About Us

Overview of the United States Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790 the Coast Guard has safeguarded our Nation's maritime interests and environment around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity and expansive partnerships provide a persistent presence along our rivers, in the ports, littoral regions and on the high seas. Coast Guard presence and impact is local, regional, national and international. These attributes make the Coast Guard a unique instrument of maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship.

On an Average Day, the Coast Guard...

• Saves 12 lives
• Responds to 64 search & rescue cases
• Keeps 842 pounds of cocaine off the streets
• Services 116 buoys & fixes 24 discrepancies
• Screens 720 commercial vessels & 183,000 crew & passengers
• Issues 173 credentials to merchant mariners
• Investigates 13 marine accidents
• Inspects 68 containers
• Inspects 29 vessels for compliance with air emissions standards
• Performs 28 safety & environmental examinations of foreign vessels
• Boards 13 fishing boats to ensure compliance with fisheries laws
• Responds and investigates 10 pollution incidents

Publications

• 
  Coast Guard Ethos
• 
  Coast Guard Snapshot (updated August 2011)
• 
  Publication 1 - U.S. Coast Guard: America's Maritime Guardian (May 2009)
• 
  USCG Posture Statement with Budget in Brief (February 2012)