If I asked you to list the four branches of America's military, what would your answer be? Would you list them as Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines? If so, you'd be wrong. You see, the Marine Corps is part of the Navy. The fourth branch of the service, and the one most people either forget or are ignorant of, is the U.S Coast Guard (USCG).
The Coast Guard was originally formed in 1790, making it the oldest and longest continual maritime service in the country. It has a multi-faceted mission that includes maritime law enforcement in both domestic and international waters, search and rescue operations, and coastline defense. During peace time the Guard operates under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security; during war time direction is transferred to the Navy.
So now that you know the basics, have you ever seen a Coast Guard member in uniform? Or how about a vet at one of your local Memorial Day or Veterans Day celebrations? The USCG is often the forgotten member of the armed forces, but fortunately, they are not forgotten by thecheapplace.com.
Thecheapplace.com is the one place you'll find Coast Guard patches such as the Coast Guard Emblem patch. It's a blue-bordered shield with the USCG emblem in gold against a white background. "United States Coast Guard" is embroidered in blue in the center of the emblem. They also carry a rectangular patch in black, red, and white, as well as a blue and gold U.S. Coast Guard Retired patch. All of them look amazing, and all are quite respectful to those who have served in the organization.
To me, what makes the Guard so awesome is their versatility. In any organization you always have one or two people who don't specialize in any one area, rather, they are knowledgeable in a whole slew of things, running around and putting out fire wherever they find them. That's what the Coast Guard is to the rest of the armed forces.
They have a station right here in my home town to assist boaters on the Great Lakes. Yet they also have stations up around the Bering Sea in Alaska. While they may be helping a stranded recreational boater here at home, they may also be rescuing the crew of a capsized fishing vessel up north. All the while, they need to maintain military readiness to protect the U.S. coastline.
Often the USCG gets a bad wrap due to the fact they they are the police force of the high seas. Nobody likes to be boarded and inspected by the Guard. But without them, our waters and coastline would be terribly unsafe. They provide many of the maritime services non of the other military branches, or law enforcement agencies, are capable of.
I think it's time to add some Coast Guard military patches to my collection. And not just as an after thought, but as an equal member of the U.S. Armed Forces due all the dignity and respect of the others. As Coast Guard members always say, Semper Paratus.
