Coast Guard Auxiliary Background
The primary mission of the Auxiliary is to foster the Coast Guard's mission of Recreational Boating Safety. This is carried-out by patrolling (by boat and aircraft), providing boating education classes, and performing recreational boat safety inspections.
In addition to that primary mission, members of the USCG Auxiliary may be trained to perform many of the functions of the active-duty Coast Guardsmen and women in order to be “force multipliers”. The only functions that Auxiliarists MAY NOT perform are law enforcement and military functions involving the carrying of firearms.