United States Coast Guard Core Values header

The Coast Guard is America’s premier Maritime Law Enforcement Agency.

We are part of the Department of Homeland Security team protecting our nation and are at all times a military service and part of the joint force defending it.

For over 234 years, the American people have depended on our missions and the unique value the Coast Guard provides to assure our economic prosperity and national security. 

With our ships, aircraft, boats and nearly 55,000 military members and civilian employees, every day we:

Control the U.S. Border and Maritime Approaches

Protect America’s Ports and Waterways

Conduct Military Operations to Defend the Nation 

Save Lives

Enforce Federal Law 

Lead in National Emergencies

Maintain the Flow of Maritime Commerce to ensure America’s Economic Prosperity 

Commandant’s Initiatives

NEWSROOM

Coast Guard recognizes New York City as official Coast Guard City

LEADERSHIP

Photo of Graduates from recruit company India 198 graduate basic training from U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, Feb. 28, 2020.

OFFICIAL IMAGERY AND VIDEO

The Coast Gurad's only sail ship, the Barque Eagle, underway off the coast of Virginia.

Mariners

Petty Officer 1st Class Edgar Douglas, a marine science technician, shows his shipmate what to look for during an inspection aboard.

Recreational Boaters

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Gregg Pescuma, on a 29-foot Response Boat – Small II from Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg, surveys the waterway during Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup Championship Boat Parade, Tampa, Florida, July 12, 2021. The Coast Guard conducted the patrol in collaboration with its interagency partners to provide security, ensure the movement of vessels in the parade, and keep mariners safe during the celebration. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Lisa Ferdinando)

Join

Crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) stand at attention on the flight deck of the cutter in San Diego, December 6, 2023. The Waesche's crew will prepare to offload drugs interdicted in the Eastern Pacific during counter-narcotic patrols by Coast Guard cutters Active and Waesche, eliminating 8,264 Kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $239.7 million in value. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard Uranga)
FEATURED NEWS
Sept. 2, 2025

U.S. Coast Guard marks first expenditure of One Big Beautiful Bill Act f...

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard’s Facilities Design and Construction Center completed a contract modification with The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company Aug. 25 to remove up to 100 submerged concrete piles under the old Pier November at Base Charleston

Sept. 2, 2025

U.S. Coast Guard awards contract to modernize Base Seattle to enable Arc...

WASHINGTON — The Coast Guard’s Facilities Design and Construction Center (FDCC) awarded a contract Aug. 27 to The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company for the first phase of work that will ultimately result in homeporting future polar security cutters

Sept. 2, 2025

Coast Guard repatriates 191 aliens to Haiti

MIAMI – Coast Guard Cutter Spencer’s crew repatriated 191 aliens to Haiti, Tuesday, following an interdiction approximately 40 miles north of Cap Haitien, Haiti.  Spencer’s crew notified Coast Guard Southeast District watchstanders, Friday, of an

Aug. 25, 2025

Coast Guard achieves historic milestone with offload over 76,140 lbs. in...

MIAMI – The U.S. Coast Guard achieved a historic milestone with the offload of 76,140 pounds of illicit narcotics, valued at $473 million, marking the largest quantity of drugs offloaded in Coast Guard history, in Port Everglades, Monday.

Force Design 2028

Disaster Preparedness & Incident Response

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RESOURCES