TRENTON, N.J. – Cape May’s acclaimed ‘Coasties’ could soon be honored with an official New Jersey license plate. Assemblyman Erik Simonsen’s bill creating a special plate for active and honorably separated U.S Coast Guard members and their families cleared the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee unanimously on Thursday.
“Cape May County is home to the Coast Guard. Members and their families are woven into our way of life, our schools, communities and culture. This license plate is a token of our gratitude for their service to this nation, our shores and waterways,” Simonsen (R-Cape May) said.
Cape May, New Jersey is home to the only U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in America, making it the birthplace of all the enlisted corps.
“Every member of the U.S. Coast Guard has been a New Jersey resident for at least part of their lives. This is a way for us to recognize their contributions to our state’s and nation’s safety and security,” Simonsen added.
The training center in Cape May is the fifth largest base in the Coast Guard. More than 4,000 men and women arrive each year for the first chapter of their career. The center is supported by uniformed volunteer members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary who assist in carrying out noncombatant and non-law enforcement missions.
The Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime.