Coast Guard Auxiliarist Joe Kiefer, 14th Coast Guard District staff officer for Auxiliary aviation, sits in his fixed wing Piper Sport aircraft at Honolulu International Airport T-hangers, March 29, 2012.
Kiefer, a resident of Hawaii, is just one of many local volunteers who assist the Coast Guard with its many missions in the region.
In Hawaii, Auxiliary aviators fly about 300 missions per year, totaling more than 700 flight hours. Due to the volunteer nature of the program, the Auxiliary aviators save the public more than $5 million.
Auxiliary pilots assist with missions such as search and rescue, marine environmental protection and law enforcement.
The Auxiliary is a civilian, volunteer, uniformed branch of the Coast Guard formed by an act of Congress in 1939. Although their mission is primarily focused on recreational boating safety, they are an integral part of the Coast Guards mission, and as such they are the only volunteer force allowed to wear the uniform of a military service.
The overall mission of the Coast Guard Auxiliary is to contribute to the safety and security of our citizens, ports, and waterways. The Auxiliary balances missions of recreational boating safety and Coast Guard support with maritime homeland security and other challenges that emerged as a result of a post-9/11 era.
The Auxiliary has units in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan.
Media interested in learning about the many ways local Coast Guard Auxiliarists are helping to save taxpayers’ money, while protecting the local community and the maritime environment of Hawaii, may contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is always looking for new volunteers. For information on how to join visit https://join.cgaux.org/.
For more information regarding this release contact the 14th Coast Guard District public affairs office at 808-535-3230.