Happy birthday with gratitude to the United States Coast Guard, which turns 225 today 4 Aug 2015. The Coast Guard is the oldest continuous maritime service in the United States (the Continental Navy was disbanded in 1785), and is the only branch of the nation’s 7 uniformed services to operate under the civilian control of the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to the Department of the Navy in time of war.

According to Military.com the Coast Guard …”received its present name in 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to form a single maritime service dedicated to the safety of life at sea and enforcing the nation’s maritime laws. The Coast Guard is a multi-mission, maritime, military service and the smallest of the five Armed Services. Its mission is to protect the public, the environment and U.S. economic interests in the nation’s waterways, along the coast, on international waters, or in any maritime region as required to support national security.”

Pictured: Admiral Alan Steinman

Thank you to all the honored “Coasties” of AVER, for your service to our nation and your dedication to the right of every patriot to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States. A special thanks to Coast Guard Admiral Alan Steinman for his courage in coming out as the highest ranking officer ever to do so in the US military in order to fight the ban against LGBT service.