United States Coast Guard Auxiliary - Relationship To The Military

Relationship To The Military

Historically, the USCG has supported and encouraged the involvement of the Auxiliary in the Coast Guard's missions. Both the current Commandant (ADM Robert J. Papp, Jr.) and Vice Commandant (VADM John Currier), as well as the former Vice Commandant (VADM Vivien Crea) have publicly stated their support of the Auxiliary, and in fact, the Coast Guard relied heavily on Auxiliary direct and indirect support during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. On September 13, 2006, Thad Allen issued a new Auxiliary Policy Statement, which states that "Fittingly, the core strategic purpose of the Auxiliary is to continuously hone its expertise to perform three prioritized functions:

1. Promote and improve recreational boating safety;
2. Support Coast Guard maritime homeland security efforts; and
3. Support the Coast Guard’s operational, administrative, and logistical requirements."

It also states that:

"Every commander, commanding officer, officer-in-charge, and program manager shall work closely with their Auxiliary counterparts to fully leverage the resources, skills, qualifications, and profound dedication that reside within the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Such focused collaboration is essential to our unwavering commitment to mission excellence in serving and protecting the public trust."