Are Coast Guards a second rate military?

Question

Hi,
Ask a boy what he will grow up to, and you often hear Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Police. Rarely Coast Guards. While talking of gallant actions, people mention Marines at Okinawa, Army in the Philippines, Air Force in Europe, Navy in the Pacific. But no mention of Coast Guards anywhere. Are Coast Guards really needed? Why not parcel their job to the Navy and the Police? Why, in heaven's name, do we have such a force?

Answer 1

Joe - a lot of people have responded. I will say this: Ask a Marine if the CG is necessary. There was one (1) Coastie that won the Medal of Honor, and he did it by ensuring Marines were safe. His name was Douglas Munro.

Also, please remember that the Coast Guard is singular, not plural. There are many coasts, but only one (1) United States Coast Guard.

As to the part of "Why, in heaven's name, do we have such a force?" I would suggest you also ask the folks down in New Orleans. The Coast Guard hauled a lot of people out of there. They were some of the first responders.

The Coast Guard also does drug intervention. You can research that part yourself. They also run the icebreakers responsible for keeping the Great Lakes shipping lanes open. Also, they do international ice breaking - such as up in Greenland and of course, Antarctica.

Ask any ship/boat Captain caught out in a storm who they call when in trouble. The Coast Guard. One of the sayings that the Coast Guard had was: "You have to go out. You don't have to come back." In other words, when everyone else is heading for shore, your butt has to go to the rescue. They don't use that anymore - too many Coasties were doing just that - going out and not coming back.

Before there was GPS, the Coast Guard ran ocean stations. They also ran the LORAN (LOng RAnge aids to Navigation), which is how airliners found their way across the ocean. The Coast Guard also used to run all the lighthouses in the United States.

There are more police officers on the New York City police force than there are Coast Guardsman worldwide.

The Coast Guard is also the oldest sea going service in the United States.

Although the smallest service, their impact is great. There is, as pointed out in a previous post, a problem with getting the word out about the Coast Guard. As a retired Coast Guardsman, it sometimes irritates me that we have not gotten the story out to the public. Although there are times when you see the Coast Guard on tv, there is much more to the organization than what is shown in a 30 second soundbite.

Please go online and investigate. I don't know if I would depend on wikpedia, but that would be a starting point.

Answer 2

I was in the Coast Guard and loved every minute of it. Who ever says the Coast Guard can not get deployed has no business talking about the Coast Guard as they don't know what they're talking about. They have men and women in Bahrain Saudi Arabia and other middle eastern countries. The USCG also can send guardsman to become SEALS (only 8 slots a year are allocated for Coast Guardsman). With that being said however I'm currently enlisted in the Air Force. Nothing against the Coast Guard, I loved it but found it wasn't for me after a bit. It comes down to what you want to do and how bad you want it. Keep in mind with the Coast Guard and the Maritime Enforcement rate is that it is a new rate and have many people trying to get in. The waiting list is around a year and a half to two years which means you'll most likely end up on a cutter for that time. Also, without at least an 80 on your ASVAB the Coast Guard won't really want you (not t saying they won't take you but it will be difficult). Witth the Air Force and your degree you can do multiple things. Security Forces just being one. If you like action you can try for Pararescue (PJ's), Combat Control (CCT), Tactical Air Control Party (TACP), or even Combat Weather. There are many options in the Air Force and you get to at least be on land. So you have to ask yourself are you willing to be at sea for 6 month deployments and are you williing to wait the time it takes to become an ME? If so I say go for the Coast Guard. If you find any of the jobs I listed for the Air Force interesting then I say go that route. Just do what you think will make you the happiest because you'll be doing it for at least 4 years.

Answer 3

The Coast Guard does just that....Guards our Coasts! You really can't compare this branch of military to the others, because their goal is completely different. Their main mission is search and rescue, via air, land and sea. Like someone else said: You don't hear a lot about them, but when you need them, you'll surely be glad they're around! They are even in a different cabinet - Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, etc. are under the Department of Defense while the CG is under the Department of Homeland Security. So...while they seem to be the same, they really are quite different and have completely different roles, and really can't be compared.

Answer 4

Part of the problem is media coverage; only a handful of movies have been made featuring the U.S. Coast Guard Service compared to the hundreds of movies about the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy. Additionally, the Coast Guard loses credit in the public eye because it fails to play up their roles in recent American wars such as crewing landing crafts or operating long range anti-submarine patrols in World War Two. A great many people think that the Navy operated the 'Brown Water Navy' in Vietnam when in fact it was a Coast Guard operation. In the first Gulf War, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutters were active in mine sweeping operations.

The Revenue Cutter Service began in 1790 after the Revolutionary War to board ships entering U.S. waters to inspect shipments and collect tariffs. The U.S. Life-Saving Service was started in 1848 to rescue persons endangered on the seas and waterways of America. Woodrow Wilson merged these two services into the U.S. Coast Guard Service in 1915. In the 92 years the Coast Guard has been transfer from one department having served under the Department of the Interior, the Department of Transportation, alway under the Department of Defense in time of war.

Answer 5

The Coast Guard is a world class branch of military service. As in they are the best. Just because their primary mission is not exclusively combat related does not mean they are second rate. In fact the US Coast Guard saves more American lives directly then all of the other services branches combined. They work overtime year after year protecting American water water ways and coasts from all sorts of threats.

So If were you I would be thankful that you live in nation with a Coast Guard as good as the US Coast Guard.

Answer 6

This explains it better than I...

The Coast Guard is currently a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), unlike the other branches of the military which are components of the Department of Defense.

The United States Coast Guard has a broad and important role in homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine environmental pollution response, and the maintenance of river, intracoastal and offshore aids to navigation (ATON). It also lays claim to being the United States' oldest continuous seagoing service. As of January 2005, The United States Coast Guard has about 39,000 men and women on active duty, 8,100 reservists, 7,000 full time civilian employees and 35,000 auxiliarists.

The Coast Guard's motto is Semper Paratus, meaning "Always Ready". USCG has participated in every U.S. conflict from landing troops on D-Day and on the Pacific Islands in World War II, extensive patrols and shore bombardment during the Vietnam War, to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maritime interception operations, coastal security patrols, and law enforcement detachments are the major roles in Iraq.

The legal basis for the Coast Guard is 14 U.S.C. § 1 which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." On February 25, 2003, the Coast Guard was placed under the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. However, under 14 U.S.C. § 3 as amended by section 211 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006, upon the declaration of war and when Congress so directs in the declaration, or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Defense as a service in the Department of the Navy. 14 U.S.C. § 2 authorizes the Coast Guard to enforce federal law. Further, the Coast Guard is not subject to the restrictions of the Posse Comitatus Act which restrict the law enforcement activities of the other four military services.

As members of a military service, Coast Guardsmen on active and reserve service are subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and receive the same pay and allowances as members of the same pay grades in the other four armed services.


Hope this helps. More if you click the link below.

Answer 7

Coast Guard is more of a Rescue force than a combat force, although they do protect the border waters. Coast Gaurd fits more along the lines of Firefighters, EMT's, and Policemen than Marines, Army soldiers, airmen, sailors, etc. However, interestingly enough, they are the only branch of the military that has the authority to legally arrest somebody here in the states.

Answer 8

Every branch has it's job to do and the Coast Guard does theirs very well. The Navy would have a hard time getting it's ships up the Ohio River.
The Guard has a very important and dangerous mission. They deserve the respect of all the other branches and the American people.

Answer 9

The Coast Guard does all sorts of work, from rescue/clean up operations across the country to raids against smugglers and pirates in the Caribbean. No other force would be suitable for a wide array of missions that could need vehicles available only to the military.

Answer 10

Coast Guard is one of those that doesn't get the spot light much, but when you need them, then you'll be thankful they are there.

The branch of a nation's armed forces that is responsible for coastal defense, protection of life and property at sea, and enforcement of customs, immigration, and navigation laws