United States Coast Guard

July Speaker USCG Monica Villegas

We know her as fellow diver Monica, member of SharkBait Dive Club for over 15 years,
member of the Board for much of that time and good friend to us all. Monica is also a
Lieutenant Commander in the United States Coast Guard. Monica will give us some insights
into the Coast Guard and how they interact with us.
Established in 1790, the United States Coast Guard is one of our nation’s oldest and most
respected federal agencies. In times of peace, the Coast Guard operates as part of the
Department of Homeland Security, enforcing the nation's laws at sea, protecting the marine
environment, guarding the our country’s vast coastline and ports, and performing vital life
saving missions.
The Coast Guard is a unique branch of the military responsible for saving lives, protecting the
environment, and defending America’s coastlines and waterways. All of this is done through
their 11 official missions:
Search & Rescue
Marine Environmental Protection
Drug Interdiction
Aids to Navigation
Living Marine Resources
Defense Readiness
Port & Waterway Security
Migrant Interdiction
Marine Safety
Ice Operations
Law Enforcement