Contact Information
The United States Coast Guard may not be among the most popular armed forces outside of the United States of America, but its role and importance in the country is vital. It is among the seven uniformed forces in the country. It is unique due to its mission and objectives. Coast Guard Headquarters represents the brain of this force and the center that dictates and monitors all the actions. It is also the place where all the major decisions are taken, whether they imply restructuring operations, improvements, updates or upgrades. This center is responsible for everything that has something to do with this force.
Mission
In order to understand the mission and objectives of Coast Guard Headquarters, it is vital to understand what the US Coast Guard actually does after all. It deals with search and rescue operations first of all. This is the most active service it hosts. Whether the call is for a lost sailor or someone struggling with a stroke on a ship, the US Coast Guard is open for emergencies round the clock. Any case is vital until solved. Other than that, the environmental safety is just as important. It all starts with the maritime protection. The oil spills or the hazardous leaks may be extremely harmful for the US waters. If no action is taken, the coastal human communities may also end up with problems. This is when these experts step in.
The northern installations also deal with the ice patrolling operations. The large ice blocks and icebergs must be constantly monitored for the disasters to be prevented. The 1913 accident of Titanic was the definitive factors that brought this mission into the US Coast Guard. At the same time, the southern installations have a hard time dealing with the illegal immigrants. All in all, the law enforcement is a priority for these experts and one of the most important aspects Coast Guard Headquarters has to deal with.
History
The US Coast Guard is the oldest running armed force in the United States of America. It was founded in the 18-th century, in 1790, by Alexander Hamilton, as a different institution that was named to what it is today in 1915, after being merged with a different service. Coast Guard Headquarters has changed its location over the history. These days, it is located in Washington, DC, in the immediate proximity of Nationals Park. The hosting contract is about to expire in 2015. At that time, the headquarters might be relocated.
Units
Coast Guard Headquarters is supported by about 25 units and tenants. They are directly answering in front of the officials, although they may not always be hosted on site. Most of them are actually deployed in Virginia. Some of the most important ones include the Academy (Connecticut), the Finance Center (Virginia), the Legal Services Command (Virginia), the Navigation Center (Virginia), the Air Station Washington DC or the Research & Development Center (Connecticut). Each of these units has a leading role in the US Coast Guard and is directly influenced by the main orders and changes.
