USCG OPERATIONAL SUPPORT:

Walking Harbor Patrol (HARPAT).........................................................................Container External Inspection

The missions which Auxiliarists perform in direct Operational Support of the Coast Guard are many and varied. The Coast Guard has been requesting Auxiliarists more and more frequently to backfill for regular Coast Guard personnel in functions not involving law enforcement or other hazardous operations. The upper left photo above reflects a mission recently levied on the Auxiliary, the Harbor Patrol or "HARPAT". An Auxiliarist will accompany a Coast Guard member walking through facilities such as docks, marinas, and marine terminals looking for anything out of the ordinary. Additionally, Auxiliarists may soon be tasked with helping perform (external) inspections of containers looking for broken seals, leaking contents, or evidence of attempted or actual break-in. This is represented in the above right photo. The lower left photo depicts an Auxiliary vessel maintaining the 1000-foot safety zone mandated around all warships and large vessels by the Department of Homeland Security. The lower right photo shows one of the oldest operational support missions in the Auxiliary, that of Watchstander at a Coast Guard station. Auxiliary watchstanders will answer phones, man radios and keep station logs, and perhaps open a gate when necessary.

These missions are of particular interest to those who want to have some form of direct participation in the War on Terror. One result of the increasing participation by Auxiliarists in direct Operational Support missions is the need perceived by the Coast Guard to verify the security involved in using civilian volunteers for increasingly sensitive functions. The Coast Guard has therefore determined that all Auxiliarists will require fingerprint checks. Additionally, members performing Operations or direct Operational Support missions will need to undergo National Agency Checks on their backgrounds to qualify for what is in effect a Secret clearance.

Auxiliary Vessel Maintaining Warship Safety Zone.........................................Auxiliary Watchstander at Coast Guard Station