 USCGC Cyclone USCGC Tempest USCGC Hurricane USCGC Monsoon USCGC Typhoon USCGC Sirocco USCGC Squall USCGC Zephyr USCGC Chinook USCGC Firebolt USCGC Whirlwind USCGC Thunderbolt USCGC Shamal USCGC Tornado

Stats	Armament	Ships in Class
Class: Island Cost: $700 Million Maintenance: $60 Million In service: 1985-present Speed: +30 knots Length: 193 ft (59 m) Armor: Classified Aircraft carried: SH-60 LAMPS or V-22 Osprey helicopter	MK 38 25 mm autocannon Mk 38 25 mm chain gun 2 × M2 .50-cal MG	Ships In Class - 44 USCGC Farallon USCGC Manitou USCGC Maui USCGC Ocracoke USCGC Aquidneck USCGC Mustang USCGC Naushon USCGC Sanibel USCGC Edisto USCGC Sapelo USCGC Matinicus USCGC Nantucket USCGC Baranof USCGC Chandeleur USCGC Chincoteague USCGC Cushing USCGC Cuttyhunk USCGC Drummond USCGC Key Largo USCGC Metompkin USCGC Monomoy USCGC Orcas USCGC Sitkinak USCGC Tybee USCGC Washington USCGC Wrangell USCGC Adak USCGC Liberty USCGC Anacapa USCGC Kiska USCGC Assateague USCGC Grand Isle USCGC Key Biscayne USCGC Jefferson Island USCGC Kodiak Island USCGC Long Island USCGC Bainbridge Island USCGC Block Island USCGC Staten Island USCGC Roanoke Island USCGC Pea Island USCGC Knight Island USCGC Galveston Island USCGC Attu

Aircraft