Join the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Anyone 17 years old or up can join. There's no upper age limit, nor is prior military experience required. You needn't own a boat or even be an experienced boater. If you're willing, there is something you can do!

Boating And Non-Boating Programs

Below is a brief but comprehensive listing of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's many missions.

Surface (Water) Missions

Safety Patrol - Patrol under Coast Guard orders using an Auxiliary Operational Facility.
Regatta Patrol - Patrolling organized regattas and boat parades.
Chart Update Patrol - Also known as "ATON", Aids to Navigation. Verifying the accuracy and completeness of information published on charts and related navigation publications.
PWC Patrol - Patrolling on a Personal Water Craft (PWC).

Be A Better Boater Join the U.S. Coast Guard Guard Auxiliary

Air Operations Missions

SAR Mission - Search And Rescue call out or the air equivalent to a vessel safety patrol.
Enforcement of Laws and Treaties - Air support of a Coast Guard law enforcement mission.
MEP Mission - Air support in the area of Marine Environmental Protection.
Ice Operations Mission - Air support in the area of ice patrol operations.
Logistics Mission - Transportation of personnel.
Training Mission - Training missions involving air operations.

Note: The Potomac Division does not have air facilities, but our sister division, Division XII in Gaithersburg, Maryland, does.

Land-based Operations Missions

Radio Watchstander - Serving as a qualified watchstander at a Coast Guard or Auxiliary facility.
Officer of the Day Duties - OOD at a Coast Guard facility either ashore or afloat.
B-2 Alert SAR Standby - Time spent on stand-by.
B-0 Alert SAR Standby - Standing by under with an Auxiliary Operational Facility for immediate call out.
SAR Call Out - Search And Rescue call out involving communication facilities.
CG Crew Augmentation - Serving as a qualified crew on Coast Guard, not Auxiliary, vessels.
Enforcement of Laws and Treaties - Providing surface support of Coast Guard law enforcement mission.
MEP Mission - Surface support for a Marine Environmental Protection mission.
Auxiliary Radio Net Mission - Maintaining Coast Guard authorized Auxiliary radio nets.
Aids to Navigation Mission-Federal - Servicing federal or private Aids to Navigation.
Bridge Administration - Inspecting bridges.

Public Education Missions

PE Other Than State/Youth - Auxiliary multi-lesson public education classes.
State and Youth Courses - State public education classes and youth courses.
MT Instructor Mission - Member training activity, including specialty courses, boats crew training, and basic qualification classes.

Environmental Missions

Marine Environmental Protection - Provide support to the Coast Guard in the area of Marine Environmental Protection.

Coast Guard Support and Boating Safety Missions

CG Operational Support - A service provided to operational Coast Guard units in support of Coast Guard programs.
CG Administrative Support - Provide support to the Coast Guard in areas other than operations or recruiting.
AIM Mission - The Auxiliary's Academy Introduction Mission (AIM).
RAP Mission - Coast Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (RAP).
Courtesy Marine Examinations - Vessel Safety Checks; Personal Water Craft Safety Checks; Uninspected Passenger Vessel; and Commercial Fishing Vessel.
Public Affairs Mission - Promoting the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary or Coast Guard Reserve.
Marine Dealer Visits - Participating in the Marine Dealer Visitation Program.

Agency Support Missions

Federal Agencies - Provide non-operational support to other federal agencies, such as Customs, Corps of Engineers and NOAA.
State Agencies - Provide support to state agencies, such as the Department of Natural Resources, State Police and Marine Patrols.
Local Agencies - Provide support to local agencies, such as local police, sheriff's offices, fire/rescue and Harbormasters.

We Need You -- In the wake of the recent attacks on the United States, the Coast Guard Auxiliary will be called upon to provide essential services to the Coast Guard as they focus more heavily on their military missions. We will need all the help we can get. You needn't own a boat or even be an experienced boater, since our missions are wide-ranging.

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