As part of a recent tour of the Tracen in Cape May , I was informed by my CG Auxiliary tour guide that the official name for a member of the USCG are "Guardians" not "Coasties". This was put forward by an active duty memeber who received a commendation for the suggestion. Besides, It is more descriptive of what we are!

I disagree completely, I am a coastie, and always will be a coastie! Guardian may not be sticking around very long (my opinion only). ADM Papp favorite word is shipmate. Time will tell!!

Trying to dictate unit/service nicknames to military members has yet to succeed, in my experience, and usually reflects badly on those who try.

I personally will not use "Guardian", I don't like it. I like Coastie and I use shipmate a lot when relaying messages to my in-laws and family. My husband said a vote was sent out on which nickname personnel liked the best and "Coast Guardsmen" topped the list...I guess the reason for the vote was due to the amount of complaints of Guardian.

Lol To each their own.

Hmmmm. "Coast Guardsmen"? Not very PC considering we have the highest amount of women serving of any of the other services.

I'm sorry but "coastie" seems a little soft for the bravery of our "Shipmates" that risk their lives (and lose them sometimes)everyday.

Oh well, just passing on information.

why dont you ask a 16 year chief boatswains mate if you can call him a "guardian" and not a coastie

you may get smacked in the lip

My ex is active duty 25 years, you will not hear him say "Guardian"... he is a Coastie, my son is a Coastie. You will never catch either of them saying Guardian, shipmates, yes. Sorry but this old girl can learn a few new tricks, that isn't one of them.

Once a Coastie always a Coastie..I'll never use Guardian myself..Sorry it just doesn't sound right.. =]

I wasn't featured in any Ashton Kutcher movies. I'm no Guardian. I was brought into the USCG a Coastie, I'll be leaving a Coastie.

Yup. I think that's why most people have an issue with Guardian.

My oldest daughter says just don't call her a puddle pirate and she'll be ok. hehe

Laurie

ahh im kind of fond of puddle pirate... its better than being a squid cause squids stink like fish...lol ewwwwwww

From my experience the only time my shipmates and I use the word "Guardian" is sarcastically, lol. My friends and family all refer to me as a Coastie and I like that.

No, not at all, this Coastie and Guardian stuff is nonsense.

What you do is you proudly look up and declare yourself to be a bathtub sailor, a diehard one, a 'REAL BATHTUB SAILOR.' Once the Navy have that image in their heads, rubber duckies and soap bubbles and a cigar, you then drop them as hard as a bad habit, "AND I'M A BATHTUB SAILOR BECAUSE ANY SAILOR CAN SAIL A SHIP, IT TAKES A REAL SAILOR TO SAIL A MOTHERXXXXING BATHTUB."

End of story, end of discussion, and Navy will shut his piehole up forever because he knows his ship had ice cream every week and movies every night underway and didn't heave, roll, pitch, and yaw like a drunken pig chasing a butterfly in a thunderstorm.