Recipients are authorized to purchase/wear the ribbon immediately.

SUBJ: 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

1. JUNE 23, 2009, IS A SIGNIFICANT DATE FOR THE COAST GUARD AS IT WILL MARK OUR AUXILIARY'S 70TH YEAR OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE NATION. WE TAKE TREMENDOUS PRIDE IN CALLING THESE VOLUNTEER GUARDIANS OUR SHIPMATES, KNOWING THAT THEIR SELFLESS DEVOTION TO DUTY AND UNWAVERING PRIDE HAVE GIVEN US INVALUABLE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT OUR DAILY ROUTINES AND GREATEST CHALLENGES.

2. FOR SEVEN DECADES, AUXILIARISTS HAVE NOBLY OFFERED THEIR TIME, EFFORTS AND RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE COAST GUARD. SPECIFICALLY DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS, A PERIOD OF UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE TO OUR NATIONAL SAFETY, SECURITY AND SPIRIT, AUXILIARY CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN STAGGERING IN THEIR BREADTH AND SCOPE. THESE UNDAUNTED VOLUNTEERS HAVE PERFORMED OVER 1.2 MILLION RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSEL SAFETY CHECKS, OVER 980 THOUSAND HOURS OF BOATING SAFETY COURSE INSTRUCTION, AND MORE THAN 7.7 MILLION HOURS OF OPERATIONAL SUPPORT AND PATROL MISSIONS. THE COSTS OF SUCH PERFORMANCE HAVE ALSO BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY BORNE BY AUXILIARISTS AS THEY HAVE LOGGED OVER 23.7 MILLION HOURS OF STAFF WORK, TRAVEL, PREPARATION, TRAINING, AND SELF-ADMINISTRATION. THIS HAS ALL BEEN UNSELFISHLY DELIVERED AS AUXILIARISTS HAVE STOOD SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEIR COAST GUARD COUNTERPARTS TO CONFRONT AND OVERCOME A ROLL CALL OF CHALLENGES: Y2K, 9/11, HURRICANE KATRINA, AND MANY OTHER NATURAL AND MAN-MADE DISASTERS.

3. THE AUXILIARY CONTINUES TO ALIGN ITSELF WITH THE COAST GUARD, MODERNIZING ITS ORGANIZATION ACROSS ALL SECTORS, DISTRICTS, AND HEADQUARTERS DIRECTORATES TO SHAPE OPTIMAL SUPPORT OF COAST GUARD MISSIONS TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. MOREOVER, THE AUXILIARY HAS GAINED EVEN GREATER HEADWAY AS IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY BROADENED ITS ABILITY TO COMPREHENSIVELY ADDRESS MORE AND MORE NON-TRADITIONAL MISSION AREAS SUCH AS INTERPRETER, VESSEL DOCUMENTATION, LEGAL, AND HEALTH SERVICES SUPPORT. I GREATLY ADMIRE THE ORGANIZATIONAL COURAGE AND DETERMINATION OF ALL AUXILIARISTS AS WE MAKE OUR FINAL APPROACH ON ACHIEVING A FULLY MODERNIZED AND INTEGRATED COAST GUARD.

4. AUXILIARY PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF STELLAR, AND ITS GREATEST IMPACTS ARE READILY REFLECTED BY AUXILIARISTS SPIRIT OF PATRIOTISM AND DEDICATION TO THE COAST GUARD MEN AND WOMEN WITH WHOM THEY SERVE. I THEREFORE INTEND TO DULY RECOGNIZE THE AUXILIARY WITH AN AWARD OF THE COAST GUARD UNIT COMMENDATION AS PART OF ITS 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS ON JUNE 23. PLEASE JOIN ME IN SETTING ASIDE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE EXCEPTIONAL HONOR, RESPECT, AND DEVOTION TO DUTY SO CONSISTENTLY DISPLAYED BY OUR COAST GUARD AUXILIARISTS, AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.

5. ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN, COMMANDANT, SENDS.

6. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.
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