My Coast Guard
Lt. Holly Harrison aboard Coalition warship USS Milius in February 2003. (Coast Guard Collection)

March 24, 2023

The Long Blue Line - 20 Years OIF: Holly Harrison—Operation Iraqi Freedom Combat Veteran and Bronze Star Recipient

First woman to command a cutter in a combat zone and the first woman in service history to receive the Bronze Star Medal.

PSC logo

March 23, 2023

Retirees, you may be entitled to more pay! 

Inside Combat Related Special Compensation 

The Coast Guard Cutter Adak, from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, is loaded onto a military transport ship at the Norfolk International Terminal in Norfolk, Virginia, Jan. 29, 2003. Crew members will meet their cutters overseas as they deploy in support of the war on terrorism.

March 23, 2023

The Long Blue Line - 20 Years OIF: “Tip of the Spear” Coast Guard Cutter Adak combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Of the 146 Coalition naval units in the Persian Gulf, Adak served deepest in enemy territory and served as the “tip of the spear” for Coalition naval forces.

Coast Guard Auxiliarist Hua Lin McCaffrey completes a boarding at sea in the Indo-Pacific, May 2, 2022. Volunteers with interpreting skills like McCaffrey are in high demand in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, to help the Coast Guard detect and deter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Nate Littlejohn)

March 23, 2023

Could a handheld device help the Coast Guard avoid getting lost in translation?  

Offline language translator funded by DHS S&T to be tested on Coast Guard cutters this summer 

Coast Guard Cutter Walnut, a buoy tender homeported in Honolulu and deployed to the Persian Gulf in February 2003, performs aids to navigation work. The cutter arrived in the Persian Gulf Feb. 27, 2003 to support U.S. Naval Forces Central Command during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Coast Guard Collection)

March 22, 2023

The Long Blue Line - 20 Years OIF: This is the Coast Guard Cutter Walnut's story about deploying to the Persian Gulf for buoy tender operations 

The cutter deployed to the Persian Gulf to defend against environmental warfare in the form of oil spills.

Coast Guard emblem

March 22, 2023

How a Coast Guard storekeeper explored what’s possible with data  

Putting data to work.

New icons for DA

March 22, 2023

Direct Access homepage is changing March 28. Here’s what you need to know 

From item lists to icons, here services won’t change, just the way you access it.

Petty Officer Second Class Paul F. Floge, a Coast Guard reservist with Coast Guard Port Security Unit 311 out of San Pedro, Ca., provides security with a .50 caliber machinegun on the Khawr al Amaya oil terminal off the coast of Iraq. Flodge, who works full time for the Los Angeles Police Department, is one of many reservists called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

March 21, 2023

The Long Blue Line - 20 Years OIF: Combat Operations of Port Security Units during Operation Iraqi Freedom

The role of Port Security Units during OIF.

Night-time force protection duty at the PATFORSWA compound. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 20, 2023

The Long Blue Line - 20 Years OIF: PATFORSWA—largest USCG unit outside U.S. territory

What it took to stand up the services largest unit outside of the United States.

The Coast Guard’s Marksmanship Team poses for a photograph after competing in the National Trophy Pistol Match at the Civilian Marksmanship Program National Matches in Camp Perry, Ohio in July 2022. The team consisted of members all throughout the Coast Guard: (L to R) Petty Officer 3rd Class Christina MacMillan, Petty Officer 2nd Class Brent Craemer, Cmdr. Jonathan Welch, Chief Petty Officer Charlie Petrotto, Chief Petty Officer Mark Osborne, Capt. David Melton, Chief Petty Officer Wesley Koran.

March 20, 2023

Calling all sharpshooters! Now’s the time to shoot competitively 

The Competitive Marksmanship Program enables members to compete and earn points toward shooting badges