ALAUX 036/26 Subj: COAST GUARD MUTUAL ASSISTANCE – MORE SUPPORT FOR THE COAST GUARD COMMUNITY AND AUXILIARISTS

 

1. Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) is the Coast Guard’s official military welfare society and is available to help members of the Coast Guard community when they encounter financial hardship, emergencies, disasters, or other unexpected needs. CGMA provides interest-free loans, grants, counseling, referrals, and other assistance designed to address immediate needs and temporary financial challenges. CGMA has provided more than $260 million in assistance to the Coast Guard community.

2. CGMA assistance is available to active-duty members, Reservists, civilian employees, Auxiliarists, chaplains, Public Health Service officers, retired military personnel, and surviving spouses. Many CGMA programs are also available to eligible spouses and children.

3. Auxiliarists have an important role in helping spread awareness of CGMA throughout the Coast Guard community and are strongly encouraged to do so. Examples of CGMA programs that may benefit Coast Guard personnel and their families include:

a. Financial assistance during emergencies and disasters;
b. Assistance with basic living expenses;
c. Education assistance, including grants and loans for qualifying educational expenses;
d. Assistance associated with childcare and elder care;
e. Housing and home repair assistance;
f. Vehicle repair assistance;
g. Family-building and adoption assistance;
h. Medical and dental assistance;
i. Funeral expense assistance;
j. Financial counseling and debt-management assistance; and
k. The Welcome Baby Layette program which provides a gift package containing baby essentials to celebrate the arrival of a new Coastie baby.

4. CGMA also provides assistance specifically for eligible Auxiliarists. One example is the newly launched Auxiliary Uniform Pilot Program (AUPP) which helps reduce the financial hurdle of initial required uniform costs for new Auxiliarists. The AUPP provides a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement match, up to $125, for eligible Auxiliarists within their first year of receiving a Coast Guard Auxiliary member ID number. The program is available nationwide.

a. To apply, an Auxiliarist must submit a copy of the front and back of their Auxiliary ID card to verify their Auxiliary member ID number and any receipts for uniforms purchased within 12 months of the application date.
b. The Auxiliarist must also provide validation that they are properly enrolled without any pending or current investigative or disciplinary action. Validation from the Auxiliarist’s Flotilla Commander (FC) is sufficient. An email attestation from the FC is acceptable provided it includes the Auxiliarist’s information (i.e., full name, member ID number, Base Enrollment Date), and the FC’s contact information.
c. Applications must be submitted online through the CGMA portal (CGMA Portal: https://portal.mycgma.org). An Auxiliarist should generally not need to contact their regional CGMA representative (CGMA Locator: https://mycgma.org/get-help/#where-to-go) unless they have questions about the application process. If additional information is required, the regional CGMA representative will contact the member directly. CGMA representatives generally complete their review of an application within 3-5 business days.

5. The AUPP is one example of how CGMA supports Auxiliarists as members of the Coast Guard community. Eligible Auxiliarists may also have access to other CGMA assistance, including disaster and emergency assistance, Welcome Baby Layettes, education assistance, and assistance with other qualifying financial needs. Auxiliarists are encouraged to become familiar with CGMA resources and share information about available assistance with fellow Auxiliarists and Coast Guard personnel.

6. Additional information about the AUPP is available at: Auxiliary Uniform (Pilot Program) | Coast Guard Mutual Assistance: https://mycgma.org/programs/auxiliary-uniform-pilot-program/.

7. General information and eligibility on all CGMA programs are available at:

CGMA – Get Help: https://mycgma.org/get-help
CGMA – Auxiliary Members: https://mycgma.org/get-help/auxiliary-members

8.  Internet release is authorized.