Certain terms used in this part are defined as follows:

Aircraft means any contrivance now known or hereafter invented, used, or designed for navigation of or flight in the air.

Auxiliary means the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary established pursuant to the Auxiliary Act.

Auxiliary Act means the laws governing the Coast Guard Auxiliary, codified in chapters 23 and 25 of Title 14, United States Code (14 U.S.C. 3901-3913 and 4101-4104).

Commandant means the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

Direct Law Enforcement includes boarding a vessel for law enforcement purposes, carrying firearms or law enforcement equipment (handcuffs, pepper spray, etc.), investigating complaints of negligent operations, serving subpoenas, and covert operations. For more details see Chapter 4.E. of the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual, COMDTINST M16798.3 (series).

Facility means a vessel, aircraft, radio station, motorized vehicle, trailer, or other equipment accepted for use by the Coast Guard.

Member means any person who is a member of the Auxiliary.

Motorboat means any documented or numbered vessel propelled by machinery.

Personal property of the Auxiliary means a vessel, aircraft, radio station, motorized vehicle, trailer, or other equipment owned by, or under the administrative jurisdiction of, the Coast Guard Auxiliary or an Auxiliary unit, and that is used solely for Auxiliary purposes and in accordance with the Auxiliary Act.

Radio station means any equipment (including a building, recreational vehicle, trailer, or other motorized vehicle which houses such equipment) used for radio communication or direction finding.

Secretary means the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating.

Vessel means any water craft, including non-displacement craft and seaplanes, used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on water.

Yacht means either—

(1) Any documented or numbered vessel used exclusively for pleasure; or

(2) Any sailboat used exclusively for pleasure more than 16 feet in length measured end-to-end over the deck, excluding sheer.

(a) The Auxiliary is a uniformed, volunteer, non-military organization administered by the Commandant under the direction of the Secretary.

(b) The purpose of the Auxiliary is to assist the Coast Guard, as authorized by the Commandant, in performing any Coast Guard function, power, duty, role, mission, or operation authorized by law.

(c) Auxiliary units assist the Coast Guard in maintenance and upkeep, and in conducting tours of Coast Guard and other Federal- or State-owned structures and property.

(d) The Auxiliary assist Federal, State, and municipal agencies, as authorized by the Commandant.

(a) The Coast Guard Auxiliary is organized pursuant to the Auxiliary Act and Coast Guard regulations. Organizational elements include a national board and staff, national leadership, areas, districts, regions, divisions, and flotillas. A flotilla is the basic organizational unit of the Auxiliary.

(b) The Auxiliary has elected and appointed officers.

(1) Elected officers are in charge of Auxiliary units and elements at both the national and local levels of the Auxiliary organization. The Unit Leader is the senior elected officer at each level of the Auxiliary organization: Flotilla Commanders, Division Commanders, District Commodores, and the National Commodore are unit leaders.

(2) Appointed officers are appointed by elected officers and hold staff positions in Auxiliary units at both the national and local levels of the Auxiliary organization.

(c) For all Auxiliary units, the Unit Leader is the person authorized to exercise the authority set forth in § 5.7 on behalf of his or her unit, and may delegate that authority.

(d) For all Auxiliary units, the Finance Officer is the person authorized to handle, transfer and disburse bank accounts, monies, stocks, bonds, and other items of intangible personal property on behalf of his or her Auxiliary Unit.

(a) The Commandant may delegate any authority vested in him or her by the Auxiliary Act or by this part to personnel of the Coast Guard and members of the Auxiliary in the manner and to the extent as the Commandant deems necessary or appropriate for the functioning, organization, and internal administration of the Auxiliary.

(b) The Commandant has authorized Auxiliary Unit Leaders to take the following actions in furtherance of the authorized missions of the Auxiliary. This is not an exclusive list—

(1) Acquire, own, hold, use, and dispose of vessels, aircraft, motorized vehicles, trailers, radio stations, electronic equipment and other items of tangible, personal property;

(2) Accept ownership, custody, or use of vessels, boats, aircraft, radio stations, motorized vehicles, trailers, electronic equipment, and other tangible property from the Coast Guard, from other Federal, State, or municipal agencies, or from private or non-profit groups;

(3) Create and manage bank accounts, monies, stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments;

(4) Accept and use gifts, grants, legacies, and bequests;

(5) Accept funds, materials, services, and the use of facilities from public and private entities and Federal, State, or municipal agencies;

(6) Enter into licenses, leases, contracts, memoranda of agreement, or understanding, and other agreements; and

(7) Enter into cooperative agreements and grant agreements with the Coast Guard and other Federal, State, or municipal agencies.

(c) The national board of the Auxiliary may form a corporation under State law and Coast Guard policy to manage the Auxiliary's fiscal affairs. The national corporation may—

(1) Hold copyrights, trademarks, and titles to Auxiliary property;

(2) Contract with the Coast Guard and other Federal, State, and municipal agencies to procure such goods and services;

(3) Receive grants, gifts, and other items on behalf of the Auxiliary; and

(4) Conduct other activities as may be authorized by the Commandant.

(d) An Auxiliary district or region may form a corporation under State law and Coast Guard policy.

Further guidance on Auxiliary missions and activities may be found in Coast Guard directives and publications, including the Auxiliary Manual (Commandant Instruction M16790.1(series)) and the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual (Commandant Instruction M16798.3(series)). Those directives and publications can be found online at https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/directives.