U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11 - Bellingham, WA

Auxiliary Chaplain Support – Navy Chaplain School

By Lyle Schrag · Alert 11, Spring 2025

“It’s hard to imagine that only 45 active duty chaplains can minister to the spiritual needs of a workforce that’s well over 80,000. That’s where the Auxiliary Chaplain Support Program comes in—a group of over 100 dedicated volunteer chaplains who assist throughout the Coast Guard.

“The Auxiliary Chaplain Support (ACS) Program provides additional support to the chaplains when they are stretched thin,” explained ACS Division Chief Dr. Phil Poole. “Our goal with the program is to have zero requests for assistance from a chaplain go unanswered. ACS chaplains stand in when the active duty chaplain is on leave, [on temporary duty], or just already busy with another duty.”

ACS chaplains perform nearly all chaplain duties, including but not limited to funerals, burials at sea, weddings, baptisms, christenings, change of command ceremonies, and retirement ceremonies.

Currently, there are over 100 auxiliarist chaplains in the ACS program whose combined ministerial experience is well over 1,600 years. The average ACS chaplain has 22 years of ministerial experience.”1

While an ACS Chaplain’s ministerial experience provides a rich base of training, the responsibilities of an Active Duty US Coast Guard Chaplain are quite unique as a military service. Both the US Coast Guard and the US Marine Corps are served by active duty Navy Chaplains, all of whom undergo rigorous training at the Navy Chaplain School in Newport, Rhode Island. In an initiative to elevate the quality of ACS service, in 2025 four ACS Chaplains were invited to participate in the BLC (Basic Leadership Course) along with the incoming “class” of US Navy Chaplains. In February, one of Bellingham Flotilla’s members and one of the founders of the ACS, Dr. Lyle Schrag, joined the other three ACS Chaplains for the intensive introductory BLC course.

In addition to his local “deckplate” ACS duties supporting the Northwest District Chaplain, Dr. Schrag has not only serve in Sector Puget Sound, but has been on three special assignment deployments. Given those experiences, in January 1, 2025, he was appointed to the USCG Auxiliary National Staff as the Branch Assistant Administration-Deployment with the assigned purpose of developing procedures that would enable ACS chaplains to respond and serve the increased demand by the US Coast Guard for Chaplain deployments.

  1. As reported by CG writer, Shana Brouder in the July, 2021 issue of MyCG↩

Also in this issue

  • USCG Band Performance

    The U.S. Coast Guard Band performed at Western Washington University’s Performing Arts Center on Feb 22 during its centennial tour, and flotilla member Ray White staffed an Auxiliary information table.

  • Annual PPE Swim

    Flotilla boat crew and coxswains tested their drysuits for leaks at the annual PPE “swim” at Bloedel Donovan swimming beach on April 26.

  • Flotilla Meetings

    The flotilla’s February, March and April meetings included talks on invasive European green crabs and on radios, emergency devices and e-charts, plus staff reports, swearing-in and awards.

  • Member Training

    How flotilla members can complete self-administered core training, optional workshops, instructor-led refreshers and boat crew qualification materials.

  • Navigation Systems

    The flotilla received its 2025 PATON and bridge assignments, held the annual AV refresher via Zoom, and asks boat crew to use electronic navigation systems for charting.

  • USCG Museum

    A look at the U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London, Conn., which is moving from the Coast Guard Academy campus to a new purpose-built facility nearby.

  • Parting Shot

    USCG Cutter Polar Star returns to Seattle after a 285-day deployment.

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