Lawsuits against the Coast Guard for injury to persons or property damage generally must be brought under a federal statute known as the "Suits in Admiralty Act." The Suits in Admiralty Act is a limited waiver of the federal government's sovereign immunity from civil lawsuits in certain maritime contexts.

The U.S. Coast Guard operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime. During times of war, it can be transferred in whole or in part to the U.S. Department of the Navy under the Department of Defense by order of the U.S. President or by act of Congress.

Generally speaking, enlistees do not stay for this long and do not make the Coast Guard a career for themselves, since in most cases, enlistees commit to 8 years of service. Depending on the terms of the contract, 2 to 6 years are spent on active duty and the rest spent in the Coast Guard Reserves.

Upon graduation from the Coast Guard Academy, there is a five-year commitment to serve as a commissioned Coast Guard officer. Your commitment guarantees you a career in a position of leadership. You'll commit to five years of service, but 85 percent of our graduates actually choose to serve longer.