Looking for Coast Guard Information

Factual Questions
1

I am writing a story that takes place at Coast Guard stations (Golden Gate, Alameda and SFO CG Air Station) and need some general information about the Coast Guard and, if possible, additional information about those stations. Is anyone on the forum a current or former Coast Guardsman, or has knowledge about the Coast Guard?

Any assistance, or direction to where I can gather the information, would be appreciated. I have already found some on the CG web sites but it does not give me some of the practical information that I need.

Thank you

2

Huh. A friend of mine has been a pilot for the Coast Guard at San Francisco Airport for the last three years. If you PM me, I will ask him if he would talk to you.

3

I was a Coastie on active duty from 78 to 82. I went through boot camp at Alameda. Other than that, I was on the East coast. But I might have some answers for you.

4

Ranger Jeff:

Thank you for offering to give me information. Should I send my questions through PM or post them here?

5

I’m good with PM. I don’t know if any others here might have something to contribute.

6

I was going to send the PM but your point about others possibly contributing is well taken. I appreciate your taking the time to help and I understand that there may be too many questions. So whaterver you do choose to answer will be greatly appreciated.

The story I’m writing takes place in 2000. It is about the Coast Guard trailing and uncovering a saboteur who had infiltrated the three stations in Sector San Francisco.

  • I may be mistaken but I believe Alameda was Station Alameda, and not Base Alameda as it is today. Though it was of course a large installation and ISC would have been there at that time. What is/was the general logical breakdown of the station (the different “areas” - I know that’s not the right designation) and if you can recall, a very general layout of the station?

  • Do personnel assigned to an “area”, e.g. search and rescue, get routinely re-assigned to other areas, e.g. interdiction, as a particular need arises?

  • Do/can personnel in Sector San Francisco, with three close-by stations, be assigned to another station for a day or a particular activity? For example, would personnel from Alameda be sent to Station Golden Gate, which is small, if they were shorthanded for a period or activity? Would that also be true for CGAS San Francisco if they needed additional personnel? Or are personnel retricted, as a matter of course, to their stations for the duration of their tours?

  • Would a CoastGuardman have to “sign in” at the gate when visiting a Station to which he is not assigned?

  • What, very generally, are the duties of LTJG?

  • Would a JG have the freedom/authority to nose around stations without “raising eyebrows” while discreetly/covertly trailing the saboteur? Or would the JG need permission from a Senior Officer wherever she went that was not where she normally would be? For security, as the saboteur’s rank is not known, the station commanding officer is not aware of the JG’s assignment. The JG has to be able to investigate and move around without the CO’s explicit permission.

  • On a normal day, would the JG be wearing ODU or could she wear her Service Dress Blue or Tropical Blues (though I’m not sure the latter would be worn in July in San Francisco)?

  • What is the proper acknowledgment to a command? I saw on a website for boot camp prep a response “Aye, aye, Lt. Smith”. Is that correct? Or is it just “Aye, aye” or “Aye, aye, sir/ma’am?” And is there a difference in response between acknowledging a command and acknowledging a statement?

  • Generally, when would a JG salute and be saluted?

  • Standing at attention and then being dismissed by a senior officer, whether individually or in a group, what is the protocol? Is the dismissal acknowledged? Is the officer saluted? Or do the personnel just do an about face and leave the senior officer’s office or presence?

  • When would it be appropriate, or inappropriate if that is simpler, for a JG to be seen carrying a sidearm (this is a covert assignment)?

  • If a JG was on a cutter, would the normal “captain” still be in command? Could the JG, if she determines the situation warrants it, assume command?

Thanks again Ranger Jeff, for your time and assistance.

7

Perhaps the number and length of the questions I posted is overwhelming and that’s too much to ask you to take the time to answer. So I’ll streamline the questions and try to limit them to just a few of the more important ones and hope that you will be kind enough to post a reply:

  • On a normal day, would the JG be wearing ODU or could she wear her Service Dress Blue or Tropical Blues (though I suspect the latter might not be worn in San Francisco even in July)?

  • What is the proper acknowledgment to a command? “Aye, aye, Lt. Smith”? Or is it just “Aye, aye” or “Aye, aye, sir/ma’am?” And is there a difference in response between acknowledging a command and acknowledging a statement?

  • When would a JG salute and be saluted?

  • Standing at attention and then being dismissed by a senior officer, whether individually or in a group, what is the protocol? Is the dismissal acknowledged? Is the officer saluted? Or do the personnel just do an about face and leave the senior officer’s office or presence?

  • Would a Coast Guardsman have to “sign in” at the gate when visiting a Station to which he is not assigned or would his ID be sufficient to let him pass?

  • Do personnel in Sector San Francisco, with three close-by stations, get assigned to another station for a day or a particular activity if they needed additional personnel?

  • Was today’s Base Alameda called **Station Alameda **in your time?

Thanks

8
  1. At a larger unit, every morning there will be a published (well, xeroxed or mimeographed in my time) Order of the Day. One of the things listed will be the Uniform of the Day. Which means, if you’re not performing some duty that requires a working uniform, you’d wear the Uniform of the Day. The uniforms have changed since I’ve been in. In my time, there were Dress Blue (Tropical or Long), Undress Blue (Tropical or Long), Dress White (Tropical or Long) and working uniforms. The work uniforms went through a transition when I was in. When I went to boot camp in 1978, I was issued “Utilities”. As soon as everyone graduated boot camp, they hit the exchange for “Dungarees” which were optional, and saved the Utilities for really dirty jobs. Sometime in 78, they switched to “Working Blue” and started issuing them in Boot camp. Around 1980, they banned Utilities and Dungarees. They generally didn’t want you leaving base in a working uniform, only Civvies, Dress, or Undress Blues. It was more normal to see a LtJG wandering around in July wearing Dress or Undress Blue (tropical) than a working uniform.

“Aye, aye Sir!” is the proper formal response to a direct command. Less formally, “Aye, Sir.” would work too. “Yes, Sir” is a positive answer to a direct question. “No, Sir” is a negative answer to a direct question.

Salutes…

  1. Okay, this always struck me as funny; I’ve seen officers walk across the street to avoid saluting. And it always struck me as weird having to salute my Warrant Officers and I could see they were uncomfortable with it too. After all, we were co-workers.
    B. You only salute if you’re wearing a cover (hat). You NEVER wear a cover indoors. So, saluting only happens outdoors. And working parties don’t generally stop what they’re doing to salute a passing officer.
    III. Enlisted men, Warrant Officers, and Ensigns would salute an LtJG. And LtJGs would salute LTs and above. Regardless of anyone’s rank, a Coastie boarding a ship would salute the Flag, the Officer of the Day, and say “Request permission to come aboard, Sir.”

So, when would salutes be exchanged? If I’m walking down the sidewalk and an officer is walking down the same sidewalk towards me, we’d salute. At a formal inspection, OUTSIDE, salutes might be exchanged. Generally, we tried to avoid that nonsense.

“Standing at attention and then being dismissed by a senior officer”? In the CG? Maybe if you’re still in boot camp, getting reamed out, the guest of honor at a Captain’s Mast or a Court Martial. Saluting? Never indoors. Maybe a “Yessir” or “Aye, aye Sir” after he tells you you can go. An about face? I guess so if the door is directly behind you.

Coast Guard stations are small units. They’d probably not have a Sentry at the gate. You’d probably have to buzz or phone for someone to come out and let you in. They’d probably look at your ID. If you’re not stationed there, you’d have to report to the Officer of the Day. At larger bases, you’d have to show your ID to enter.

I suppose it’s possible to pass personnel along as needed in a “Sector SF” situation, but they’d try to avoid doing so. On the other hand, depending on the size of the station, it’s not unusual for some sort of specialist from Group or the Support center to come to a station to perform some task. For example, if a unit isn’t large enough to have an Electronics shop, they’ll send an ET from group to work on their electronics or swap out a failed one to bring back to the shop to repair.

The base I went through boot camp was on Government Island, Alameda. Besides the Training Center, there was a Support Center, and a Boat Station. Maybe a Group too. I was a recruit, we didn’t need to know the Big Picture there. But when I think of a “Station”, I think of no more than 6 boats of assorted sizes, support buildings, and docks for 12 boats. The Base I was at was much larger than that, though there may have been a Station there in addition to the other activities.

Things you didn’t ask, but I’ll answer anyway:

  1. Warrant officers, Ensigns, LtJGs, LTs, and LtCdrs are addressed as Mister Lastname. Cdrs, Cpts, and Adms are addressed as Commander/Captain/Admiral Lastname. Of course, you can call someone you’re senior to anything you want. The Commanding Officer of a station or a boat might be addressed as “Skipper”.
    B. Your undercover investigator would be assigned to CGI (Coast Guard Intelligence) but I imagine the local command wouldn’t know that. Your undercover would have been assigned a job by the CO and would be expected to perform that job. Oh, and any new female assigned to a CG unit would draw attention. Especially an female officer because there just aren’t that many in the CG.

And a Coastguardman walking around a CG unit wearing a sidearm (and NOT wearing the Shore Patrol stuff) would be as appropriate as anyone going shopping at Walmart wearing stiletto heels, fishnet stockings, a garter belt and NOTHING ELSE.

An LtJG’s duties depend on the size of the unit they’re assigned to. The COs of the LORAN station I did a tour at were LtJGs. One’s next assignment was as the XO of a 158’ Buoy Tender. Usually, they’re assistant something or others. It’s an senior entry level position.

9

Ranger Jeff,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and to provide me with much needed information. I try to keep my stories true and accurate. It is very much appreciated that you’ve given me the material I need to do that here.

Regarding Walmart, you’d be suprised at what I’ve seen people wear when shopping in department stores :slight_smile:

I believe I understand the distinction between “base” and “station”: a base has many more components and functions than a station, though a station may be tucked away in a corner of the base.

Am I correct that, whether or not there was a “station” there, Alameda engaged in search & rescue, and possibly interdiction as well, while you were stationed there? Or was that left exclusively to Golden Gate and CGAS?

It’s an interesting point about CG female officers, though I would hope that has changed by today. In any case, as JGs are addressed “Mister Smith”, how would a female JG be addressed? Is “Mister” used as a universal (i.e. not gender specific) form of address? Or is there a distinction made and they are addressed differently?

10

Just thought of one more two-part question. Perhaps you’ll be kind enough to answer this, too. Does a JG have to ask permission to board a ship (where the JG is not normally a member of the crew) if the OOD is of a lower rank? And if the JG is of a higher rank than the ship’s captain, can the JG assume command of the ship?

thanks

11

As a recruit undergoing basic training, my only concern was basic training, not whatever the hell else happened on the base. Recruits were restricted to one part of the base and Coasties who were NOT on the training staff were NOT permitted in the training area. I know there were docks and small boats there. One assumes they were not just for show.

Female officers would be called “Maam” instead of “Sir”, and “Miss Lastname” instead of “Mister”. Until they’re “Commander Lastname.” Oh, I forgot; although Lieutenant Commanders are formally addressed and referred to as “Mister Lastname”, no LtCdr will be upset if he’s addressed/referred to as “Commander Lastname”.

Officer of the Day is a position, not a rank. Sometimes a Chief Petty Officer is on duty as the Gangway Junior Officer of the Day. It doesn’t matter the rank of who’s at the top of the Gangway; one salutes and asks permission to board the ship. Full Commanders will salute a CPO JOOD and request permission to board. And one would especially ask permission to board if one is NOT a member of a ship’s crew, as they’ll want to know who you are and what business you have aboard the ship. In my experience, though, when I was in civilian clothes visiting a friend on a cutter, I didn’t salute the JOOD or flag, as you only salute when you’re in unform. I did have to identify myself and state my business.

No. a LtJG just can’t relieve the Captain* of a ship and take over. It doesn’t matter if the LtJG outranks the Commanding Officer, is the same rank, or is junior to the CO. Although the Coast Guard might be a bit more relaxed in formalities than the Navy in some ways, Mutiny is a VERY BAD THING and is always frowned upon. You might want to familiarize yourself with, at a minimum, Article 94 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Commanding Officer or Officer In Charge* of a Coast Guard boat, cutter, station, base, or any other unit is its Captain, regardless of rank.

**If an enlisted person is placed in command of a Coast Guard unit, s/he is the “Petty Officer In Charge” not the “Commanding Officer”. Same authority and responsibility, just a different name. Don’t confuse POIC with OOD or JOOD. OOD/JOOD are rotating duties: LtJg Jones is OOD today, but tomorrow Lt Smith will be OOD. This will repeat until all the junior officers have had a turn and then LtJg Jones is OOD again. But the POIC is the POIC until they’ve been reassigned to another unit after completing their tour at the first unit.

Ref: Punitive Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

12

Thank you Ranger Jeff for taking the time and extending the effort to clarify these points so extensively and answering my questions. You have been a tremendous help to me and I am greatly appreciative of your assistance.