About the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
The Auxiliary was established in its present form in 1941 by the U.S. Congress as an unarmed, nonmilitary extension of the United States Coast Guard and has existed in one form or another since 1939.
Today, the 35,000 volunteer men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary are active on the waterways and classrooms in over 2,000 cities and towns across the nation. Each year, Auxiliarists (folks just like you) save almost 500 lives, assist some 15,000 boaters in distress, conduct more than 150,000 courtesy safety examinations of recreational vessels, and teach over 500,000 students in boating and water safety courses. The results of these efforts save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
The flotilla is the basic unit of the Auxiliary. The Flotilla Commander (FC) and Flotilla Vice Commander (VFC) are the top two Officers in the flotilla and they are elected by the membership. They, along with the Flotilla Staff Officers (FSOs, who are appointed by the Flotilla Commander) administer the flotilla activities.
Recreational Boating Safety as well as Operations and Marine Safety are our primary missions. Member Services are of extreme importance to support these missions. Fellowship (socializing) is the glue that holds these missions and the Auxiliary membership together. While "Fellowship" is an Auxiliary Cornerstone, it is not our primary purpose. Collectively, these are known as the "Four Cornerstones" and have served the Auxiliary and the U.S. Coast Guard well.
