The Coast Guard, a military service, is commanded by the Coast Guard commandant. The job is not easy at all and surely not for the faint heart in any case. They are constantly working to protect the nation’s ports, rescue missions, stopping illegal drug smugglers in their wrong endeavors, and pursuing all other rescue missions. Clearly, the U.S. Coast Guards do countless tasks that keep the U.S. waterways safe. If someone asks about the complete tasks of what a Coast Guard does, it cannot be defined in a single line.
Coast Guard – A Hero To the U.S. Waterways
The primary duty of the U.S. Coast Guard is to protect U.S. waterways, shorelines, and ports by enforcing U.S. laws. They act as a first responder. Coast Guard holds an essential value in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and is a primary part of the United States Armed Forces. Otherwise known as the military. The Coast Guard is a military branch and enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security.
They have also worked alongside with Department of Transportation as well as the Department of the Treasury. People may find it hard to differentiate between a Coast Guard and a Navy, but they are significantly different from one another.
A Coast Guard works within the U.S. and the waterways. On the contrary, the Navy needs its vessels, personnel and aircraft to travel worldwide. The operations of the Coast Guard are directed toward maritime law enforcement. And also protecting the U.S. shorelines and waterways.
On the other hand, the Navy is a bit dissimilar. It works on properly maintaining and managing a war-ready fleet and safeguarding the freedom of global seas.
Fleet Quantity
As the smallest military branch, Coast Guard usually consists of 41,700 active-duty service members. The number of part-time workers is 7,800, civilians 8,300, and auxiliary Coast Guard volunteers about 31,000.
Becoming A Coast Guard
Becoming a Coast Guard is indeed highly challenging. Similar to other divisions of the military, the process starts with talking to a recruiter. Once the pre-screening process is completed, the new applicants are sent to the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Center) location to perform the evaluation.
It takes several days of resting, medical screening and performing the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery). The minimum score of the enlisted recruits is at least 40. It is important to pass all the preliminary testing and give one final test to become a successful Coast Guard.
Takeaway
Amidst all the heavy responsibilities that come with being a coast guard, we shouldn’t forget the significant role of the Coast Guard and the sacrifices that comes with it. The stories of war and how the U.S. has played a crucial role throughout are worth knowing. If you want to read a book on something similar, it’s time you pick up Buried Memories by Scott A. Pellerito.