67 Vol. 83, No. 1 | Proceedings The Coast Guard Auxiliary A force multiplier and the Coast Guard’s vital partner by RiCk CoRRaleS National Director of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary W hen I first put on the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary uniform nearly three years ago, I did it for one simple reason. I wanted to teach safe boating classes in Spanish to families in my community who had never had that opportunity before. I found the Auxiliary much like many people dis- cover opportunities today, through a simple social media post. One day, while scrolling past my friends’ chatter and the usual news, I saw a message about volunteering with the Coast Guard Auxiliary. To learn more, I simply had to schedule a virtual meeting. That one click opened the door to a mission bigger than I ever imagined. I saw a gap. These were neighborhoods where Spanish was spoken at home, but where vital boating safety information rarely reached families launching canoes, fishing skiffs, or small powerboats on local rivers. I believed then, and still do, that the Auxiliary’s greatest mission is not just saving lives on the water but making sure every American has access to the knowledge and trust in the organization that keeps them safe. Not long after I joined, I volunteered as public affairs and social media manager for the Coast Guard’s 2023 National Scout Jamboree Task Force. At the Bechtel Summit Reserve in West Virginia, I worked side by side with active-duty Coasties, recruiters, and fellow Auxiliarists to share our mission with nearly 16,000 Scouts. It was the first Jamboree in six years and the first to welcome girls into Scouting. That summer, our team earned the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation, proof that volunteers can make a national impact.¹ From that hot week on the mountain, my Auxiliary path grew quickly. Each new opportunity revealed the depth and broad reach of the mission. From internal communications and operational messaging to multi- media production, I found my voice and purpose within Team Coast Guard. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, volunteer component of the Coast Guard. Established by Congress in 1939, the Auxiliary operates under Title 14 of the U.S. Code, providing non-combat support across all Coast Guard mission areas. Each time, I’ve seen the same truth. When the Coast Guard needs more hands, the Auxiliary answers. Doctors, interpreters, communicators, and retirees, we show up and adapt. Auxiliarists multiply the Coast Guard’s service in moments that matter most. This is our story. This is how we serve. And this is why America still needs us, now more than ever. Force Multipliers in Every Mission One voice in Team Coast Guard When the nation tunes in to watch the Coast Guard in action, there’s often an Auxiliarist helping ensure the story is told right. During the 2024 Titan submersible hearings, I served as the Coast Guard’s media producer, creating the streamed content that was distributed on the Associated Press wire for two weeks and is now featured in the Netflix documentary, Titanic: The OceanGate Disaster. It became one of the most widely viewed investigations of the year. The work of Auxiliary public affairs Coast Guard Auxiliarist Patrick Brown, the Auxiliary’s national conference A/V coordinator, works to configure the network during the National Transportation Safety Bureau’s Titan Submersible investigation. Coast Guard photo
