The Coast Guard is a "civil military", whose classification has gotten murkier in recent years.Chris wrote:i don't get why our oceanic borders are protected by a branch of the military, but our land borders are protected by what are otherwise classified as civilian law enforcement?
Until 1967, the USCG belonged to the Treasury department. From then until 2003, they belonged to Transportation. Since 2003, they've belonged to Homeland Security. They never, as an entire service, belong to DoD; but, units are placed under DoD during wartime and for securing foreign ports during naval operations.
If the USCG weren't "civilian", then there would be a Posse Comitatus conflict for their everyday police work, where they ensure boating safety compliance, interdict smugglers, etc.
These days it amounts to a polite fiction to say that the USCG aren't military; they even use a .mil web address. With the militarization of police work, and the "policification" of military forces, the line is pretty gray. But, I'm sure there are teams of lawyers who stay busy in DC deciding just who can do what and stay clear of Posse Comitatus
Kevin