Providing direct support to the Coast Guard is an exciting, fulfilling opportunity for a Coast Guard Auxiliarist.

These are just a few of the jobs that Auxiliarists have performed in direct support to the Coast Guard in the Northern Area of District 13:

• Patrol regulated shoreside facilities by vehicle and vessel.
• Assist with development of the Puget Sound Maritime Security Plan.
• Screen foreign vessels that have applied to enter Puget Sound ports.
• Fingerprint and process license paperwork for merchant mariners.
• Represent the Coast Guard on community festival committees.
• Assist with media and public affairs at environmental pollution incidents.
• Participate in environmental and port security drills and exercises.
• Develop web sites and databases for Coast Guard units.
• Plan and exercise for special patrols in case of national or regional security emergency.
• Assist with marine casualty investigations and mariner drug policy education.

Auxiliary "Direct Support" to the Coast Guard occurs when a Coast Guard command requests assistance for force multiplication, surge capacity, back-filling, or special skills that the Coast Guard does not have available. The Auxiliarists' work is directed by the Coast Guard.

Direct support is centrally coordinated through the appropriate Sector's Auxiliary Coordinator when one or more of the following circumstances apply to the request:

• Effective management and coordination of the work requires interaction with the Coast Guard.
• The activity happens in a geographical area that spans Divisions.
• It is convenient to use personnel from more than one Division.
• The task is too difficult to manage through the traditional Auxiliary chain because of overlap between divisions and/or need for very fast response to requests or changing conditions.