Retired Rear Adm. Alan Steinman poses for a photo Oct. 5, 2010. Steinman is the highest ranking military official to come out publicly as being gay. Photo courtesy of Jo Ann Santangelo.

On the front lines of diversity

    The military has long been a microcosm of society, reflecting changing values and norms. With mission readiness at the forefront of any policy changes, the military has historically kept pace with the pulse of societal change to bring [...]


A barge transporting cargo travels on the Mississippi River near New Orleans, March 7, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Ryan Tippets.

Station New Orleans: Protecting the gateway to global commerce

       America is currently besieged by a very particular fear. It is a fear of not enough, a universal fear. It is a fear of not enough money and not enough jobs. It is a fear for the future. [...]


Lt. Kelly Haupt looks for some beads to throw to revelers during the King Rex parade during Mardi Gras Day festivities aboard the Coast Guard float in downtown, Feb. 12, 2013. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Bill Colclough.

Laissez-nous sail Mardi Gras roads

As you ride the Coast Guard’s cutter float through the streets of New Orleans, a cacophony of screaming masses fill your ears with, “Throw me something mister.” A gumbo of carnival regalia fills your vision as you pass hordes of [...]


SAN ANTONIO - Coast Guard Lt. Micah Bonner animatedly coaches the U.S. Navy Basketball team to encourage them to perform better during practice for the Armed Forces Basketball Tournament at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Nov. 5, 2012. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Nathan G. Wilson-Crow.

Leading on, off the court

 By Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan Lally A coach sits, stands and paces along the sidelines of a basketball court encouraging, motivating and, yes, yelling at his players to perform better. He sternly scolds them to play better defense and [...]


The Coast Guard Cutter Manowar flag box logo was designed by Ruth Brace, who is known to many Coast Guardsmen as the sticker lady. U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Coast Guard Cutter Manowar.

Devotion sticks to service since 1989

By Chief Petty Officer Christopher Browning The Coast Guard lost an extended family member on Aug. 18. After a short battle with cancer, Ruth Brace, known to most Coast Guardsmen as the sticker lady, passed away. For more than 20 [...]


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Auxiliarists save father-daughter boaters

A daring rescue by Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 9339 of a father-daughter canoe team took place during the 3rd Annual Tour du Teche. Find out more here.


AirSta NOLA Wet Drills III

Ready, Wet, Drill

Have you ever wondered how Coast Guard helicopter crews prepare for a “worst-case-scenerio,” if a helicopter were to crash in water? To find out more read this blog post.


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Coast Guard Cutter Scioto, 50 years tough

  Seemingly unknown to the public, and in some instances to the Coast Guard at large, the River Buoy Tender cutter class is the workhorse of the Coast Guard. River tenders are indispensable in keeping mariners safe and help boost America’s [...]


“Shield of Freedom,” is a commonly used phrase by the Coast Guard to encompass and highlight the service’s missions and abilities to protect the American public along the nation’s borders. The shield used in the Coast Guard’s emblem originated in 1799 as an order by Oliver Wilcott, Secretary of the Treasury, as a way to distinguish U.S. Revenue Cutter Service vessels from other U.S. naval vessels.

Shielding America for 222 years

“Shield of Freedom,” a phrase commonly associated with the Coast Guard is an appropriate expression to use in celebration of the service’s 222nd birthday highlighting their role as protectors of the American borders.


BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -€“ Coast Guard Ensign Donald Rudinckas, a shipboard damage control instructor, teaches a group of Exercise Tradewinds 2012 participants the best method to plug holes to stem incoming water, June 19, 2012. Tradewinds is a multinational, interagency exercise designed to develop and sustain relationships that improve the capacity of U.S., Canadian and 15 Caribbean partner nations security forces to counter transnational crime and provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Lehmann/Released)

Coast Guard keeps Tradewinds 2012 from sinking

You are on a go-fast boat chasing down drug smugglers when your boat slams into a submerged object and your engines shutdown. Water is suddenly pouring in from multiple areas and is causing a plethora of other problems. What do [...]


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