When folks think about the Coast Guard, they usually picture a rescue swimmer jumping from a helicopter — something straight out of The Guardian. But the real picture is far bigger and far more urgent.

The Coast Guard might be one of the smallest branches of our military, but it carries a heavyweight mission. Coast Guardsmen are out there every day, stopping drug smugglers, pushing back on threats from China and Russia in the Arctic, and keeping nearly $3 trillion in maritime trade flowing safely to American ports.

Recommended Stories

Coast Guard sending additional forces to newly named Gulf of America

At least seven people rescued by Coast Guard in waters off Florida

Inside the Coast Guard’s multimillion-dollar mission to revitalize its aging facilities