KSQM FM

12/08/2021

The United States Coast Guard is our nation's oldest continuous seagoing military service. The organization was originally known as the Revenue Cutter Service. It was created in 1790 by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton to stop the smuggling that threatened to ruin the economy of the newly created Nation. Hamilton's vessels were all of the "cutter" rig, and today the vessels of the Service are still referred to as "cutters".

The US Coast Guard is but one of our Armed Forces. It has served with distinction in every conflict since 1790. It has also served with distinction in peace time in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations (Katrina is an example: The US Coast Guard saved over 33,500 lives, an estimated 24,000 of these were rescued from peril in severely dangerous conditions).

The US Coast Guard maintains military readiness, maritime law enforcement, port security, environmental protection, polar operations, and aids to navigation. It continues to serve today as part of our Homeland Security force.

Today the US Coast Guard motto, "Semper Paratus" continues to motivate the 41,000 active duty men and women, 7,000 Reservists, 31,000 Auxiliary personnel and 8,600 full-time civil employees who continue to keep this Service "Always Ready".

See the video below!