TRENTON, N.J. – Cape May County lawmakers Assemblymen Erik Simonsen and Antwan McClellan introduced a bill to create a special license plate honoring members of the U.S. Coast Guard. 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.
“Cape May County is home to the Coast Guard. Guardsmen 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 said.
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.
“From search and rescue missions to maritime law enforcement, the Coast Guard is vital to our state’s safety and security. They protect New Jersey’s coast and beyond. We want to ensure they get the special recognition they earned,” McClellan said.
The Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces and operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime.
Under the bill (A4391), active members or former active members who have been honorably separated, and Coast Guard spouses and parents, are eligible for the special state license plate.