United States Coast Guard

United States Coast Guard

The United States Coast Guard is a special part of the United States Armed Forces. It helps keep our oceans and rivers safe. The Coast Guard does many important jobs, like helping people in trouble at sea and making sure boats follow the rules.

The Coast Guard works all around the world. They travel to international waters and help during big storms or emergencies. They also work close to home, keeping an eye on our coastlines.

What They Do

The Coast Guard has three main jobs:

• Maritime safety: Making sure boats and ships are safe.
• Maritime security: Keeping an eye out for any problems at sea.
• Maritime stewardship: Taking care of our oceans and rivers.

They are very good at search and rescue. When someone gets lost at sea, the Coast Guard rushes in to help. They have special airplanes and helicopters to find people far away.

Their Tools

The Coast Guard has many boats and ships. Some are big cutters, like the National Security Cutter, and others are small boats that work close to shore. They also have airplanes and helicopters for missions over the water.

Here are some of their boats:

• National Security Cutter (WMSL): Big ships that can do many jobs.
• Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC): Helps with law and safety at sea.
• Polar-class icebreaker (WAGB): Breaks through ice for research and rescue.

And some of their airplanes:

• HC-130J Hercules: A big plane for long search missions.
• MH-60T Jayhawk: A helicopter for saving people far from shore.

Their Values

The Coast Guard believes in three important values:

• Honor: Doing what is right.
• Respect: Treating everyone fairly.
• Devotion to Duty: Working hard to keep everyone safe.

These values guide everything they do. The Coast Guard’s motto is “Semper Paratus,” which means “Always Ready.”

Fun Fact

Did you know the Coast Guard has its own flag? It has red and white stripes with a blue corner that shows the U.S. coat of arms. This flag flies on every Coast Guard ship to show who they are.

The Coast Guard is always there, ready to help, no matter where you are or what time it is. They make sure our waters are safe for everyone.