As the Rodney Dangerfield (RIP) of the military, the Coast Guard’s mission, feats and history are far less known and celebrated than those of the other services.
Among many other life-saving duties, here's what the Coast Guard does.
United States Coast Guard (USCG) branch of the armed forces of the United States. The USCG protects the public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests in the nation’s ports and waterways, along its coastlines, and in international waters. The organization consists of 36,000 active-duty men and women, 8,000 reservists, 32,000 auxiliary volunteers, and 6,300 civilian employees. In peacetime the USCG operates under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security. During times of war or by direction of the president, the USCG serves as part of the U.S. Navy and operates in any maritime region as required to protect national security. [SNIP]
The Coast Guard’s duties include ensuring the safety of recreational and commercial boaters in U.S. waters, protecting the country’s marine environment, and helping protect the nation’s ports and coastal areas from terrorist attack.
(All emphasis mine)
In other words, the Coasties are on the frontlines of that other theater of operations for Islamists—good work if they can get it—in the War on Terrorists.
So, if you run into a Coast Guardsman (or woman), don’t forget to thank him/her, buy lunch or an adult beverage of choice. They have our backs Over Here. You can see what they look like here. (Were the photo not in frames, I would have posted it.)
Thank you Coast Guard, and all the rest, for guarding us while we sleep. And thank you to all those who have wished me Happy Veteran's Day.
