Active Duty, Reserve, Auxiliary Officers

Basic Introduction to the Coast Guard

An overview presentation of Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Basic Introduction to the Coast Guard (BIC)

The purpose of this course is to facilitate an in-depth discussion of items useful to new and seasoned Auxiliarists. It draws on extensive resources freely available from the USCG and USCG Auxiliary. It was originally developed by Flotilla 054-25-12 for use with that unit’s new members, but may be freely used by individual units wishing to provide such training.

Course Components: NASBLA-approved “Safe

Boating Course” » “Basic Qualification”

ICS-100 online course/exam» Offered by FEMA

Character in Action by ADM James Loy (Ret.)» Read and discuss

Complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP)» Do this with a coach/mentor

Classroom lectures and discussions» Demonstrate knowledge

mastery with signoffs

January 28, 2010 Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers 2

Core Values at the Core of of our Service

Honor “Integrity is our standard. We demonstrate uncompromising

ethical conduct and moral behavior in all of our actions. We are loyal and accountable to the public trust.”

Respect “We value our diverse workforce. We treat each other with

fairness, dignity, and compassion. We encourage creativity through empowerment. We work as a team.”

Devotion to Duty “We are professionals, military and civilian, who seek

responsibility, accept accountability, and are committed to the successful achievement or our organizational goals. We exist to serve. We serve with pride.”

Honor is to serve yourself; Respect is to serve others; Devotion to Duty is to serve your country.January 28, 2010 3Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

The Guardian Ethos

I am America’s Maritime Guardian.I am America’s Maritime Guardian.

I serve the citizens of the United States.I serve the citizens of the United States.

I will protect them.I will protect them.

I will defend them.I will defend them.

I will save them.I will save them.

I am their Shield.I am their Shield.

For them I am Semper Paratus.For them I am Semper Paratus.

I live the Coast Guard Core Values.I live the Coast Guard Core Values.

I am a Guardian.I am a Guardian.

We are the United States Coast Guard.We are the United States Coast Guard.January 28, 2010 4Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Military Officers’ Ranks and Grades

The Career Compensation Act of 1949 established uniform pay grades for officers and enlisted personnel, active and reserve, in all military services.

This law requires that the pay in a given grade must be the same, regardless of service.

By and large, ranks and grades in the U.S. Military services are direct descendents from the British structure.

All commissioned officers, active and reserve, hold Presidential commissions and are confirmed by the Senate.

There are ten grades of Commissioned Officers (O-1 through O-10).

There are five grades of Warrant Officers (W-1 through W-5).» Concerning Warrant Officers, the Coast Guard (and Navy) only

utilize grades W-2 through W-4.

January 28, 2010 5Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Overview of the Officer Corps

In the Coast Guard, Commissioned Officers in grades O-1 through O-10 are referred to as Unrestricted Line Officers.

While Line Officers develop specific career paths, they are considered generalists, serving as leaders in many fields.

Warrant Officers apply their enlisted training, and are considered specialists.

Grade – The position of an officer within the officer corps; in the Coast Guard, the grades are divided into four categories.

Category Grade

Warrant Officers W-2 through W-4

Junior Officers O-1 through O-4

Senior Officers O-5 and O-6

Flag Officers O-7 through O-10 (Admirals)

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Warrant Officers

Formally address as Mr/Ms or Sir/Ma’amWarrant Officers are commissioned officers as well.They are former enlisted personnel with unique expertise.

Grade W-2 W-3 W-4

Rank Chief Warrant Officer 2

Chief Warrant Officer 3

Chief Warrant Officer 4

Abbreviation CWO2 CWO3 CWO4

Insignia

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Junior Officers

Formally address as Mr/Ms or Sir/Ma’amA LTJG may be introduced as “Lieutenant”A LCDR may be introduced as “Commander”

Grade O-1 O-2 O-3 O-4

Rank Ensign Lieutenant (Junior Grade)

Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander

Abbreviation ENS LTJG LT LCDR

Insignia

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Senior Officers

Formally address as “Commander” or “Captain”

Grade O-5 O-6

Rank Commander Captain

Abbreviation CDR CAPT

Insignia

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Flag Officers (Admirals)

Formally address as “Admiral”

Grade O-7 O-8 O-9 O-10

Rank Rear Admiral (Lower Half)

Rear Admiral (Upper Half)

Vice Admiral

Admiral

Abbreviation RDML RADM VADM ADM

Insignia

January 28, 2010 Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers 10

Officers’ Insignia

Cover Devices – Emblems worn on covers

Oak Leaves – One row on cap brim for Senior Officers, two rows for Flag Officers

Collar Devices – Rank insignia worn on ODU collar

Shoulder Boards – Rank insignia worn on Tropical Blue

Sleeves – Rank insignia worn on sleeves of SDB

January 28, 2010 11Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Officers’ Insignia (cont’d)

Warrant Officers’ Insignia: Insignia indicating their specialty is worn on left collar and both

shoulders or sleeves. Contrary to Line Officers, Warrant Officer sleeves and shoulder

board stripes have blue breaks over the gold. “Five Minus Blue Rule” – To determine CWO grade, subtract the

number of blue breaks from five; the result equals the grade.

If the officer rank device is similar, silver will always outrank gold (for single bars and oak leaves).

Silver is a euphemism for “faded” gold; it represents seniority gained over time in a similar rank.

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Comparative Officer Ranks

Rank is divided into two categories: Naval (USCG, USN)

» USPHS and NOAA officers utilize this same structure

Armed (USA, USAF, USMC)

Grade remains the same across all services

Insignia: USCG and USN use

shoulder and sleeve stripes USA, USAF, and USMC only

use metal devices

Grade Naval Armed

O-1 ENS 2nd Lieutenant

O-2 LTJG 1st Lieutenant

O-3 LT Captain

O-4 LCDR Major

O-5 CDR Lieutenant Colonel

O-6 CAPT Colonel

O-7 RDML Brigadier General

O-8 RADM Major General

O-9 VADM Lieutenant General

O-10 ADM General

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Discuss

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUXILIARY AND ACTIVE DUTY OFFICERS?

Active duty (and reserve) officers are military personnel holding command authority in the form of commissions granted by the President of the United States. Auxiliary officers are organizational and functional leaders, but are elected or appointed to their positions, not commissioned at a rank, and consequently do not hold military-style command authority.

January 28, 2010 14Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Auxiliary Officers

Auxiliary Officers hold office, perform duties, and wear military style officer rank insignia, but they do not hold commissioned military rank.

Auxiliarists wear the insignia of the highest office held. Auxiliarists are only “promoted” when there is an opening at a

higher level to which they are then elected or appointed.» Staff Officers are appointed by a unit leader to perform the unit’s

staff duties or lead a branch, division, department, or detachment.» Elected Officers are selected by their peers, and are the unit

commanders of Flotillas, Divisions, Sectors, Districts, and the Auxiliary nation-wide.

Auxiliary leadership relies heavily on the ability of the leader to motivate and find consensus more so than it does on “rank”.

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Auxiliary Chain of Leadership

Auxiliary National Staff

District Commodore

DCOS District Staff Officers

District Captain

Division Commander

VCDR Division Staff Officers

Flotilla Commander

VFC Flotilla Staff Officers

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Auxiliary Officers’ Insignia

Auxiliary insignia are similar to active duty, with silver shoulder boards, sleeve lace, and buttons instead of active duty or reserve gold.

Staff Officers wear a red “A” on officer insignia. All other officers and members wear a silver “A” on their

insignia.

January 28, 2010 17Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Auxiliary Junior Officers

Formally address as Mr/Ms or Sir/Ma’am

FlotillaFlotilla Staff

Officer (FSO)

Vice Flotilla Commander

(VFC)

Flotilla Commander (FC)

DivisionDivision Staff Officer (SO)

Vice Division Commander

(VCDR)

DistrictAssistant District

Staff Officer (ADSO)

District Staff Officer (DSO)

NationalBranch Assistant

(BA)Branch Chief

(BC)

Insignia

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Auxiliary Senior Officers

Formally address as Mr/Ms or Sir/Ma’am

Flotilla No Senior Officers at this Level

DivisionDivision Commander

(DCDR)

DistrictDistrict Directorate

Officer (DDC)District Captain (DCAPT)

National Division Chief (DC) Director (DIR)

Insignia

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Auxiliary Flag Officers (Commodores)

Formally address as “Commodore”

FlotillaDivision

No Commodores at this Level

DistrictDistrict

Commodore (DCO)

National

Assistant National

Commodore (ANACO)

Deputy National Commodore

(DNACO) or Vice National

Commodore (VNACO)

National Commodore (NACO)

Insignia

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Officers’ Insignia

Cover Devices – Emblems worn on covers of all Auxiliarists; AuxiliaryOfficers wear their officer insigniaas well.

Oak Leaves – Like active duty, only silver; one row on cap brim for Senior Officers (shown here), two rows for Flag Officers.

Shoulder Boards – Insignia worn on Tropical Blue

Sleeves – Insignia worn on sleeves of Service DressJanuary 28, 2010 21Active Duty, Reserve, and Auxiliary Officers

Auxiliary Officer Insignia Peculiarities

After serving as an officer at any given level, many Auxiliarists will serve in another assignment without a promotion to a higher office. In such cases:

The Auxiliarist always wears the insignia of the highest office held in the past;

If wearing insignia senior to the assignment currently being held, the “Past Officer Device” is worn on the right breast pocket.

Auxiliarists may optionally wear the “member insignia” (crossed anchors), instead of officer insignia, on their ODU collar.

This is most commonly done when working aboard an active duty USCG vessel so as to not appear to outrank the actual active duty Officer in Charge (OIC) of that vessel.

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Discuss

HOW CAN OFFICERS LIVE THE CORE VALUES?

Honor – Respect – Devotion to Duty

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Additional Resources

Auxiliary Manual, COMDTINST 16790.1 (series) http://www.uscg.mil/directives/cim/16000-16999/CIM_16790_1F

.pdf

CHDIRAUX Uniforms and Ribbons http://www.uscg.mil/auxiliary/cginfo/uniforms/default.asp

The Coast Guardsman’s Manual http://www.amazon.com/Coast-Guardsmans-Manual-George-Kr

ietemeyer/dp/1557504687/

List of comparative military ranks (United States) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_comparative_military_ranks#

United_States

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