Posted on Apr 5, 2018
Albeit under the DHS, does the U.S. Coast Guard get enough credit as a military force?
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Disparaged as the "Baby Navy", as I understand it, they were originally military, then switched to the Dept of Transportation (WTF?) and now under Homeland Security and it appears to me they do a great job from coast security, policing, rescue operations, etc. I don't think I've ever seen one of those "Thank the troops" commercials with USCG personnel.
Coast Guard
Appreciation
Military service
Military Career
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 21
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Do they get enough credit? No. Should they? Absolutely.
I know they piloted the landing crafts at Normandy. As I understand it, once the feds were allowed to go in after Katrina, the CG was told to fly only eight hour missions for crew rest concerns. The CG Admiral on scene saluted smartly, did an about face, then told his aircrews to fly the rotors off.
They're in as far as I'm concerned.
I know they piloted the landing crafts at Normandy. As I understand it, once the feds were allowed to go in after Katrina, the CG was told to fly only eight hour missions for crew rest concerns. The CG Admiral on scene saluted smartly, did an about face, then told his aircrews to fly the rotors off.
They're in as far as I'm concerned.
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LCDR Keith Trepanier
That is not entirely true. We (the CG) did not have to wait to be allowed to go in after Katrina. We were already there and started to conduct missions 24/7 as soon as the hurricane passed. We were never limited on crew rest issues by anyone but ourselves. Our air crews stationed in New Orleans looked like zombies after a couple of days because they wouldn't stop flying despite not knowing if their families were safe or if their homes were still standing. Their air station was flooded and they had no power for days. They only stopped temporarily to sleep on cots in flooded bunk rooms and hallways. I was a pilot stationed in Mobile, AL at the time. We had it much easier as we had homes to go home to when we needed rest. We didn't have power either but they were dry.
The DoD aircrews finally showed up in force about three days later. They hijacked our communications frequencies and created this weird grid system we were supposed to follow. This is where we told them to pack sand. We hand search areas landing areas already established and had been going rooftop to roof top since the beginning. So we knew what we had already done and how we were going to move forward. We did have to check in when arriving in the area but when the AWACS would call and tell us we were to go search "grid A1" or something similar we simply told them where we were actually going to go and sometimes told them where they could go. After a couple of days, they got the hint and wouldn't bother us.
The DoD aircrews finally showed up in force about three days later. They hijacked our communications frequencies and created this weird grid system we were supposed to follow. This is where we told them to pack sand. We hand search areas landing areas already established and had been going rooftop to roof top since the beginning. So we knew what we had already done and how we were going to move forward. We did have to check in when arriving in the area but when the AWACS would call and tell us we were to go search "grid A1" or something similar we simply told them where we were actually going to go and sometimes told them where they could go. After a couple of days, they got the hint and wouldn't bother us.
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SSgt (Join to see)
LCDR Keith Trepanier - Thank you for clarifying, Lieutenant Commander. You're still in.
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MSG Davis, the CG is still military just has it always has been. It has never officially been in the DoD but they are still a military service.The CG has been under the operational control of Navy at some points but this was before the DoD was established in 1947.
The Coast Guard started off as the Revenue Cutter service under the Department of the Treasury on August 4th 1790. (Trivia note: The Navy disbanded after the revolutionary war and did not get reestablished until 1794 making the Coast Guard the oldest continuous sea going service in the U.S.)
The Revenue Cutter service merged with the US life saving service in 1915. Since then the service has been under the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security. It is a good thing by the way. The Coast Guard is able to do so much more in law enforcement actions than any branch in the DoD.
Do they get enough credit as a military force? Depends on what we are trying to credit the service with? I served 10 years in the Army and 15 years in the Coast Guard. I can most assuredly tell you that if you were looking at "military might" or the ability to be an attacking force, the CG isn't even in the game. If we are comparing how much each service sucks (deployment conditions and locations), I can assure you the Coast Guard has it pretty good. However, if you are looking at dedication by its sailors to serve their country, their professionalism and skills at their jobs, as well as their willingness to go into harms way and get the job done, then most don't even know the half of it. Because of that the service doesn't always get the credit deserved. But they still quietly go about their jobs every day ensuring the safety of citizens and protecting the country.
The Coast Guard started off as the Revenue Cutter service under the Department of the Treasury on August 4th 1790. (Trivia note: The Navy disbanded after the revolutionary war and did not get reestablished until 1794 making the Coast Guard the oldest continuous sea going service in the U.S.)
The Revenue Cutter service merged with the US life saving service in 1915. Since then the service has been under the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security. It is a good thing by the way. The Coast Guard is able to do so much more in law enforcement actions than any branch in the DoD.
Do they get enough credit as a military force? Depends on what we are trying to credit the service with? I served 10 years in the Army and 15 years in the Coast Guard. I can most assuredly tell you that if you were looking at "military might" or the ability to be an attacking force, the CG isn't even in the game. If we are comparing how much each service sucks (deployment conditions and locations), I can assure you the Coast Guard has it pretty good. However, if you are looking at dedication by its sailors to serve their country, their professionalism and skills at their jobs, as well as their willingness to go into harms way and get the job done, then most don't even know the half of it. Because of that the service doesn't always get the credit deserved. But they still quietly go about their jobs every day ensuring the safety of citizens and protecting the country.
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I mean some of them are the first ones on boats suspected of pretty heinous things, climbing up a ladder with only a pistol.
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they are definitely unique compared to the other services. A military / law enforcement mission
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I’m one of the first to kid the Coasties, but respect the hell out of them for what they do daily. A little research will tell one of the great job they did in Vietnam. From a blue water sailor.
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Ive worked with them in the past and at least among other services people respect them the same as other services. Idk about the general public though
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I would guess the reason for being moved to homeland security it they have arrest and detain powers that are not given to other branches of the military. I know the Coast Guard gets teased allot but their mission is very critical to this countries security.
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I worked with them, did counter drug ops with them. They have my utmost respect.
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Having worked hand in hand with Coast Guardsmen both as a Combat Systems and damage control instructor, and on law enforcement operations, I will stand up and testify that these guys are the real deal!
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PO1 Wesley Jolly
I still engage in service rivalry, talking about puddle pirates, and asking if the life raft locker is really filled with hip waders, but that is all good natured ribbing, in a pinch a sailor is a sailor, and we stick todether
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The USCG does catch a lot of flak but I think that a lot of us in "real" services probably couldn't do a lot of the things the "puddle pirates" do.
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SPC David Willis
I went on a cruise for my honeymoon and they escorted us out into open waters with an M60. I got a kick out of that while my wife looked at me like a loser.
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LCDR Keith Trepanier
You have to be at least six feet to join the Coast Guard so you can walk to shore if the ship sinks. Yep, heard them all.
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LCDR Keith Trepanier
Just remember, the U.S. Coast Guard is the reason there are so many cute kids on Navy bases.
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