USCG Auxiliary Timeline

Significant Dates

1789

Lighthouse Service created in Treasury Department.

 

1790

Revenue Cutter Service created in Treasury Department.

 

1838

Steamboat Inspection Service created in Justice Department.

 

1848

Life-Saving Service created in Treasury Department.

 

Bureau of Navigation formed in Treasury Department.

 

1852

Steamboat Inspection Service transferred from Justice Department to Treasury Department.

 

1903

Lighthouse Service and Steamboat Inspection Service merge in the Department of Commerce.

 

1915

Revenue Cutter Service and Life-Saving Service merge to form the Coast Guard in the Treasury Department.

 

Coast Guard serves under the Navy in WWII.

 

1917

Coast Guard transferred back to the Treasury Department.

 

1932

Steamboat Inspection Service merged with Bureau of Navigation merged to form the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection and transferred from Treasury Department to the Department of Commerce..

 

1939

Lighthouse Service merged into the Coast Guard from Department of Commerce.

 

Legislation passed to form Coast Guard Reserve to promote recreational boating safety and facilitate the operations of the Coast Guard.

 

1941

Legislation passed changing name of Reserve to Auxiliary and creating military reserve; provisions made for temporary Reservists.

 

Coast Guard transferred to Navy Department control.

 

1942

Amendment to 1941 law to allow temporary Reservists to serve on a full/part-time intermittent basis, with or without pay; recruitment begun "aggressively."

 

Integrated Army-Navy-Coast Guard coastal patrol system established consisting of mounted, foot, canine and afloat patrols.

 

Volunteer Port Security Force Units established; first in Philadelphia.

 

Coastal Picket Force established: seaworthy vessels assigned to stations of Interceptor Command System's 15 nautical square mile grids along 50-fathom curve of Atlantic

 

Enrollment of women temporary Reservists authorized in Nov. 23, 1942 Amendment to Reserve and Auxiliary act that created the CG SPARs. (Women's Reserve); women Auxiliarists may enroll if meet same qualifications.

 

Physically fit temporary Reservists required to enroll fulltime in active duty Reserves, or remain part-time or full-time without pay in the "TRs" or separate from service.

 

Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was transferred from the Department of Commerce to the Coast Guard for the duration of the war. The change was made permanent in 1946. This is the beginning of the Marine Safety Offices (MSO).

 

1943

Women temporary Reserve organization formed largely for service in Volunteer Port Security Force (VPSF) units; headed by Mrs. Anita P. Clothier of Valley Forge, PA; later assigned to Divisions and Flotillas.

 

1945

PL-451 passed to allow aircraft and radio as facilities.

 

Auxiliary membership was 67,533, and 53,214 men and women (most of them Auxiliarists) served as temporary members of the Reserve.

 

1946

Coast Guard returned to Treasury Department with the end of WWII.

 

Washington Conference of District Directors and Commander decide: facility ownership reestablished as membership requirement or those who "by reason of...special training or experience" were "deemed by the Commandant to be qualified for membership in the Auxiliary." and Public education and Courtesy Marine Examinations established as priorities.

 

CG-170, "Instruction to Coast Guard Auxiliary" first Auxiliary manual.

 

1947

National launch of Courtesy Motorboat (later Marine) Examination (CME) program.

 

After pruning the rolls and encouraging the disenrollment of inactive members the Auxiliary membership was 24,273

 

1948

National launch of Public Education (PE) program.

 

First Auxiliary pilot qualified, beginning of formal Auxiliary Aviation program.

   

Around 1948 the 10th District (Greater Antilles) is disestablished and consolidated with the 7th. (Source: "Breeze", "Old Stuff", page 11).

 

1950

First 8 lesson boating safety course.

 

1951

National Auxiliary organization created, first National Conference, first NACO, Bert Pouncey, elected.

 

1952

AuxOp (Auxiliary Operational Specialist) program created.

 

1953

First CME Manual.

 

Auxiliary membership has declined to 16,106 members.

 

1955

Academy Activity Week begun. This would begun the Academy Introduction Mission (AIM).

 

1958

Creation of Auxiliary National Board Inc. (NBI). The name would later change to the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association, Inc.

 

First National Safe Boating Week.

 

1959

First operations manual/training course.

 

First publication of a national magazine, the Blue Ensign.

 

1960

Due to a conflict with a national boating magazine column the Blue Ensign is renamed "U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary National Publication".

 

1961

First public education manual published.

 

First publication of the new National magazine, the Navigator.

 

1962

Chart Updating program begun with NOAA.

 

1966

Auxiliary Executive Committee (ExComm) formed.

 

1967

Coast Guard transferred to the new Department of Transportation (DOT).

 

New Auxiliary Manual 305 promulgated; issued January 1968.

 

1968

Blue Ensign adopted as ensign and emblem.

 

National reorganization. 29 new staff members and 4 new departments, Comptroller, Public Relations, Operations, and Education, created.

 

Instructor rating established and new requirements for CME qualification.

 

1969

Boating Skills & Seamanship required for membership.

 

1971

New Boating Safety Act passed; Auxiliary begins operations in sole state waters under requirements for states to submit safe boating plan.

 

First sailing class introduced.

 

1972

Water 'n Kids course initiated.

 

Auxiliary takes over 7 small boat stations on Great Lakes.

 

1974

National Staff Departments added.

 

Beginning of AuxMIS (later to become AuxData/AuxInfo) and computerization.

 

1975

Auxiliary adopts "Bender Blues" uniform.

 

Flotilla Goal Attainment Program (GAP) started.

 

1979

Bolling Douglas elected first woman District Commodore in D7.

 

Auxiliary membership passes 46,000 members.

 

1984

Boat Crew Qualification Program and Qualification Examiners (QE) established.

 

1987

Auxiliary districts reorganized into regions.

 

Dr. Ramon N. Williams becomes first African-American District Commodore (2WR).

 

Due to rising standards and declining opportunities to be of service Auxiliary membership declines to 39,144.

 

1988

Commercial Fishing Vessel Act passed.

 

1989

Coast Guard Maritime SAR Assistance Policy (MSAP, aka "Come Upon Policy') hammered out jointly with representatives of the towing industry.

 

Auxiliary receives the Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation in recognition of the 200^th anniversary of the CG.

 

1990

Basic Coastal Navigation (BCN) course introduced.

 

1991

Many coxswain tasks switched to Vessel Operators.

 

Public safety light authorized.

 

1992

Auxiliarists authorized to qualify as CG recruiters.

 

New Basic Qualification (BQ) course.

 

National dial-up Auxiliary "Bulletin Board".

 

National Press Corps created.

 

Boating Safely, a new short course, introduced jointly with USPS.

 

Sew-on nametapes approved.

 

1993

First jet skis used in Auxiliary surface operations.

 

Auxiliary receives Coast Guard Unit Commendation award.

 

Commercial Fishing Vessel Examination (CFVE) program introduced.

 

1994

New Instructor Qualification Course introduced (greater emphasis on lesson plans and actual presentation)

 

New AUXLEA course introduced

 

Elimination of GAP awards and Air Observer/Pilot Ribbon (latter replaced by wings and Operations ribbon)

 

All numerals, letters, anchors and Xs removed from ribbons and replaced with stars

 

Auxiliary Boat Crew Manual replaced by the Auxiliary Boat Crew Seamanship Manual (shorter, one volume, but available only in limited supply)

 

1995

Auxiliary receives the Secretary (DOT) Outstanding Unit Award - originally called the Gold Medal Award.

 

National Bulletin Board now accessible via the Internet (in addition to toll-free and toll phone calls)

 

QE handbook introduced

 

Chart Update/ATON Study Guide introduced

 

Expanded duties for Auxiliarists in the Coast Guard's ATON program

 

CGAUX/CAP MOU signed

 

PWC authorized for patrols

 

PWC safety check decal introduced

 

New Boat Crew Training and Qualification Manual issued (much greater emphasis on training and quality of performance, minor reduction in number of tasks)

 

Prototype Auxiliary website comes online

 

New annual currency/five year requirements (8 hours, 4 tasks)

 

Revised Operations Policy Manual issued (COMDTINST M16798.3D)

 

In effect, termination of the existing Coxswain qualification and renaming Vessel Operators "Coxswains"

 

Expedited BQ process

 

1996

Coast Guard Auxiliary Act passes the Congress. Authorizes Auxiliary to assist the Coast Guard in any mission, except military operations and direct law enforcement, authorized by the Commandant; ends boat ownership requirement for membership. This statement often appears in the histories. Since the end of WWII, radio and plane ownership as well as those possessing special skills were eligible for membership in the Auxiliary.

 

1997

Auxiliary Member Forum starts.

 

1998

Hot Weather Boat Crew Outfit authorized.

 

Auxiliary membership after a long decline, bottoms out at 32,780 members.

 

1999

Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary signed outlining intention to cooperate on training exercises and SAR cases.

 

Trident program announced at N-Train (Jan) or NACON (August).

 

End of year deadline for Vessel Operators to upgrade to coxswain or revert to Boat Crew qualified.

 

Auxiliary receives the Coast Guard Unit Commendation in recognition of its 60^th anniversary.

 

Auxiliary 2-way email nets shut down due to abuse.

 

Tilley hat (sun hat) and VE golf style shirt authorized.

 

All workshops made voluntary by ChDirAux.

 

New Auxiliary Air Crew qualification and device.

 

2000

Courtesy Marine Examination (CME) program changed to Vessel Safety Check (VSC) program. USPS joins the Auxiliary in the program as partners.

 

New Annual Service Performance Awards announced. These replace the long discontinued AMOS (Auxiliary Management Objectives System) awards. The AMOS awards had much earlier replaced the GAP awards.

 

2001

September 11 attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon. Nation wide call-out of the Auxiliary.

 

Announcement of Operation Patriot Readiness. 40% of the Auxiliary never returns the data collection forms.

 

The USCG Auxiliary Discussion board on military.com is launched. It is the first unofficial board to meet with any success.

 

Roll-out of the Trident Program, announced in 1999 begins at NACON in August.

 

The roll out of the new AuxNav is a disaster and is quickly replaced by AuxACN.

 

Introduction of America's Boating Course (ABC) with USPS.

 

2002

Coast Guard Unit Commendation awarded August 2002, O device authorized for Auxiliary participation in post-9/11/01 call-out.

 

President Bush signs legislation creating the Department of Homeland Secuirty.

 

01 February - the Auxiliary Member Forum is temporarily closed.

 

February - the Auxiliary HalfDeck Forum on Delphi is started becoming the second unofficial site to meet with any success.

 

19 May - the Auxiliary Member Forum is permanently closed.

 

Boat Force Operations Insignia is introduced.

 

Operations Workshop made mandatory again.

 

Auxiliary membership is 36,644 active members. The fifth consecutive year of growth.

 

2003

Department of Homeland Security established and the Coast Guard is transferred to it.

 

The new membership Security Policy is announced at the August NACON. Every Auxiliarist must be fingerprinted and 1/3 of the Auxiliary must get a NAC/LC - aka Deep Checked.

 

State Farm Insurance sponsors the VSC decal.

 

Announcement (several times) of OPR III.

 

Operational Dress Utility (ODU) uniform is announced. It replaces the Working Blue and Undress Blue Alpha and Bravo uniforms. Auxies should be eligible to purchase them in 4^th quarter 2004.

 

Public Education (Instructor) Workshop made mandatory again.

 

Personal Watercraft Operator (PWO) insignia announced.

 

Auxiliary Cutterman insignia announced.

 

Auxiliary membership is 36,096 and ends five consecutive years of growth.

 

2004

Still no announcement about a Recreational Boating Safety Insignia - our oldest mission.

 

2005

The Great Disenrollment of 2005. x% of the Auxiliary is disenrolled for failure to comply with the Security Policy.