Below is a brief but comprehensive listing of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's many missions.

Surface (water) Missions

• Safety Patrol - Patrol under Coast Guard orders using an Auxiliary Operational Facility.  
• Regatta Patrol - Patrolling organized regattas and boat parades. 
• Chart Update Patrol - Verifying the accuracy and completeness of information published on charts and related navigation publications. 
• PWC Patrol - Patrolling on a Personal Water Craft (PWC).

Air Operations Missions

• SAR Mission - Search And Rescue call out or the air equivalent to a vessel safety patrol.  
• Enforcement of Laws and Treaties - Air support of a Coast Guard law enforcement mission.  
• MEP Mission - Air support in the area of Marine Environmental Protection.  
• Ice Operations Mission - Air support in the area of ice patrol operations.  
• Logistics Mission - Transportation of personnel.  
• Training Mission - Training missions involving air operations.

Land-based Operations Missions

• Radio Watchstander - Serving as a qualified watchstander at a Coast Guard or Auxiliary facility.  
• Officer of the Day Duties - OOD at a Coast Guard facility either ashore or afloat.  
• B-2 Alert SAR Standby - Time spent on stand-by.  
• B-0 Alert SAR Standby - Standing by under with an Auxiliary Operational Facility for immediate call out.  
• SAR Call Out - Search And Rescue call out involving communication facilities.  
• CG Crew Augmentation - Serving as a qualified crew on Coast Guard, not Auxiliary, vessels.  
• Enforcement of Laws and Treaties - Providing surface support of Coast Guard law enforcement mission.  
• MEP Mission - Surface support for a Marine Environmental Protection mission.  
• Auxiliary Radio Net Mission - Maintaining Coast Guard authorized Auxiliary radio nets.  
• Aids to Navigation Mission-Federal - Servicing federal or private Aids to Navigation.  
• Bridge Administration - Inspecting bridges.

Public Education Missions

• PE Other Than State/Youth - Auxiliary multi-lesson public education classes.  
• State and Youth Courses - State public education classes and youth courses 
• MT Instructor Mission - Member training activity, including specialty courses, boats crew training, and basic qualification classes.

Environmental Missions

• Enforcement of Laws and Treaties - Provide support to a Coast Guard law enforcement mission.  
• Marine Environmental Protection - Provide support to the Coast Guard in the area of Marine Environmental Protection.

Coast Guard Support and Boating Safety Missions

• CG Operational Support - A service provided to operational Coast Guard units in support of Coast Guard programs.  
• CG Administrative Support - Provide support to the Coast Guard in areas other than operations or recruiting. 
• AIM Mission - The Auxiliary's Academy Introduction Mission (AIM).  
• RAP Mission - Coast Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (RAP). 
• Courtesy Marine Examinations - Vessel Safety Checks; Personal Water Craft Safety Checks; Uninspected Passenger Vessel; and Commercial Fishing Vessel. 
• Public Affairs Mission - Promoting the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary or Coast Guard Reserve. 
• Marine Dealer Visits - Participating in the Marine Dealer Visitation Program.  

Agency Support Missions

• Federal Agencies - Provide non-operational support to other federal agencies, such as Customs, Corps of Engineers and NOAA.  
• State Agencies - Provide support to state agencies, such as the Department of Natural Resources, State Police and Marine Patrols. 
• Local Agencies - Provide support to local agencies, such as local police, sheriff's offices, fire/rescue and Harbormasters.