Since its creation by Congress in 1939, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary (the Auxiliary) has served as the civilian, non-military, non-law enforcement component of the Coast Guard. Today, the 30,000 volunteer men and women of the Auxiliary are active on the waterways and classrooms in over 2,000 cities and towns across the nation.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, whose members are uniformed civilians with Geneva Convention rules of warfare status comparable to lieutenant commander up to vice admiral.
Auxiliarists are unique within the armed forces by serving as unpaid volunteers executing Coast Guard assigned duties to Coast Guard standards.
