Larsdehaan, I guess that quote is from Wikipedia, am I right?
This is what the Us Coast Guard say about them self:
"The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed forces of the United States and the only military organization within the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1790 the Coast Guard has safeguarded our Nation's maritime interests and environment around the world. The Coast Guard is an adaptable, responsive military force of maritime professionals whose broad legal authorities, capable assets, geographic diversity and expansive partnerships provide a persistent presence along our rivers, in the ports, littoral regions and on the high seas. Coast Guard presence and impact is local, regional, national and international. These attributes make the Coast Guard a unique instrument of maritime safety, security and environmental stewardship."
(quoted from http://www.uscg.mil/top/about/)
About the same, but they are more clear with that they belong to the armed forces of US. Also some time ago, some persons who were active in US Coast Guard were also active here on the forum and they were very clear about it too. So it is nothing new, that I say that say that the Coast Guard ships are millitary, I just repeat what folks from the CG say them self.