ALAMEDA, CA — When the Coast Guard Cutter Munro returned to home port in Alameda on Christmas Eve it was greeted by joyous families happy to have their service member home after more than three months at sea. But those service members were also met by uncertainty — they aren’t getting a paycheck. While the other branches of the military are under the US Department of Defense, the Coast Guard is under Homeland Security. It is one of the departments impacted by the partial government shutdown over funding a border wall.
The 42,000 active duty members of the Coast Guard continue rescuing stranded boaters, patrolling our ocean borders and other duties. But there is no guarantee that they will be paid for their work when a new budget is signed. And then there’s the stress on their families over paying bills.
Local residents are stepping in to help. In a posting to a large Alameda Facebook group, Linda Chiu implored readers to lend a hand. She wrote, “For some, especially those with kids, things are getting pretty tough. The East Bay Coast Guard Spouses are collecting items in need to take some of the pressure off. Can you help?”
Here’s a list of requested items:
Here are drop off donations:
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— All photos via US Coast Guard, Photos by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Masaschi