Coast Guard families and spouses often get left out of the conversation surrounding the plight of military families because their service is a part of the Homeland Security Department, not the Defense Department.
So it’s good to hear that when the civilian world looks to do something great for military families, they remember the Coast Guard, too. This time around it’s the folks over at Extreme Home: Home Edition. They are looking to bring a Coast Guard family on the show.
From the story on Military.com:
Previous seasons have included episodes highlighting military families from the other four armed services. In support of 2011 as Year of the Coast Guard Family, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition hopes to highlight a Coast Guard family for an entire episode.
Nominations are open until July 10. If you want to be a part of the show or know someone who might you can go here to nominate a family and here for more information.
About Amy Bushatz
Comments
I have a high regard for the Coast Guard, when I was in the navy stationed in Gtmo during the 1980s. I repaired a lot of their equipment. At that time there funding was through the Dept. of Transportation,
Which was an absolute joke for everything they did then. I can only hope now that they are under Homeland Security they are getting better funding since they are required to do so much more.
They deserve some recognition!
Nope; they still use duct tape and chewing gum. But I hope someday they are given proper equipment and repairs. As my husband said, "We never let industry get away with the stuff we send our people out in."
It is sad, The demands placed on the Coast Guard have always exceeded the poor funding. I know first hand, and can only offer to those members of the Coast Guard and families that they have my utmost respect and honor for the job they do.
To borrow the sentiment of a statement made by Winston Churchill during WWII that should be used as a statement of honor to the United States Coast Guard,
"Never have so few, Done so much, With so little".
It's no better under DHS
My Coastie has been deployed for his first overseas deployment and boy has it been an eye opener. I never realized that the Coast Guard was not considered "real" military. I have been informed several times in the last couple of weeks that we don't qualify for things because we are Coast Guard and not DoD.
It is frustrating,as we are facing the same struggles as all the other deployed families but with less support.
It is sad, As I said they had no funding then for repairs. The cutter I did the most repairs for was the Dallas. I know she has long since been retired do to being over worked and lack of proper maintenance funding. Her crew from the CO down were the best people. They could have let her (The Dallas) just die,They refused to let her fade away, Their creative and inventive attitude kept her fulfilling her duties patrolling the western caribbean for drug smugglers and as well as the multitude of other duties required during patrols. Her main armament was a 30 cal machine gun, because her original 4 in deck gun was so obsolete that they could no longer maintain it, it was removed and replaced with the 30 cal. so she was out gunned by the very drug boats she was supposed to stop. The drug boats were armed with up to three M60 machine guns. Finally, I don't know how they managed it, they got another slightly used 4in 0r 6in deck gun. So they could actually stop these boats with-out getting shot up themselves in the process.
I am ashamed to say I cant remember the first class quarter masters name, I will never forget him and the crew of the Dallas. They were to me the best example of Honor, Duty, and True American can do spirit. Lack of funding did not stop them from fulfilling their duty. This country should be ashamed of how little funding and respect the Coast Guard gets, and how much it does!