By this time I am sure that you know the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is in the process of establishing a Detachment in the Maysville area. Its been in the newspaper, on the radio, city meetings and on the college campus. Members are seen walking the streets in uniform, in restaurants and driving around the river towns in this area talking with the residents. If you don’t know this already… welcome back. Good to have you.

Established by Congress in 1939 the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is “Semper Paratus” (Always Ready). The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed, volunteer component of the US Coast Guard. We are the Force Multiplier of the Coast Guard, working alongside and hand-in hand with the active duty personnel in every area with the exception of Law Enforcement and Military Combat. Of the 80,000 Coast Guard personnel stationed throughout the world, approximately 30,000 are Auxiliarists.

The Auxiliary missions include: Boater Education, Boater Safety, Incident Management & Preparedness and Environmental Protection. The Auxiliary also operates in any mission as directed by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard or Secretary of Homeland Security. We are the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary’s plans for this area include recruitment of a strong detachment of Guardians who want to serve and give back something to their Country and Community. To show the colors, have a physical presence in Maysville and the surrounding areas. To recruit and train members for the roles necessary and the tasks at hand and, in general create a well-oiled Detachment. Whatever skill set you have, we have a place for you. What we need is you!

And we do need you. In Sector Ohio Valley, the Coast Guard is responsible for 10 states, 29 lakes, 11 major rivers, 57 locks, 210 dams, 8,000 miles of river, 3,000 miles of commercial navigable water and 5,500 aids to navigation (ATONs).

This Detachment will cover (basically) east of Manchester Island to west of the 275 Bridge at Schmidt Field. The river in our area includes several aerial pipelines and power lines crossing the river, 17 submerged infrastructure crossings, 88 aids to navigation (ATONs), five bridges, three islands, 26 industrial facilities, two locks/dams, two states, 10 counties, 26 municipalities, and 47 marinas/docks/other marine facilities. (All numbers approximate.) Many of the infrastructures are items of national security interest, and most of these items will be of interest to us.

Individual auxiliarists will be trained using Coast Guard standards and will serve as the eyes and ears for the regular Coast Guard as needed to fulfill the assigned missions.

The benefits and rewards to members include vast amounts of invaluable training, exciting experiences, opportunities for service to the boating community as well as national security, and fellowship with others sharing similar interests.

Benefits to the community include safer boating through education, as well as having another watch-dog organization for our beloved Ohio River and those who utilize it. Also, its an organization to continue to enrich our community’s heritage of group fellowship, education, and involvement.

Benefits to the Coast Guard and to the United States of America are an obvious, persistent presence in the Meldahl pool of the Ohio, which lies between the areas covered by Coast Guard units located in Cincinnati and Huntington…to be covered by us in Maysville. Join us! Contact 606- 584-1040.

Thom McQueen