I’m not from the US and have no military experience either. So the US has apparently 3 maritime branches in the uniformed services and the Coast Guard is, well guarding the coasts of the US. And the other branches can’t do that?
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All of these answers are correct but missing the mark on explaining the “why” just a little bit.
The short answer to your question is the Coast Guard fulfills a law enforcement role and the US military cannot do that due to the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878.
Different sections of law define the US Military and the Coast Guard.
Title 10 outlines the US Military, the structure, missions areas, and what the military can generally do. It is a long and complicated section of law but it does cover what you would expect including some things that you probably wouldn’t expect but makes sense in retrospect…like being able to station the military abroad in a permanent presence. When it comes to things domestically, generally speaking the laws are written so that the US military can support Civil Authorities, but not enforce the laws on behalf of Civil Authorities. So this is why the US military can support the war on drugs with surveillance, transport, training, etc, but not actually carry out the law enforcement activities. The one exception written in law is for when there is an insurrection. Then the federal government may Federalize state militia (National Guard primarily) to enforce federal laws. That is a very broad brush and over simplification but worth understanding. Adjacent law to this is Title 32 which covers the National Guard.
Title 14 Outlines the US Coast Guard. Written into that law are a couple of primary missions that the US Military do not have because of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878.
1. enforce or assist in the enforcement of all applicable Federal laws on, under, and over the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;
2. engage in maritime air surveillance or interdiction to enforce or assist in the enforcement of the laws of the United States;
3. administer laws and promulgate and enforce regulations for the promotion of safety of life and property on and under the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, covering all matters not specifically delegated by law to some other executive department;
Now the fun part. There is a very narrow overlap of Title 10 and the Coast Guard particularly when the Coast Guard is operating as a service in the Navy. This will primarily be the protection of the homeland, and not the enforcement of laws. So the Coast Guard can be used under some title 10 authority for title 10 purposes. It allows some strange things like Coast Guard personnel being used in Navy billets for the Global War on Terror. Saw a number of coasties spend time, typically on Joint Task Force HQ staffs filling multiple roles. Not super common but it did happen.
So the direct answer to your question is….. enforce federal laws.
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