Together, the Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Life-Saving Service formed the United States Coast Guard on 28 January 1915. The law made the Coast Guard a permanent member of the United States military and allowed it to be transferred to the U.S. Navy whenever necessary. The practice of placing the Revenue Cutter Service under control of the Navy in times of crisis had been the custom in the past. But now it was made official by the new law which also changed its name.