I'm not sure if you are aware of this or not but you totally left out a branch on military night. The Coast Guard is a branch of the military. I am very upset that they were not included in this night. I guess maybe the reason is that the Navy, Marines, Airforce and Army all train for their jobs everyday and the Coast Guard is actually DOING their job everyday so they were just too busy to be involved!

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Why was the Coast Guard not a part of "Military Night". Anyone know of a reason? Or a way to find out why they were left out? I would like to think an organization like NBC would know how many branches of the "Military" there are.

Brenda K....are you in coast guard????
to answer Old Coastie's question...
The Coast Guard is no longer considered part of the U.S. Military. They are now considered part of HOME SECURITY....
Therefore, I hope Brenda K is not part of the Coast Guard because if she was, she WOULD KNOW THAT, instead of posting such an unprofessional and ignorant comment.

Oh and by the way...serving in Iraq was one of the prerequisites... and the COAST GUARD does not deploy downrange.

ARMY, O-3

Capt,

I think it is you that needs to check their facts. Now, as an O-3 (Capt) that tells me that you're still green behind the ears, you have the "potential" to still learn something new. If this still goes way over your head after the end of my e-mail, then talk to your C.O. tomorrow and I'm sure he'll shed some light on "your" ignorance. Even better, ask your Command Sergeant Major tomorrow. He'll give you the straight skinny and then give you a good kick in your *** for even opening your green mouth.

The Coast Guard is the 5th armed service, regardless of what goverment department they might be in. Check the facts about federal laws that were passed during the "Reconstruction Era" after the Civil War and you'll understand why we're not in DOD. It is because we enforce Federal Law, which no DOD agency can do in peace time. Nothing changed when we went over to DHS, other than us FINALLY getting long needed money to do what we've been doing for over 216 years.

The Coast Guard, under one name or another, has been around since 1790 and has been in business continuously since. The Navy can't even claim that. Yeah, they might have been formed in 1775, but they were disbanded after the Revolutionary War. Alexander Hamilton created the Revenue Cutter Service (forerunning to the Coast Guard) in 1790 to collect revenue from ships that were bringing goods to our new country. Ask the Navy who taught them how to sail the USS Constitution after it had its multi-million dollar overhaul. They hadn't sailed a masted ship in so long, they asked us for help. Hmmm, the Coast Guard has a masted ship as a training vessel. It is called the U.S Coast Guard Barque "Eagle." It is homeported in New London, CT, the home of our Academy. Yes, where they make officers from the ground up and get them a 4 year diploma. And... it's harder to get into than West Point.

I have been "Active Duty" since 1985, thus a 20+ year veteran. This includes Grenada, Haiti, vicinityof Iraq (times 2) in the Persian Gulf. Remember, the Coast Guard is a sea going service. We're never "Down Range" because we don't drive our ships up on the sand on purpose. Within the last 2 years we had one of our own die defending our country. His small-boat was attacked by waterborne marauders while defending an oil platform. 2 Navy personnel also perished in that attack. When they put "Coast" in Coast Guard, they didn't say who's Coast we are supposed to be guarding.

I REALLY could go on for hours, schooling you about how wrong you are. However, I'll spare the rest of the readers. I'll leave you with this. We might be small, but even we have a Medal of Honor recepient. It was SM1 Douglas Munro. He was KIA in Guadalcanal getting Marines off of that island in WWII. Hmmm, I don't recall any Army guys there (no disrespect to the Army, just this one misguided O-3). I guess they had to send in the big guns to take that place over.

Sit and mull. Do your research. And, do what your dad always told you. Shut your mouth if you don't know what you're talking about.

Eric Simmons, E-7, USCG
(try using your name next time)

Army O-3,

You have opened a can of worms by your comments. You speak of the USCG as a non-military service. We have been in every major armed conflict since our conception. We lost a Coastie over in Iraq. Maybe his orders weren't written as "Down range". We are DHS so we can Guard the US Coast. Oh, by the way we have armed helicopters patroling our waters as we speak. Those same helos are stopping drug running boats. I am sorry we don't do our job on land. We do it on the sea or by air. By the way do you know who the military rescue center calls for advice when there is to be a helo recovery in hostile envirnments? That's right the USCG. It seems we have the reputation of being the best in the world for SAR. Do not speak ill of us because we are a small branch. Some day you or some one you know will call out an SOS on the radio and we, the USCG, will be there to save your life whatever the weather or situation. All of our armed forces have a place in the military. Remember yours!!!!


AET1-USCG (prior USMC with 18.5 years on Active Duty, sir)

[quote name='tng' date='Jul 18 2006, 08:38 PM' post='665256']
Brenda K....are you in coast guard????
to answer Old Coastie's question...
The Coast Guard is no longer considered part of the U.S. Military. They are now considered part of HOME SECURITY....
Therefore, I hope Brenda K is not part of the Coast Guard because if she was, she WOULD KNOW THAT, instead of posting such an unprofessional and ignorant comment.

Oh and by the way...serving in Iraq was one of the prerequisites... and the COAST GUARD does not deploy downrange.

ARMY, O-3


I am not personally in the Coast Guard but I know people who are and just for your information I have a few friends who are in the Coast Guard Reserves and they spent a whole year in Irag, thank you very much!

An O-3 should know a bit about ALL services, not just his/her own. However, in the spirit of inter-service cooperation, I submit the following (taken directly from 14 USC 01):

The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times. The Coast Guard shall be a service in the Department of Homeland Security, except when operating as a service in the Navy.

Hopefully, this will lead you to understand the egregious errors in your original posting. As noted elsewhere, we have several cutters going in harm's way in the Persian Gulf right now, as well as a noticeable presence ashore in Bahrian. Whatever you do, don't tell any of the Navy crew that lost men alongside Coastguardsman Nathan Brusckenthal that we aren't military; they'll likely tear you a new one.