What is the purpose of a Record Group Number in Coast Guard records management?

• A. To indicate archival year
• B. To track shipping
• C. To distinguish its records from those of other government agencies
• D. To denote security level

Answer: (C)

A Record Group Number serves to group all records originating from a single agency so they can be identified and retrieved within the National Archives system. For the Coast Guard, this number distinguishes its records from those of other government agencies, ensuring that Coast Guard materials—by origin and scope—are filed, retained, and disposed of under the correct retention rules and can be found without mixing them up with records from other agencies. This isn’t about archiving year, tracking ships, or indicating security levels; those are separate concepts. In short, the Record Group Number uniquely identifies Coast Guard records within the broader federal archives landscape, enabling accurate organization and access.