Path: utzoo!dptcdc!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-cis!att!cbnews!budden@manta.nosc.mil
From: budden@manta.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Reserve/National Guard Policies
Message-ID: <5679@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 17 Apr 89 02:55:15 GMT
References: <5551@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 35
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: budden@manta.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg)

The Coast Guard operates a three-tiered reserve system of sorts.

The regulars are regulars like any other service.

The reservists (CG Reserve) are mobilization resources.  Our
legislation is a little bit different than the other services --
we can, and have, called Reservists up in peacetime.  Cuban
boatlift of 1980 is an example -- we used most reserve
formations on the Atlantic coast some time or other.

The civilian tier is the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  These folks
were the original reserve, before the present reserve was
formed.  Today, Auxiliarists do a lot of weekend augmentation
of regular forces in non-law-enforcement situations and serve
as the Coast Guard's boating safety public education force.
Auxiliarists do not get paid (although we reimburse them for
fuel/travel), usually work operationally in their own
boats, and have no law enforcement authority (although
they can carry regulars or active reservists who can
enforce laws -- I've written a couple tickets working from
Aux boats myself).  The Auxiliary does not have a specific
wartime function -- that's what the Reserve is for, but they
do have training that is highly suitable for backfill as
the regulars and reserves get sucked up for mobilization roles.

I've had the pleasure of knowing some Auxiliarists who are damned
fine seamen and can be both prudent and brave.  You get a mixed
bag with this kind of organization, but the good ones are exactly
that.

Rex Buddenberg