The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Created by an Act of Congress in 1939, the Auxiliary directly supports the Coast Guard in all missions, except military and law enforcement actions. The Coast Guard’s philosophy is to be SEMPER PARATUS (ALWAYS READY) against all threats and all hazards. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is an integral part of that philosophy and the Coast Guard Forces.

We conduct safety patrols on local waterways, assist the Coast Guard with homeland security duties, teach boating safety classes, conduct free vessel safety checks for the public, as well as many other activities. The Auxiliary has members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, at least 17 years old, and pass a basic check. There are no upper age limits or height/weight standards, although for operational activities, you must be physically able to perform certain tasks. There are no minimum service hours – you can serve as little or as much as you want.

You do not have to own a boat or participate in water-based operations to join the Auxiliary. Finally, the Auxiliary supports its members through local unit meetings, education and training, regional conferences and enjoys heartfelt fellowship with each other.

The Winthrop Harbor Flotilla meets every third Wednesday of the month via Zoom at 6:00 pm. We welcome new members. If you would like further information or to join one of our meetings, please contact Lennine Occhino at [email protected].