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When you join the Coast Guard Auxiliary, you could find yourself saving lives, protecting the environment from pollution, or educating the public about recreational boating safety. Today's Coast Guard Auxiliary, with nearly 30,000 members, is a unique force that carries out an array of responsibilities touching almost every facet of the U.S. maritime environment.
The Auxiliary's overarching mission is to contribute to the safety and security of our citizens, ports, waterways, and coastal regions, promoting recreational boating safety and providing support to the active duty Coast Guard.
Flotilla 25-1 conducts a number of activities in support of our recreational boating safety and operational support missions:
Vessel Safety Checks. We train and certify vessel examiners who perform vessel safety checks (VSCs) on recreational vessels. We perform these checks free of charge, with no consequence to the boat owner/operator if they don't pass. Our flotilla conducts regular vessel examination days during the boating season at local marinas and boat launches. For more information about vessel safety checks, see the Auxiliary's national Vessel Safety Checks website. Or, if you'd like to request that a member of of flotilla perform a vessel safety check for you, please send us a message using the Contact Us form.
Boating Safety Courses. Flotilla 25-1 has several certified instructors who teach boating safety courses to the local community during the boating season. We offer a variety of courses for boaters at all skill and experience levels.
Watchstander. Becoming a watchstander is one of the best ways to provide direct support to the active duty Coast Guard. By qualifying at Coast Guard Station Washington, you can serve (at your convenience) as a radio watchstander. As a watchstander, you will volunteer at the station and monitor for radio calls of assistance. You will maintain communications with any Coast Guard boats underway, and answer the station's telephones. If a mayday call comes in, you will handle the communications.
Boat Crew. The Coast Guard Auxiliary also trains interested members to participate in surface operations as boat crew members and coxswains. Boat crews patrol local waterways in Auxiliarist-owned vessels to promote boating safety and provide assistance to boaters in distress.
Much more! The Auxiliary has many more opportunities to promote recreational boating safety and support the Coast Guard's mission. Some members work with local vendors and marinas to ensure they have supplies of boating safety literature. Some work in public affairs, promoting boating safety at local community events. Others qualify to support air operations, or as chefs who support local Coast Guard units. Human resources, information systems, finance, legal, and more are all missions inside the Auxiliary. There's a place for you at One Washington!
How to Join
If you're interested in learning more about the Coast Guard Auxiliary or would like to join our flotilla, please click the "Contact Us" link on the menu to your left. There, you will find the Flotilla email address, along with the current FSO-HR contact information. One of the best ways to find out more about our flotilla is to schedule a visit to one of our monthly meetings. Guests and prospective members are always welcome. See our "Meeting Schedule" page to find out when our next meeting will be held.