Lead the Way: Serve on the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Board of Directors

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The Coast Guard has always taken care of its own, and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) is a big reason why. For more than 100 years, CGMA has stood watch for Coast Guard members, civilian employees, and families, ensuring short-term financial challenges don’t become long-term burdens.
Now, CGMA is calling on leaders from across the Coast Guard community to help guide that mission forward.

A Proven Mission with Real Impact

CGMA’s impacts people’s lives every day. In 2025 alone, CGMA:

• Delivered over $12 million in total financial assistance
• Supported more than 4,000 Coast Guard members, civilian employees, and their families
• Provided $3.1 million in grants and $9 million in interest-free loans
• Helped families navigate emergencies, PCS-related expenses, housing needs, family building, government shutdown impacts, and short-term financial challenges

Most of that assistance went to junior enlisted members, who are most likely to feel the immediate impact of unexpected financial strain, and civilian employees, who were disproportionately affected by the 2025 Government Shutdown.

CGMA’s model is simple and powerful: compassion paired with confidential stewardship. Grants meet urgent needs. Interest-free loans provide stability without creating burdensome long-term debt. Together, they protect both families and the long-term strength of the organization by ensuring member and family readiness to meet the demands of service.

“Coast Guard families look out for one another, and a strong Board ensures contributions are stewarded with care, discipline, and foresight for our family,” said Brooke Millard, Chief Executive Officer of CGMA. “In 2025, the support delivered across the Coast Guard community reflected not only generosity, but the strategic oversight of a Board that brings operational, financial, and outside perspectives together in service of one mission. That leadership enables CGMA to provide grants and interest-free loans that remove financial stress and keep Coast Guard families focused on readiness and resilience.”

A Call to Serve

The U.S. Coast Guard has released ALCOAST 008/26, announcing an open solicitation for five volunteer positions on the CGMA Board of Directors. Board members provide strategic oversight, governance, and financial stewardship to ensure CGMA remains strong, trusted, and mission-ready today and for generations to come.

This is volunteer service at the strategic level, where decisions directly shape CGMA’s ability to respond at speed and scale.

Who Can Apply and How?

Five Board positions will become vacant on July 1, 2026, representing a cross-section of the Coast Guard community:

• Retired Coast Guard Member (Senior Officer or Senior Enlisted – O-5 & above / E-7 and above)
• Reserve Member (Officer or Enlisted – any paygrade)
• Coast Guard Auxiliary Member
• At-Large Member (Executive Perspective)
• At-Large Member (Executive Perspective)

Board members typically serve three-year terms, working alongside fellow leaders committed to Helping Our Own.

How to Apply

• Application deadline: 20 February 2026
• Apply here: https://mycgma.org/bod2026application/
• Questions: election@mycgma.org

Skills That Matter Most

CGMA is particularly interested in candidates with experience in:

• Non-profit fundraising and donor cultivation
• Financial or accounting management
• Legal or compliance oversight
• Grant and program administration
• Prior board or governance experience

These skills help ensure every dollar entrusted to CGMA is stewarded responsibly and returned to the Coast Guard community with maximum impact. However, the most important qualification is a passion for helping our Coast Guard family.

Why Serve?

Safeguarding thousands of Coast Guard families each year means ensuring the Coast Guard and its members can stay focused on mission readiness, not financial worry. Serving in this role is leadership with purpose, grounded in stewardship and impact, and it continues long after the watch ends.