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This site is intended to communicate the National Commodore's vision for the present and future of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

71st birthday of the Coast Guard Auxiliary (Posted 23JUN2010)


The 71st Anniversary of the Coast Guard Auxiliary

Today, 23 June 2010, marks the 71st birthday of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

When the Coast Guard Reserve Act first passed in 1939 we had four stated purposes:

(1) safety of life upon navigable waters, (2) promotion of efficiency in the operation of pleasure craft, (3) improved knowledge of and compliance with applicable laws, and (4) support to the Coast Guard.

Much has changed in the years since the Auxiliary came into being. With the passage of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996 the role of the Auxiliary expanded greatly. Our participation in all CG mission areas (except direct law enforcement and military action) are now routine.

But much has remained the same. Then as now, the Coast Guard has faced budget and personnel shortages, and the Auxiliary provided a reliable force multiplier. Then as now, Auxiliarists volunteered their time and skills in support of the Coast Guard. We were and continue to be a key component of the Coast Guard.

So today, on the occasion of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s 71st birthday, let us celebrate our past but focus on the future. Let’s continue to be the finest volunteer organization in the world.

Thank you for your dedication and your continued service to our organization.

Semper Paratus!

Nicholas Kerigan
National Commodore

CGAUX Survey Review (Posted 19MAR2010)

Fellow Auxiliarists,

On October 1, 2009, I published the results of our 2009 Member Survey in the Navigator.

We had asked for your feedback regarding your thoughts on membership and other key elements by which we could better craft strong and meaningful direction and clear future for our service.

You answered this call to action and provided amazing results with 5,774 members providing valuable input.

Now, four months later, my staff and I have had a chance to identify trends and related goals identified in the prodigious results. For instance, within the 2009 survey, we found that information distribution, speed and associated leadership principals were very important topics to you.

Your responses to these questions suggested that leadership and communications were worth exploring further as they represent topics at the core of successful Auxiliary member retention. To this end we now have an opportunity to dig deeper into our Auxiliary information processes and related leadership dynamics.

I'll ask every Auxiliary member take a moment and embark in this follow-up survey designed to help us more explicitly understand our leadership and communications challenges and craft processes and tools better designed to meet your needs.

Here is our Auxiliary Leadership and Communications link:

I encourage everyone in the Auxiliary to take this very important survey. The average survey time takes 8-to-9 minutes. The survey will remain active through the end of March, 2010.

Results will be made available in an upcoming Navigator and potentially presented at NACON 2010.

Semper Paratus,

Nicholas Kerigan
National Commodore, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Commodore Nick Kerigan


Auxiliary's 70th Anniversary (Posted 19JUN2009)

On June 23, 1939, Congress established the Coast Guard Reserve, a volunteer civilian organization, to promote boating safety and to facilitate Coast Guard operations.  Initially, members conducted safety and security patrols and helped enforce the provisions of the 1940 Federal Boating and Espionage Acts.  In February 1941, the Coast Guard military reserve was established and the volunteers renamed the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

As the U.S. entered World War II, recruits flooded Auxiliary flotillas in a burst of patriotic fever.  In 1942, some 50,000 Auxiliarists became the core of the Temporary Reserve performing coastal defense and search and rescue duties, patrolling bridges, factories, docks, and beaches.  They fought fires, made arrests, guided naval vessels, and conducted anti-submarine warfare. As their ranks grew, thousands of active duty Coast Guard personnel were freed for service overseas.

By 1950, the four Auxiliary cornerstone missions - public education, operations, vessel examination, and fellowship were established.  In 1996, legislation expanded the Auxiliary’s scope to allow members to assist in any Coast Guard mission authorized by the Commandant.  The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the world’s largest volunteer marine safety organization, has kindled and interest in to create similar groups in other countries.  Today, Auxiliarists can be found examining commercial fishing vessels; flying in C-130’s, working in Coast Guard offices, and crewing with regulars.   Active Duty, Reservists, Civilian Employees, Retirees and Auxiliarists,– truly constitute TEAM COAST GUARD. 

Auxiliarists have a great deal to be proud of.   Over the past ten years, Auxiliary members have:

Since 1999, the Coast Guard Auxiliary has participated in events, including but not limited to:

We provide the biggest bang for the buck for the American taxpayer.  Each of us should take pride in knowing that we are special group, making a unique contribution to the Coast Guard and our Nation.  Thank you for your service.

Happy Birthday and Semper Paratus.
 
COMO Nicholas Kerigan
National Commodore
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

Vision, Mission and Strategic Imperatives (Posted 12APR2009)

National Commodore's Vision Statement: The Coast Guard Auxiliary will continue to meet America's changing maritime safety and security challenges, through a balanced allocation of resources towards our recreational boating safety and maritime domain awareness missions.

The Mission of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary: The mission of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of our citizens, ports, waterways and coastal regions, as directed by the United States Coast Guard. We will balance our missions in Recreational Boating Safety, Coast Guard Support with Maritime Homeland Security and other challenges that emerge as a result of our growing understanding of changes required in the post-9/11 era. ...read more

...download the PDF and read the NACO's strategic imperatives here

February 2009 Report to the Commandant (Posted 12APR2009)

December 2008 Report to the Commandant (Posted 03MAR2009)

2009 National Calendar (Posted 12DEC08) Link

Scenario-Planning Workshop (Posted 17OCT08)

"The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary should seek out both private and government partnerships, explore alternative funding sources and leverage virtual technology in order to remain a viable and sustainable organization."

Those and other core action strategies are the recommendations of 60 Auxiliary senior and executive leaders who participated in a scenario-planning workshop, Meltdown, in August 2008.

 

Disaster Relief Fund in Wake of Helicopter Tragedy
(Posted 08SEP2008)

The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced today that it has established an emergency Family Disaster Relief Fund. In response to Thursday’s tragedy off the coast of Honolulu, the Coast Guard Foundation is asking for financial support to assist the families of the lost crew of the Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter. See the announcement here. Visit the Coast Guard Foundation site here.

 

Auxiliary Modernization Plan Presentation (Posted 03SEP2008)

This presentation details the reasoning and the principles behind the Coast Guard Auxiliary reorganization to align with the changes in the Coast Guard structure.

 

 

Read additional past announcements of news items, reports and documents in the archive.