Coast Guard: Additional Actions Needed to Address Reports of Community Discrimination Against Service Members

This GAO report examines how the U.S. Coast Guard addresses community-based discrimination incidents affecting service members and their families. It finds that reported incidents have increased in recent years, with most involving race or ethnicity and occurring in remote or less diverse locations. While commands generally follow response procedures, inconsistent definitions of what qualifies as a social climate incident lead to uneven handling across regions. The report also identifies gaps in documentation, data tracking, and awareness of internal monitoring tools. GAO recommends clarifying policies, standardizing recordkeeping, and improving communication to strengthen accountability and better support personnel.