Chartered in 1939 as the Coast Guard Reserve, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary supports and participates in all missions of the Coast Guard with the exception of direct military and law enforcement actions. This volunteer group of 21,000 provides millions of dollars worth of support to the boaters and citizens of the United States in areas as varied as search & rescue, teaching boating safety classes, doing no-jeopardy vessel safety checks for recreational boaters, standing watch at Coast Guard stations, and augmenting Coast Guard crews.