Welcome to the District 8WR Web Site

D. Brock Stephens, District Commodore

Thank you for visiting the homepage of the 8th Western Rivers Region, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Our District, consisting of sixteen states which include Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming, as well as major portions of Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Tennessee and Wisconsin is the largest contiguous region in the Coast Guard and Auxiliary.  

The US Coast Guard Auxiliary, formed in 1939, is a uniformed, all-volunteer organization based originally upon improving the safety of citizens upon the waters of the United States. Our district membership consists of:

• over 1,100 volunteers
• in 58 flotillas and 4 detachments
• within 11 divisions

within the mentioned states above. Missions as authorized by the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard and borne out by dedicated Auxiliary members are a variety of water safety and marine environment protection missions ranging from public education, vessel safety checks, communications as well as safety patrols by boat and air along with many other missions whereby the Auxiliarist serves side by side with their active duty counterpart in times of national need.

Congress established the Coast Guard Auxiliary to assist the Coast Guard in boater safety initially and has expanded that to any and all ways except military and direct law enforcement operations as the roles and needs expanded for the Coast Guard. At the flotilla level, the primary level of activity for members, the members provide:

• boating safety education through public education courses
• vessel safety checks
• recreational program visitor programs

as well as assist with:

• search and rescue
• communication missions
• conduct safety patrols
• support regattas and marine events
• and offer time and talents during times of national emergencies such as hurricanes and other severe weather events

Auxiliary volunteers played a prominent role by conducting post 9-11 Operation Noble Eagle maritime safety patrols and participating in other Coast Guard support missions. They are currently playing a key role in Operation Patriot Readiness III and in support of the many hurricanes that have battered the US in recent months and years.

Auxiliary membership is open to any citizen 17 years of age or older, who qualifies.  The amount of participation is a member's decision. Background checks are required. Training is free and novice boat owners can develop good seamanship skills as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary. However, boat ownership is not a prerequisite for Auxiliary membership and crew members, vessel examiners, public education instructors and other skills are needed. Many expenses associated with Auxiliary membership may be tax deductible. With new partnerships such as the Sea Scouts there are many more opportunities to participate in the missions of the Auxiliary to protect the citizens and the waters of the United States.

There are also opportunities to participate out of uniform by being a member of the Coast Guard Association, Inc. in the Associate Membership Program. Browse our website and learn more about us. You are welcome to visit any part of our website whether it is titled Public, Members or Director of the Auxiliary (DIRAUX). Select a link to enter the site for any of the three categories shown. If you need more information than is provided within our website, would like to join us in our efforts to support Homeland Security and promote boating safely, or wish to take advantage of the many services we offer, please feel free to contact us.