As an all-volunteer organization, the Coast Guard Auxiliary appreciates the efforts of its members to contribute their time, knowledge, and skill set. The Sustained Auxiliary Service (SAS) Award was established to recognize Auxiliarists who’ve devoted a substantial amount of their time to promoting the missions and goals of the Auxiliary.
Upon contributing a total of 750 documented volunteer hours of service, Auxiliarists are presented with SAS award, which is issued as a ribbon and a medal. Eligibility for the initial award and subsequent devices are documented by the Director using records stored in the Auxiliary Database; once the qualifying hours are verified, the Director’s staff forwards the initial medal-and-ribbon to the appropriate facility for presentation at an appropriate ceremony or occasion.
A small bronze star is issued for each additional 750 hours of volunteer service in the Auxiliary; a silver star is issued to be worn in lieu of five bronze stars. A bronze hourglass device is issued for the landmark tenth award, indicating 7,500 hours of time contributed to the Auxiliary and its mission, and a silver hourglass is worn to denote 1,500 hours of volunteering. The silver hourglass is replaced by a gold one if the Auxiliarist accumulates the highly praiseworthy number of 25,000 total volunteer hours.
There are no devices issued for duty logged beyond the 25,000 mark, but any lack of outward ornamentation will be more than compensated for by the grateful thanks of personnel serving at all levels of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.