Pasquotank County and Elizabeth City has been supportive of and connected to the United States Coast Guard since 1940.   Today we celebrate the Coast Guard's 218th birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!  Here is an USCG official press release: 

WASHINGTON --  The U.S. Coast Guard is celebrating 218 years of service as America's maritime guardians today. The United States Coast Guard -- Proud History.  Powerful Future. 

"The Coast Guard has a proud history, and on the occasion of our birthday, we must pay tribute to those who came before us," said Adm. Thad W. Allen, commandant. "We must also rededicate ourselves to making the Coast Guard the best it can be for those who will follow in our footsteps."

This year's birthday coincides with a historic event and an important step forward in the Coast Guard's modernization, the commissioning of the first National Security Cutter, Bertholf, in Alameda, Calif.

The Bertholf and its sister ship Waesche, which was christened on July 26, are at the forefront of the Coast Guard's fleet modernization. The National Security Cutters will improve operational readiness and enable the Coast Guard to fulfill its multi-mission roles more effectively through better sea keeping, higher sustained transit speeds, greater endurance and range, and a greater ability to launch and recover improved small boats, helicopters, and eventually unmanned aerial vehicles - all key attributes in enabling the Coast Guard to implement increased security responsibilities.

Additional modernization efforts include added capabilities to workhorse assets like the MH-65C helicopter, C-130 aircraft and the Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC) fleet as well as introduced new assets such as the Response Boat-Medium and the HC-144a Ocean Sentry patrol aircraft. The Coast Guard is also adding capacity to its marine safety program, improving our shore-based command and control capabilities and achieving a greater degree of maritime domain awareness. All Coast Guard modernization efforts are designed to improve mission execution and enable the Coast Guard to be more adaptive to the maritime challenges of the 21st century.

The Coast Guard is one of America's five armed forces and traces its founding to Aug. 4, 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of the federal revenue. Considerable responsibilities have been added over the years including humanitarian duties such as aiding mariners in distress. The service received its present name in 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to form a single maritime service dedicated to safety of life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws.   http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/786/219223/

We have five major Coast Guard commands in Elizabeth City:

Support Center Elizabeth City
Air Station Elizabeth City
Aircraft Repair and Supply Center
Aviation Technical Training Center
National Strike Force Coordination Center

All but the National Strike Force are located on the Support Center complex four miles south of Elizabeth City.

Normally there are about 900 active duty members and 575 civilian employees associated with Coast Guard in the Elizabeth City area. The annual Coast Guard payroll is about $32 million. The Support Center staff maintains 800 acres of real estate, including more than five miles of runways and taxiways, four miles of roads, 68 buildings, and units of Coast Guard owned family housing. The staff maintains the pay and personnel records for local area Coast Guard members. The staff also provides transportation and logistics support, and medical and dental treatment.

The Aircraft Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC) overhauls and makes major repairs and modifications to all Coast Guard aircraft and associated equipment. It performs procurement, accounting, stock inventory control, storage, issue and shipping of aircraft parts, supplies and aeronautical equipment. The AR&SC also provides technical support in the engineering and avionics fields for all Coast Guard aviation.

In 1978, the Aviation Technical Training Center opened its doors for students as a central training location for all enlisted aviation personnel.

Officially opened 15 Aug 1940 as a seaplane base, the Air Station was the first of the Coast Guard commands in Elizabeth City. Today, the air station has five long range aircraft and three helicopters. The unit's missions include search and rescue; law enforcement for fisheries, drug and migrants; aids to navigation logistics flight support; marine environmental protection; the International Ice Patrol; and operative flights for other federal state, and local agencies.

Elizabeth City aircraft have conducted missions from as far south South America, along the east coast of the United States and Canada.  http://www.elizcity.com/uscg/

We at Phyllis and Company and Long and Foster are proud to have helped locate housing for these wonderful military families throughout the years in Elizabeth City and all the Albemarle Sound areas.   Please call Phyllis Bosomworth at 252 339 5151 or Erin Nixon at 252 435 5043 for any way we can assist you.