Many of you know that I am retired Coast Guard and work for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Right now 42,000 active duty Coasties are going without pay, the first time in the history of our country an active duty armed force has had to endure that. Many of these members are on board ship and at sea and are unable to access any other means to pay their debts or provide for their dependents.
The Coast Guard Mutual Assistance program is run by the USCG and is in many cases the only way members can qualify for financial assistance due to the realities of being on active duty. They helped me out back when I was in and are currently trying to help all 42,000 weather this storm. I am doing a fundraiser for them and would humbly and graciously accept any and all assistance.
https://www.facebook.com/donate/1741137919324831/?fundraiser_source=external_url
Thank you, and please respect that this is not political in any way. I just want to help out the service that protects us all. Fair winds and following seas.
In reply to Javelin :
Is there a non Facebook way to donate for us that don't Facebook? I can PayPal you if you want to forward it on?
In reply to Stampie :
I have no idea, I don't think so though since Facebook is the fundraiser distributor.
I will absolutely forward 100% if you want to PayPal me though. AMX310 at gmail dot com. I will email you a screen shot showing the payment advance.
Hey Jav- retired Coastie here too, just saw that USAA just donated $15M to CGMA. A good gesture after their recent missteps.
Stampie said:
In reply to Javelin :
Sent. I trust ya.
Emailed you a receipt. Thank you again, I really appreciate it.
I am furloughed from a different area of government. Lots of people suffering from this, beyond the 800k stated in news. Contractors to furloughed agencies are often issued stop work orders and while federal employees will most likely get their pay after this is over, they won't.
My wife is a stopped work contractor and I am a furloughed federal. She filed for unemployment, Maryland is so overwhelmed that they will not increase payment if you have dependants as they normally would. Her unemployment check is less than a third her normal pay.
We have savings to weather for awhile and investments that can be tapped if need be. I'm not asking for anything for us, we aren't in bad straights and can meet our needs. But this is hurting a lot of folks and if you become aware of ways to help those in need, I appeal to you to do so.
If you do have a strong opinion regarding ending this, remember, writing or calling your congressional representatives will accomplish so much more than empty words on forums and social media.
I love coasties ever since I camped at the Cape may base as a boy scout. Fun place to tour as a 12 year old.
Sorry you guys have to go through this. As someone who has been laid off before, this stress is not something you deserve.
Why isn't the CG part of DoD?
914Driver said:
Why isn't the CG part of DoD?
https://www.stripes.com/news/commandant-tells-coast-guard-families-you-have-not-and-will-not-be-forgotten-1.564340
The other military service branches are part of the Department of Defense, which has been unaffected by the shutdown. But unlike the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, which is affected.
Around 7,400 civilian Coast Guard workers have been furloughed and the disbursement of pay for some 50,000 retired Coast Guard members and employees could be affected, officials said.
If anyone is affected, CG or not, be aware you may have options for no or low interest loans through your bank or credit union, that have repayment terms tied to the government reopening.
Reddit had a discussion on this, for those not familiar with their formatting, posts with green arrows are original, and the grey arrows are replies, so you may need to scroll down past a bunch of short reply posts to get to the next informational one:
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/ag9fg9/financial_aid_for_federal_employees/
Hopefully folks are getting the support they need. Its a tough time for a lot of people, and our leaders are not leading very well (sorry for the borderline flounder).
Stampie said:
In reply to Javelin :
Is there a non Facebook way to donate for us that don't Facebook? I can PayPal you if you want to forward it on?
Is this a valid, direct link? If so, I will donate this afternoon (I also don't facebook):
https://cgmahq.networkforgood.com/projects/63225-lifeline-for-a-shipmate
In reply to Flynlow :
This is true, but you can't apply for these loans while stationed on a cutter out at sea. Command can help process CGMA disbursements though.
Flynlow said:
Stampie said:
In reply to Javelin :
Is there a non Facebook way to donate for us that don't Facebook? I can PayPal you if you want to forward it on?
Is this a valid, direct link? If so, I will donate this afternoon (I also don't facebook):
https://cgmahq.networkforgood.com/projects/63225-lifeline-for-a-shipmate
It is indeed and thank you.
Apexcarver said:
I am furloughed from a different area of government. Lots of people suffering from this, beyond the 800k stated in news. Contractors to furloughed agencies are often issued stop work orders and while federal employees will most likely get their pay after this is over, they won't.
My wife is a stopped work contractor and I am a furloughed federal. She filed for unemployment, Maryland is so overwhelmed that they will not increase payment if you have dependants as they normally would. Her unemployment check is less than a third her normal pay.
We have savings to weather for awhile and investments that can be tapped if need be. I'm not asking for anything for us, we aren't in bad straights and can meet our needs. But this is hurting a lot of folks and if you become aware of ways to help those in need, I appeal to you to do so.
If you do have a strong opinion regarding ending this, remember, writing or calling your congressional representatives will accomplish so much more than empty words on forums and social media.
Yep, my mom is DOJ. So she is still working helping lock up criminals while not getting paid.
In reply to Javelin :
Donated. Thanks for bringing attention to this.
914Driver said:
Why isn't the CG part of DoD?
Part of the Coast Guard's duties involve things that would be construed as an act of war, or a violation of posse comitatus, if done by the capital-M Military, so for legal reasons, they cannot be capital-M Military. IIRC the USCG has never been part of the DoD except for during times of actual declared war, like WWII, at which point it isn't a high priority to worry about offending another nation if you have to, say, board a ship flying their flag.
(Me fail English? Unpossible!)
Knurled. said:
914Driver said:
Why isn't the CG part of DoD?
Part of the Coast Guard's duties involve things that would be construed as an act of war, or a violation of posse comitatus, if done by the capital-M Military, so for legal reasons, they cannot be capital-M Military. IIRC the USCG has never been part of the DoD except for during times of actual declared war, like WWII, at which point it isn't a high priority to worry about offending another nation if you have to, say, board a ship flying their flag.
(Me fail English? Unpossible!)
Correct. The Coast Guard has the right to board any vessel in International waters, which is why there are Coasties stationed in the gulf. If the Navy boards it is an act of war.
Another reason is that we started life as both the Revenue Cutter Service under Treasury (collecting taxes on imports) and the US Lifesaving service, which were combined into the Coast Guard. We have many, many jobs to do. The big ones are maintaining aids to navigation, lifesaving, and law enforcement (which is mostly fisheries inspections and nabbing BUI's). Most of those jobs are not Defense related. DHS is actually a good place for us and the Border Patrol to be.
Javelin said:
Knurled. said:
914Driver said:
Why isn't the CG part of DoD?
Part of the Coast Guard's duties involve things that would be construed as an act of war, or a violation of posse comitatus, if done by the capital-M Military, so for legal reasons, they cannot be capital-M Military. IIRC the USCG has never been part of the DoD except for during times of actual declared war, like WWII, at which point it isn't a high priority to worry about offending another nation if you have to, say, board a ship flying their flag.
(Me fail English? Unpossible!)
Correct. The Coast Guard has the right to board any vessel in International waters, which is why there are Coasties stationed in the gulf. If the Navy boards it is an act of war.
Another reason is that we started life as both the Revenue Cutter Service under Treasury (collecting taxes on imports) and the US Lifesaving service, which were combined into the Coast Guard. We have many, many jobs to do. The big ones are maintaining aids to navigation, lifesaving, and law enforcement (which is mostly fisheries inspections and nabbing BUI's). Most of those jobs are not Defense related. DHS is actually a good place for us and the Border Patrol to be.
I'm sure your old Senior Chief would kick you in the butt for saying that Mike. :P
The Coast Guard cannot board ANY vessel in international waters, just US flagged vessels, unless permission has first been granted by the flag country, or the vessel is stateless. It still wouldn't be an act of war for the US Navy or US Coast Guard to board another country's vessel though, unless it was a warship, but it could be cause for legal actions against the US.
The Coast Guard falls under the DHS (and previously the DOT and Treasury Departments) for the sole reason of posse comitatus, meaning the Army and Air Force (and read to included all branches of the Department of Defense) can not enforce laws on civilians except on government property. The Coast Guard is a maritime law enforcement and regulatory authority, so it couldn't do it's mission if it fell under the Department of Defense unless the posse comitatus act was modified to exclude them.
In reply to ThunderCougarFalconGoat :
I've been retired for 13 years, I forgot! 
