It has recently come to my attention that there was an inquiry made as to my service record in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAux). To clarify the record, the USCG Aux is not in the Department of Defense, or DOD; the USCG and USCGAux are under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed auxiliary service of the United States Coast Guard. It is comprised of 26,000 members who volunteer their time to support the operation of the Coast Guard, promote and improve recreational boating safety, and provide trained crews and facilities to enhance the safety and security of U.S. ports, waterways and coastal regions.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary has units in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam, and participate in the following kinds of missions: Safety and security patrols, search and rescue, mass casualty or disasters, pollution response and patrols, Homeland Security, recreational boating safety, commercial fishing and vessel exams, platforms for boarding parties and recruit for all service in the Coast Guard.

I am proud to have been the secretary of records for Division 10, a member of the Aux band playing the saxophone in VA Hospitals and VA homes and on the flight deck of the USS Midway, and a proud member of the color guard. My service record includes the following: Coast Guard Unit Commendation 2019, Sustained Aux Service award 2020, Department of Homeland Security Unit Award 2022 and the Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation 2022, of which I was the team leader. The only difference in the uniform of regular USCG and USCGAux members are gold versus silver buttons on the official uniform.