The 2022 NYC Veterans Day Parade honors the U.S. Coast Guard as the Featured Service Branch

Nov 12

NEW YORK, NY November 12, 2021

Date/Time

As always, the Parade took place on November 11 (Friday), on a gray rainy day, stepping off around 12:00 and run until 3 pm.

Route

The Parade proceeded on its traditional route, started at 26th Street and Fifth Avenue and went north on Fifth Avenue up to the end point at 45th Street.

Grand Marshal

This year’s Grand Marshal was Vince M. Patton III, the Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard. Vince spent over 30 years in uniform, and continues to serve our military members, veterans and young people. We were honored and excited to welcome him to NYC!

Featured Service Branch

This year’s featured Service Branch was the United States Coast Guard; as always, every service branch was honored and acknowledged for their service.

TV Broadcast

The Parade was aired live on WABC and streamed online on military.com. The broadcast portion of the Parade run from 12:30pm untl 3:00pm. The Parade also aired on AFN (American Forces Network).

Opening Ceremony

The traditional Opening Ceremony saw a group of Parade and community representatives participating in a wreath procession to the Eternal Light Memorial.

Viewing areas

Cheering spectators filled the streets of the Big Apple, and followed the Parade on Fifth Avenue, from 27th Street to its endpoint at 45th Street.

About the U.S Coast Guard

America's Oldest Maritime Defenders

The Coast Guard is one of the oldest organizations of the federal government. Established in 1790, the Coast Guard served as the nation's only armed force on the sea until Congress launched the Navy Department eight years later. Since then, the Coast Guard has protected the United States throughout its long history and served proudly in every one of the nation's conflicts.

The Coast Guard is the principal Federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports and waterways. In this capacity, the Coast Guard protects and defends more than 100,000 miles of U.S. coastline and inland waterways, and safeguards an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) encompassing 4.5 million square miles stretching from North of the Arctic Circle to South of the equator, from Puerto Rico to Guam, encompassing nine time zones – the largest EEZ in the world. As one of the five Armed Services of the United States, the Coast Guard is the only military branch within the Department of Homeland Security. In addition to its role as an Armed Service, the Coast Guard is a first responder and humanitarian service that provides aid to people in distress or impacted by natural and man-made disasters whether at sea or ashore. The Coast Guard is a member of the Intelligence Community, and is a law enforcement and regulatory agency with broad legal authorities associated with maritime transportation, hazardous materials shipping, bridge administration, oil spill response, pilotage, and vessel construction and operation.

The over 56,000 members of the Coast Guard operate a multi-mission, interoperable fleet of 243 Cutters, 201 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and over 1,600 boats. Operational control of surface and air assets is vested in two Coast Guard geographical Areas (Pacific and Atlantic), nine Coast Guard Districts, and 37 Sectors located at strategic ports throughout the country. Six Mission Support Logistics and Service Centers provide services for operational assets and shore facilities. Coast Guard program oversight, policy development, and personnel administration are carried out at Coast Guard Headquarters located on the St. Elizabeths campus in Washington, DC.

On an average day, the Coast Guard:

• conducts 45 search and rescue cases;

• saves 10 lives;

• saves over $1.2M in property;

• seizes 874 pounds of cocaine and 214 pounds of marijuana;

• conducts 57 waterborne patrols of critical maritime infrastructure;

• interdicts 17 illegal migrants;

• escorts 5 high-capacity passenger vessels;

• conducts 24 security boardings in and around U.S. ports;

• screens 360 merchant vessels for potential security threats prior to arrival in U.S. ports;

• conducts 14 fisheries conservation boardings;

• services 82 buoys and fixed aids to navigation;