Roger that. Coasties are *always* armed in boardings, and not necessarly just with sidearms. Usually there is at least one shotgun and one M-16, even for "softer" boardings like fisheries enforcement. . Always. And it has always been this way. Nothing new here.
yeah you don't want to take on an UZI or an AK-47 or whatever they are firing at you with an M-9.