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AN INTRODUCTION to the AUXILIARY UNIVERSITY PROGRAM
By JeanneMarie C. McNamara, PA1
Former Director of Student Programs,
USCG Auxiliary
Less than half of that number will come from The Coast Guard Academy (New London,
CT) graduates annually. The Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) strives to
be the preeminent source for the remaining 250 plus officer candidates needed each year.
The AUP is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary-managed initiative established in 2007.
Today the program has nearly 300 members in 15 formal units (“Brick and Mortar’) or the
Remote Collaborative unit representing more than 50 colleges and universities across the United
States.
The mission of the AUP is to provide a continuous resource of well-trained viable officer
candidates which can develop into career officers in the United States Coast Guard or
similar service agency, without the commitment of an ROTC Program.
The United States Coast Guard has an ever-increasing need for officer candidates not only
for Surface and Air Operations, but for Environmental Protection, Marine Science, Legal,
Medical, Marine Safety, Engineering, Facilities Management, Humanitarian Assistance
and Homeland Security just to name a few of the career paths open to successful AUP
program graduates.
The AUP offers college students multiple levels of training culminating with an Active-
Duty Coast Guard Internship placement program and AUP Graduate status once the
program courses are successfully completed per the AUP Program of Study. AUP draws
its leadership philosophy from the active duty Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary,
and students are guided by the AUP’s Leadership and Management Guide during their
AUP participation.
The AUP program prepares undergraduate and graduate students for future public service inside and outside of the Coast Guard. The AUP provides college students the opportunity to gain
boating education, to learn about homeland security, and to gain operational leadership
experience. The AUP has a positive track record of getting a large number of its graduates each
year into Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. Members graduating from AUP and choosing
to enlist are automatically promotable to E-3 pay grade/rank upon successful completion of
Basic Training at TRACEN Cape May, NJ.
Overview
AUP programs are on university campuses and are organized as detachments of nearby Auxiliary flotillas. Students complete "basic auxiliary programs" training curriculum taught by local
auxiliarists and older students. To join the AUP a student enrolled in any accredited American
college or university has to first be a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and then they are
eligible to apply to the AUP. The Academics of the AUP are determined by two categories of
progression, Junior Status and Senior Status. All incoming students are put in Junior Status, and
they must complete all 100 level courses in order to advance to Senior Status in which they
complete one specialized 200 level course and one specialized 300 level course in order to finish
the academic portion of the AUP. In addition, students must earn six credits worth of
qualifications in order to be eligible to be considered an AUP Graduate – all of these courses are
outlined in the Program of Study (POS) that the students follow. The POS is updated regularly to
reflect the current and anticipated needs of the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland
Security.
The AUP also allows students to "Graduate with Distinction" which has additional requirements including a Leadership Capstone Project and passing the Coast Guard fitness test.
Internship program The AUP internship program is available to students in Senior Status. The application process requires the member to apply on the AUP Website with a personal statement and all of the required supporting materials. The program is operated by an Internship Program Manager. The program can place students at Coast Guard Headquarters and other operational or mission support units across the United States or virtually. Depending on what a student does they could be eligible to receive academic credits, the student is advised to work with their college or
university ahead of time to ensure they get academic credit.
Additional training opportunities
The Coast Guard Auxiliary provides an opportunity for
AUP Members to take Incident Command System
(ICS) courses through FEMA's Emergency
Management Institute (EMI) and additional training
opportunities through the Auxiliary Learning
Management System.
(Emergency Management Institute, Maryland)
Center for Homeland Defense and Security Courses
Another training opportunity for Auxiliarists is that they may register and participate in
the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security Self Study Courses.
As of 2019, over 10 online courses are available.
Types of AUP Units
Remote Collaborative Unit (RCU)
The Auxiliary University Programs Remote Collaborative Unit was created for students
interested in participating in the AUP that don't have a “Brick and Mortar” campus presence at
their school. Through cooperation with a nearby flotilla, students can further develop operational
and leadership skills. Auxiliarists enrolled at any accredited American college or university are
welcome to join. Approximately half of the students enrolled in the program participate in this
type of program and represent nearly 50 colleges across the country.
“Brick and Mortar” Units – These types of AUP units’ function much like an ROTC unit on a
college campus without the binding contract to serve in the Coast Guard upon graduation. See
the link to see these units on a US map.
AUP Schools -
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1opwGrRyis3rpRVQtvmrqSS9hMc8NhG8&usp=s
haring
Military colleges and academies
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Norwich University
Texas A&M University
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
University of North Georgia
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Tech
State-supported, maritime colleges
California State University Maritime Academy
Maine Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
State University of New York Maritime College
Texas A&M Maritime Academy
Other colleges
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
Elizabeth City State University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
REFERENCES:
https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=S-DEPT
https://www.cgauxedu.us/
https://www.maritime.edu/military/CGAUP
https://www.vmi.edu/cadet-life/clubs-and-activities/coast-guard-aup/
By JeanneMarie C. McNamara, PA1
Former Director of Student Programs,
USCG Auxiliary
Currently the United States Coast Guard looks to commission 500 new officers each year
Less than half of that number will come from The Coast Guard Academy (New London,
CT) graduates annually. The Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) strives to
be the preeminent source for the remaining 250 plus officer candidates needed each year.
The AUP is a United States Coast Guard Auxiliary-managed initiative established in 2007.
Today the program has nearly 300 members in 15 formal units (“Brick and Mortar’) or the
Remote Collaborative unit representing more than 50 colleges and universities across the United
States.
The mission of the AUP is to provide a continuous resource of well-trained viable officer
candidates which can develop into career officers in the United States Coast Guard or
similar service agency, without the commitment of an ROTC Program.
The United States Coast Guard has an ever-increasing need for officer candidates not only
for Surface and Air Operations, but for Environmental Protection, Marine Science, Legal,
Medical, Marine Safety, Engineering, Facilities Management, Humanitarian Assistance
and Homeland Security just to name a few of the career paths open to successful AUP
program graduates.
The AUP offers college students multiple levels of training culminating with an Active-
Duty Coast Guard Internship placement program and AUP Graduate status once the
program courses are successfully completed per the AUP Program of Study. AUP draws
its leadership philosophy from the active duty Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary,
and students are guided by the AUP’s Leadership and Management Guide during their
AUP participation.
The AUP program prepares undergraduate and graduate students for future public service inside and outside of the Coast Guard. The AUP provides college students the opportunity to gain
boating education, to learn about homeland security, and to gain operational leadership
experience. The AUP has a positive track record of getting a large number of its graduates each
year into Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. Members graduating from AUP and choosing
to enlist are automatically promotable to E-3 pay grade/rank upon successful completion of
Basic Training at TRACEN Cape May, NJ.
Overview
AUP programs are on university campuses and are organized as detachments of nearby Auxiliary flotillas. Students complete "basic auxiliary programs" training curriculum taught by local
auxiliarists and older students. To join the AUP a student enrolled in any accredited American
college or university has to first be a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and then they are
eligible to apply to the AUP. The Academics of the AUP are determined by two categories of
progression, Junior Status and Senior Status. All incoming students are put in Junior Status, and
they must complete all 100 level courses in order to advance to Senior Status in which they
complete one specialized 200 level course and one specialized 300 level course in order to finish
the academic portion of the AUP. In addition, students must earn six credits worth of
qualifications in order to be eligible to be considered an AUP Graduate – all of these courses are
outlined in the Program of Study (POS) that the students follow. The POS is updated regularly to
reflect the current and anticipated needs of the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland
Security.
The AUP also allows students to "Graduate with Distinction" which has additional requirements including a Leadership Capstone Project and passing the Coast Guard fitness test.
Internship program The AUP internship program is available to students in Senior Status. The application process requires the member to apply on the AUP Website with a personal statement and all of the required supporting materials. The program is operated by an Internship Program Manager. The program can place students at Coast Guard Headquarters and other operational or mission support units across the United States or virtually. Depending on what a student does they could be eligible to receive academic credits, the student is advised to work with their college or
university ahead of time to ensure they get academic credit.
Additional training opportunities
The Coast Guard Auxiliary provides an opportunity for
AUP Members to take Incident Command System
(ICS) courses through FEMA's Emergency
Management Institute (EMI) and additional training
opportunities through the Auxiliary Learning
Management System.
(Emergency Management Institute, Maryland)
Center for Homeland Defense and Security Courses
Another training opportunity for Auxiliarists is that they may register and participate in
the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security Self Study Courses.
As of 2019, over 10 online courses are available.
Types of AUP Units
Remote Collaborative Unit (RCU)
The Auxiliary University Programs Remote Collaborative Unit was created for students
interested in participating in the AUP that don't have a “Brick and Mortar” campus presence at
their school. Through cooperation with a nearby flotilla, students can further develop operational
and leadership skills. Auxiliarists enrolled at any accredited American college or university are
welcome to join. Approximately half of the students enrolled in the program participate in this
type of program and represent nearly 50 colleges across the country.
“Brick and Mortar” Units – These types of AUP units’ function much like an ROTC unit on a
college campus without the binding contract to serve in the Coast Guard upon graduation. See
the link to see these units on a US map.
AUP Schools -
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1opwGrRyis3rpRVQtvmrqSS9hMc8NhG8&usp=s
haring
Military colleges and academies
United States Merchant Marine Academy
Norwich University
Texas A&M University
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
University of North Georgia
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Tech
State-supported, maritime colleges
California State University Maritime Academy
Maine Maritime Academy
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
State University of New York Maritime College
Texas A&M Maritime Academy
Other colleges
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)
Elizabeth City State University
Franciscan University of Steubenville
REFERENCES:
https://wow.uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=S-DEPT
https://www.cgauxedu.us/
https://www.maritime.edu/military/CGAUP
https://www.vmi.edu/cadet-life/clubs-and-activities/coast-guard-aup/