The U.S. Coast Guard was officially founded in 1915, though it has existed in some form since 1790. It has a unique function within the armed services: in peacetimes, it is under the Department of Homeland Security. During wartimes, the Coast Guard can be transferred to operate under the U.S. Navy. Its goals can be divided into three broad categories: maritime security, maritime safety, and maritime stewardship. This means that guardsmen (or “Coasties”, more casually) can spend their days seizing illegal drugs, screening foreign and domestic ships for security threats and safety issues, rescuing folks lost at sea, or investigating ocean pollution events, depending on when and where they are.