Back in April I flew into Kingston, Jamaica – otherwise known as Dudus Coke‘s drug-war ground zero – to cover a big military exercise.  Nearly 15 countries were represented as international training teams discussed various security and law enforcement tactics.

While they hashed out how to better protect the Caribbean and the rest of the Gulf, I sampled some of the most expensive coffee on the planet and tried every type of jerked food I could get my mitts on.  Trust me, this job really is harder than I make it sound.  Seriously!

What did I learn in Jamaica?  Living in the U.S. is the greatest blessing of all.

There are breathtaking views, clear-blue waters and vibrant people on the, so-called, capital island of the Caribbean, but it falls well short of its potential.

I have come to the conclusion that we are different because waste management is near the top of our collective priority list, even though we don’t even realize it.  In Jamaica trash seems to be tossed aside, no matter where aside happens to be, as soon as the consumable within the wrapper has been consumed.

Here we make commercials featuring tearful Native Americans who are tormented by polluters and others that drive home the fact that it’s not okay to “mess with Texas.”

Anyhow, the trip was a great experience and did I mention the coffee?

Blue Mountain coffee goes for about $38 a pound, which is the equivalent of roughly two gazillion Jamaican dollars, and it just so happens to be amazing, if not necessarily worth the asking price.

There is no acidic aftertaste or coffee buzz jitters associated with this fine blend.  Plus, the views on the tour of the plantation are worth $38 a glance, if you ask me.

I hope Kingston and Port Royal are able to improve because they have the potential to be two of the most beautiful cities on the face of the globe, but until they do, I’ll just stick to Grand Cayman.  Except it actually does cost 2 gazillion dollars to visit, dang it…

When the line was first set it was Colts-3.5, but within an hour was changed to 4.5, because no one was betting the Saints.  It ballooned to 7 before settling at 5 towards the end of the week.  If you were able get in on that 3.5 action, congratulations my friend. At that point, I would have most certainly bet Colts too.  If you got in on that 7.0 action, congratulations my friend.  At that point, I would have most certainly bet Saints too…

With the line at five it makes things a heck of a lot more interesting.  My pick:  Saints +5.   I still like the Colts to win, but by less than 5.  Peyton and his boys won a ton of close games this year and there is no reason to think this one will be a runaway.

Final score: Colts 31 Saints 27

Then again, there’s is always the chance that one of the teams comes out with that dear in the headlights thing going on, and it could be a blow out.  I sure hope not, because these really are a pair of great teams.

By the way, a fun prop bet is whether or not both kickers will have a field goal of more than 34 yards.  I say yes, even though it has never happened in a Super Bowl before.  Who dat gonna kick a long field goal from the left hash-mark?

Even though Brett and the Vikes completely torched the pokes, they may have exposed the Eagles more than they exposed Dallas.

While the DFW folks were getting all spun up about how this team was different because they had pummeled the vaunted Eagles twice in a row and for a third time in the 2009 season, no one was going back and looking at the facts:

The only team that Philadelphia beat this season that had a winning record was the Atlanta Falcons, and that came in a game in which the Dirty Birds were without their starting quarterback, Matt Ryan.  Even though the Falcons were able to finish with a record of 9-7, which marked the first time the franchise had ever strung together back-to-back winning seasons, they failed to make the playoffs.

Point is, maybe the boys weren’t quite as good as we thought, and maybe Wade is in more trouble than we thought.

Many said that Bum’s kid needed to win at least one playoff game, and needed to be competitive in each game.  Well I don’t think Jerry will consider 34-3 competitive…

Personally, I pull for Wade because I grew up watching his dad on NFL Films productions and I loved the fact that he was more than a coach; he was a persona.

Bum was bigger than the Astrodome and he was the Oilers and no one could confuse the cowboy hat wearing coach with anyone else.  His players loved him and he came across as a real human being.

That last sentence pretty well describes his son as well, but in this day and age, it just might cost Wade his job.

The Cowboys came out hot and were able to move the ball up and down the field, but were unable to turn that movement into points.

Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young used to say that every time you kick a field goal you bring yourself that much closer to a loss.  Well if all you can do is drive down and miss field goals, you are pretty much guaranteeing your fate.

You have to finish drives in the NFL, and if you can’t, you go home.  It looks like the Cowboys will need a miracle finish to avoid going home for good.

The play lost seven yards and ultimately cost the Cowboys a chance to continue the drive.

That being said, Jerry has no excuse for pretending that he had no idea that our kicker, who doesn’t deserve mentioning, is no good.  He cut the guy and then watched first-hand as the guy performed so poorly that it cost him his job!

The missed kick (see…) on another drive really killed any semblance of momentum. John Carney, a really reliable kicker who remains unsigned, had a good chuckle over that I’m sure…

And can anyone explain to me how Gerald Sensabaugh had no idea that he had just given up a ridiculous bomb to Sidney Rice? All he had to do was recall that he was actually involved in an NFL divisional round playoff game, turn his head around and put his hands up to knock that pass down.

At this point all we can do is hope for Favre to get over confident and make a terrible pass, or Adrian Peterson to fumble.

Long story short, we may have lost this game before we gave ourselves a chance to win it.

Let us know which one you like better.

This week at PADET Houston we were tasked with building a photo collage for each Sector in our area of responsibility and we figured we would share them with you! We hope you enjoy.

The photos are from the multiple missions that Sector Corpus Christi performs regularly including fisheries, law enforcement, ATON and search and rescue.

Multiple platforms are shown in this collage including a MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter from Air Station Corpus and a 45 ft medium response boat from Station Port Aransas.

Last year Houston dominated, but this year the Falcons torched the Coug’s 47-20.

The game was interesting, but all of the surrounding events overshadowed it for me.

For instance, during the Armed Forces Bowl Luncheon at the Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth Lt.j.g Warren Fair had the opportunity to meet Sgt. 1st. Class Dana Bowman (ret.), who lost both of his legs in a tragic sky diving accident.

On February 6, 1994, Bowman gained worldwide attention when he and his teammate Sgt. Jose Aguillon collided in midair during the team’s annual training.

Aguillon died in the collision, but nine months later, Bowman became the first double amputee to re-enlist in the United States Army.

During the luncheon Bowman gave an inspirational speech and asked guests to remember all of the men and women who battle for our freedom each and every day.

While Bowman provided a great speech, he wasn’t the only person in the audience who has helped to make a difference.

Normally I try to avoid inserting myself into these posts, but there is no way I can avoid it this time.

Another attendee of the luncheon, which was attended by nearly 1,000 people, was an original Tuskegee Airman named Calvin Spann.

Now I’ve been fortunate enough to have met quite a few influential people from Gen. David Petraeus to Adm. Thad Allen, but it would be hard to argue that Lt. Calvin Spann is not the most historically significant person I have come across.

I could try and articulate just how significant Spann’s and the other airmen’s efforts were, but I would most certainly fall short.  So with that said, it was truly an honor to have been able to shake the hand of such a legend.

The next day, more than 25 recruits were sworn into the Coast Guard by Capt. Marcus Woodring, commander of Sector Houston-Galveston, during half-time.

While those who took the oath have only begun to serve, the members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary have been at it for quite some time.

Several members of the North Texas Auxiliary helped to put together the static display for the Armed Forces Insurance Armed Forces Adventure, which included a 25-foot Response Boat-Medium, a recruiting tent, and Coastie the Robot.

The display was so impressive that Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Sunni Cranfill and Ally Traylor stopped by to get acquainted with Coastie.

All in all, it was a great event for everyone involved, even the poor over-worked photographer…..

The first holiday game I went to was back in 1998 when Randy Moss absolutely annihilated the Cowboys at Texas Stadium during his first visit to Dallas after the boys didn’t draft him because of character flaws…  Micheal Irvin, Mark Tuinei, and crazy ass Charles Haley agree that character flaws are not in the best interest of the organization.

Anyhow, that game was also the first Cowboy game that I attended in person, and even though we got torched, at least I got to see Emmitt Smith rip off a long run on the faded green turf that was so recognizable.

The next Thanksgiving Day game I went to was a pounding of the Seattle Seahawks in 2008, which happened to be the last Thursday game ever at Texas Stadium.

So since I went to the last at the old, I figured it would only be fitting that I go to the first at the new.  It turned out to be the second consecutive trouncing of an opponent during the boys annual holiday event, and I found that the $30 Party Passes are worth the price.

We were confined to the end zones, but there are so many giant screens in the stadium that you get to hear and feel the energy of the crowd and see the game in crystal clear high definition.

Final review:  Party Passes are worth the money but Raiders quarterback Jamarcus Russell is not…

A Raiders fan contemplates how he will carry on, even though Al Davis continues to run the team from beyond the grave.

So first things first, we bought one gigantic RV:

It’s old, but in really good shape.  It has great hardwood floors, no major issues and runs like a champ.  Gas mileage leaves a bit to be desired, but what do you expect when you’re lugging around a decent sized apartment?

We met up with mom and dad just north of Houston at a KAO Kampground in Montgomery for our first trip.  It was a really nice place and all of the kids had a great time.  Mom and dad’s Tab RV was a perfect compliment to our RV.  When we needed to get our kids to sleep, Braiden and Bailey hung out with mom and dad, and when  we all needed to get out of the rain we hung out at our place.

The KOA was really nice as well.  During the day the kids fished, played at the huge park, and swam in the indoor, heated pool.

At night we watched movies, played board games and roasted marshmallows.

All and all, it was a great time and we can’t wait to get back out again!

By the way, you can see a larger version of the pics by clicking on them, or check out my Flickr page.

Well since then, Dennis Franchione has run his career into the ground, Ladanian Tomlinson has run himself toward a first-ballot hall of fame invitation, Gary Patterson’s Horned Frogs have averaged nine wins a season, and I have traveled to several TCU games.  Through it all, three things have remained steadily unchanged: Gary Patterson‘s mood, poor attendance, and the Frog’s uniforms.

While last night’s 55-28 stomping of Utah – which in an un-PC world would have been billed as “The Holy War on the West Side” – did sell out,  that wasn’t the only thing that was dramatically different:  Introducing Nike Pro Combat

Click here to see a video that explains how the new technology works

Usually I’m not too fond of over-the-top, brand centric, crazy uniform changes in midseason, but the fact that Nike digitally recreated a horned frog’s skin for the helmet and pants is actually quite impressive.  The red stripes on the helmet represent the blood that horned frogs shoot out of their eyes when they are attacked.

Now, I make no claims of being a manly-man, who is impressed with macho stuff like blood, guns, MMA, pink shirts (yes, nowadays that’s manly), yelling at the TV in a sports bar, free weights, big trucks, or stupid stunts.  I like air conditioning, big TV’s, fast internet connections, soft couches, and instant replay.  Nonetheless, even I thought the blood from the eyes thing was pretty cool.

Now the big question is whether or not the Frogs will wear the new digs again this year, and if so, when.  Will they wear it against the winless Lobos?  Is there a road version to take to Wyoming to play the Cowboys?  If they do choose to don the lizard skins again, I hope they wait until a BCS game against what will undoubtedly be a heavily favored opponent.

That, of course, assumes that the toads can avoid a complete let down after such a huge win against the Utes.  Anyone recall 2005?  TCU went into Norman and beat Oklahoma 17-10, for arguably the program’s greatest victory since Davey O’Brien led the Frogs to a 15-7 victory over the Carnegie Tech Tartans to finish the 1938 season 11-0 to secure the national championship.  They followed the OU victory with a 21-10 loss to SMU in the “Battle for the Iron Skillet.”  That would end up being their only loss of the season and it likely cost them their first BSC bid.

Point is, they definitely played well and with a ton of emotion in the sci-fi inspired outfits, so they should save them for the next big game.  It might sound silly to think a uniform provides an edge in a big game, but why else do players do everything they can to look cool and tough on the field?  Wrist bands, forearm bands and biceps bands have replaced headbands.  Skin tight rubber sleeves have replaced elbow pads.  Microfiber jerseys have replaced the ones that had those gigantic holes in them.  Why?  Because players want to look as bad as they can because it helps them get in the right mindset.  Plus, their a bunch of kids who want to impress the chicks…

Anyhow, save the jerseys for the next “big one,” and Gary Patterson might want to remind his players of when SMU crushed the Frog’s BSC hopes with one lucky swing of a big old Iron Skillet in 2005.

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas – Cam did everything he could to stay awake and watch the movie “Cars,” but alas, he was overwhelmed by the forces of sleepiness. I love that after he lays on his side he still can’t keep his head up and has to readjust again to find the position that provides the highest level of comfort.

I am sure I will have more to follow on this developing, holiday situation, but so far things have been pretty fun.  Toni plans on being the Tomb Raider chick, Cam is going to be a pirate, Cody will be a ninja and I will be something…

GALVESTON, Texas – In this video by the U.S. Coast Guard, Air Station Houston personnel participate in an annual training day on East Beach in Galveston Oct. 15, 2009.

The crew fired flares, practiced survival techniques and donned survival gear during the event.

(U.S. Coast Guard video/ Petty Officer Third Class Patrick Kelley)

SEABROOK, Texas – Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 6-3, of Seabrook, held its annual diner at the Seabrook Fire Department Oct. 16, 2009.

Flotilla Commander Jack Nickerson said that the event was a show of appreciation for the volunteer members of the flotilla, who help protect the public by providing free inspections and boater education classes.

Thanks to all of the people of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, who take time out of their own busy lives to try and save the lives of others!

(U.S. Coast Guard video/Petty Officer Third Class Patrick Kelley)

This is video from my flight aboard a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter of the Coast Guard Cutter Healy breaking ice in the Arctic Ocean during the Healy’s summer voyage in 2009.

It was one of the best days of my career and an experience I will never forget.

HOUSTON – In just two days, Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston nearly doubled the number of small boat stations in its area of responsibility by officially establishing a new small boat station in Lake Charles, La., Sept. 30, 2009, and another in Houston Oct. 1, 2009.

Both stations will serve as multi-mission units in areas that are home to major ports and heavy shipping traffic, which makes them vital to maintaining national security.

“Crewmembers of Station Lake Charles will respond to search and rescue cases, conduct armed patrols of the Lake Charles and Cameron waterways, protect public and industry infrastructure during security threats, and escort vessels through key port areas. The unit will also conduct law enforcement boardings to ensure that commercial and recreational mariners are in compliance with current policies and laws,” said Chief Petty Officer Joseph Gary, Station Lake Charles officer-in-charge.  “I’m really proud of the crew.  Everyone here has done an outstanding job of completing their qualifications necessary for success.  They are a group of highly dedicated and motivated individuals who strongly believe in the mission,” said Gary.

In addition to the added security the new stations provide, emergency response times will be greatly improved.  “That two hour response time to the Upper Houston Ship Channel is gone,” said Capt. Marcus E. Woodring, commander of Sector Houston Galveston, at the establishing ceremony for Station Houston.  “Now we have boats in Houston and Galveston so we should be able to cut the time it takes to respond in half,” Woodring said.

“The commissioning of Coast Guard Station Houston, in combination with our existing Harris County and City of Houston maritime partners, will enhance the maritime security and search and rescue capabilities on the Houston Ship Channel and Upper Galveston Bay. Station Houston stands ready to respond to all threats, all hazards, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” said Capt. Jim Whitehead, Sector Houston-Galveston deputy commander.

Chief Petty Officer Thomas Rooks, who is the officer-in-charge of Station Houston, said when he found out he had been selected to lead the crew of the new station he wanted to come in and set the bar high.  But before he even had the chance to influence his new crew, he watched them demonstrate their capabilities as they rescued five people from a capsized boat.  “I knew then that I wasn’t going to have to come here and change things because this crew already possessed the pride and professionalism that I expect,” said Rooks.

“It is very rare to establish a new Coast Guard Station. The creation of these two new stations speaks directly to the importance of the Gulf Region to the nation as a whole.  The safety and security of American citizens and industry interests are core missions of the Coast Guard and these stations will provide first responder resources in vital areas,” said Woodring.

Both station’s primary response asset is the 25-foot response boat. Station Lake Charles has 13 boats and Station Houston has four.

(U.S. Coast Guard photo layout/ Petty Officer Third Class Patrick Kelley, photos on top row/ Petty Officer Second Class Prentice Danner)

ARCTIC OCEAN – The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent came alongside the Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the ships tied up so the crews could enjoy a day long morale event aboard the Healy Sept. 5, 2009.

The 2009 Arctic Barbeque, the day’s main event, featured a “surf and turf” menu.  For the turf offerings, the Healy’s cooks prepared steak, chili and pulled pork.  The Canadians prepared smoked salmon, shrimp, scallops and lobster.

Paul Delvin, chief cook of the Louis S. St-Laurent, prepared an enormous cheese platter comprised of fine cheeses from all over the world served atop an eight-foot-long mirror.  “The crew usually only gets processed cheese, so for morale events I like to break out the good stuff,” said Delvin.

After the meal, the crews competed in the inaugural Arctic Olympics.  Cribbage, foosball, air hockey and a number of interactive video games were just a few of the premier events.

Chief Petty Officer Sorjen Manangan represented the Healy as a member of the American air hockey team.

Manangan won his match against Canadian Coast Guard Engineering Cadet Andrew Pearson, but the Canadians rallied and came from behind to claim victory in the air hockey tournament.

“If it would have been air football or something we may have had a chance,” said Manangan.  “I think having the word hockey in the title gave them a mental edge that we just couldn’t overcome,” he joked.

Though the Healy crew and science party fought valiantly, it was not enough.  The Canadians won the most events and were crowned champions of the first Arctic games.

“It was all in good fun,” said Navy Petty Officer First Class Richard Lehmkuhl.  “It was a great meal and being able just hang out and take it easy was nice,” he said.

The two ships have been taking part in a multi-year, multi-agency Arctic survey that will help define the Arctic continental shelf.

To download photos of this and other cutter Healy events please visithttp://www.flickr.com/photos/cutterhealy.

The scientists currently onboard the Healy have been mapping the ocean floor in collaboration with their Canadian counterparts aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent since Aug. 7, 2009, as part of joint U.S. and Canadian efforts to locate the outer edge of the North American continental shelf.

While enroute to map seafloor features targeted for investigation, the scientists had the ship take a slight detour to allow them to map a small contour that had been noted on a 2002 Russian map. As the ship traveled toward the new target, watchstander Christine Hedge, a teacher from Indiana onboard the Healy as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Teachers at Sea program, noticed something beginning to appear on the shipboard monitors. She alerted the scientific team in time to redirect the ship, which enabled the scientists to map the seamount in its entirety.

The Healy’s high tech mapping system uncovered the seamount, estimated to be at least 1,100 meters tall, in the midst of an otherwise flat and featureless stretch of seafloor approximately 3,800 meters deep. It is located 700 miles north of Alaska.

Underwater features are generally considered seamounts if they reach a height of at least 1,000 meters above the seafloor.

The mapping effort onboard Healy is led by Co-Chief Scientists Dr. Larry Mayer and Capt. Andy Armstrong of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of New Hampshire Joint Hydrographic Center.

“From a scientific point of view it’s extremely interesting,” said Armstrong. “It’s in an area where, based on our existing knowledge of the Arctic, we didn’t expect anything to be. So the scientists on this cruise and ashore are going to be looking at this and using this information to recalibrate their understanding of the Arctic,” he said.

The Arctic Ocean is the least explored of the earth’s oceans. While Mayer is satisfied with the finding, he says it’s just the beginning. “This is an exciting discovery, but there are many, many more ahead,” he said.

The Healy is participating in the work of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, a multi-agency project to delimit the outer edges of the U.S. continental shelf.

The yet to be named seamount is the first to be discovered since the 2003 discovery of a seamount that was eventually named Healy.

The whooshing sound is slushy ice sliding along the hull and the loud bangs are large chunks of ice that were left in the trail cut by the Canadian ship. If you have served aboard a ship you know just how amazingly strange it is to hear this sound. On most ships you only hear this kind of sound once. The sound that follows is usually some kind of alarm. Having stood inside the bow recording this audio, I believe the word violent best describes the noise.

The audio was captured from inside the bow of the Healy.

(U.S. Coast Guard audio clip by Petty Officer Patrick Kelley)

August 23, 2009

ARCTIC OCEAN – Two polar bears walk across Arctic Ocean ice in search of food Aug. 19, 2009.

About 40 Coast Guard Cutter Healy crewmembers went to the bow of the ship to have a look at the first two bears that have been spotted on this leg of the Healy’s patrol.

“It was amazing to see a Polar Bear in its natural environment while it hunted a seal,” said Navy Petty Officer First Class Richard Lehmkuhl, a member of the science party onboard Healy.

The bears spent roughly 20 minutes tracking a ringed seal, but were unable to catch it before it dove beneath the ice.

“The seals escape the majority of the time when bears come after them,” said Justin Pudenz, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration marine mammal observer onboard Healy. “But when they do finally catch one, they can live off of it for about a week,” he said.

(U.S. Coast Guard photo illustration by Petty Officer Patrick Kelley)

ARCTIC OCEAN – Fireman Mike Miozzi (right) returns to the Coast Cutter Healy after spending the day aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St-Laurent Aug. 17, 2009.

While Miozzi was on the Laurent a few Canadian Coast Guardsmen toured the Healy.  The ships have been exchanging personnel for the last few days to help crewmembers of both vessels develop a better understanding of how each ship is operated and maintained.

Miozzi, an Exeter, R.I., native, has been stationed on the Healy for nearly a year and is working to become a machinery technician.  As a member of the Healy’s main propulsion engineering division, the Laurent’s machinery spaces were what he was most interested in exploring.

“Their engine room is much different than ours.  Here most of our machinery occupies its own space, but on the Laurent almost all of their equipment and machinery is in the same space,” Miozzi said.  The design reminded him of the Coast Guard’s 378-foot cutters, he said.

While his main objective was merely to have a look at the Laurent, Miozzi found his way into a bit of work.  “I got to clean a few duplex strainers that were in their sludge system,” he said.  “It worked the same way over there as it does here: shift the flow to the strainer that is not being worked on, open up the strainer you need to clean, remove the basket, rinse it off, put the basket back in and close it up,” he said.  “I didn’t exactly go over there and change out an engine, but it was pretty cool to be more than just a tourist,” he said.

Even though the engine room was impressive, it wasn’t what stood out most to Miozzi.  “The people on the Laurent were so professional and welcoming that I felt like I was a part of their crew,” he said.  “The next time they have a few people come over here I am going to volunteer to give them a tour to return the favor,” he said.

There was one other thing that Miozzi couldn’t help but notice.  “They have a bar that’s open from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.,” he said.  “I’m pretty sure that’s why we had to leave at 7 p.m.,” he said.

(U.S. Coast Guard photos and story by Petty Officer Patrick Kelley)

August 19, 2009

Gomes graduated food service specialist class A-school in April and is scheduled to be promoted to Petty Officer Third Class in October.

The daughter of two former Coast Guard food service specialists, she says the Coast Guard provided her the most direct path to her chosen profession and that she is ready to face the challenges that come with being a cook on a large cutter. “I know that cooking for so many people is a big job but it’s exactly what I want to do,” Gomes said.

Gomes worked at a restaurant for nearly a year before she joined the Coast Guard but was never afforded the opportunity to work in the kitchen. “The fact that I could begin cooking as soon as I finished my training is what I found so appealing about joining the guard,” she said.

Petty Officer Second Class Candice Morrison, a food service specialist, says she believes that Gomes has a bright future ahead of her. “She works hard and is learning quickly,” Morrison said. “I think her positive attitude is what will set her apart during her career,” she said.

When asked what her favorite part of her new career is, she didn’t hesitate. “Being able to serve others while I am doing what I enjoy most is the absolute best part of the job,” she said.

(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Patrick Kelley)

ARCTIC OCEAN – A Coast Guard Cutter Healy boatcrew along with Ethan Roth,a research engineer at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, recovered a bottom-moored autonomous acoustic recorder called a High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP), Aug. 8, 2009, while on a scientific research mission in the Arctic Ocean.

The 1,100-pound HARP spent nearly a year on the ocean floor at a depth of almost 1,000 feet measuring ambient noise at its location.

To locate and recover the device the Healy was steered to the position the recorder was deployed a year ago. A signal was sent from the cutter to the mooring that commanded it to release the ballast weights that held it to the bottom of ocean.

After a 5-minute assent, the device reached the surface and was located by the boatcrew. The crew towed the instrument to the stern of the Healy where it was hoisted onto the ship using a large a-frame crane.

While deployed, a hydrophone recorded sounds made by whales, seals and other marine mammals. It also monitored sounds created by movements of ice sheets above and the sea floor below. This information will be used to help scientists understand the natural sound level in the ocean.

The Healy’s current mission is of part of the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Task Force’s efforts to determine the outer limits of the U.S. continental shelf.

The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Louis S. St.-Laurent is scheduled to join the Healy Aug. 10, 2009, to aid in collecting data that will used by both countries. For photos, please  visit the cutter Healy’s Flickr photostream at Flickr.com/photos/cutterhealy.

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Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790. The United States Coast Guard — Proud History. Powerful Future.

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas -

I have lived in these conditions for six of the last eight years with the only variants being a one-week deployment to Fargo, N.D., a three-month trip to Baltimore, a five-week stay in Charleston, S.C. and a two-year tour in Washington state.  So my next Coast Guard adventure should definitely be a shock to the system for I am headed to the Arctic Circle and the Coast Guard Cutter Healy.

I will be above the circle for 41 days, covering all things ice breaking.  I have experience in most of the Coast Guard’s missions – search and rescue, law enforcement, homeland security, protection of natural resources and aids to navigation – but I have no idea what to expect from the ice breaking world.

The whole situation was very last minute and the expectations are extremely high. The Coast Guard’s motion picture office has informed me that my primary goal will be to get High-Definition footage of the Healy actively breaking ice because it does not currently exist.  If I get solid footage it will be used by the Discovery Channel and my photos will be placed on GoogleEarth.

This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I cannot wait to get up there and get to work, but I will admit that I am a bit nervous.  The Healy’s leadership had to jump through hoops to even get a photographer onboard and they expect a top of the line pay-off.  That doesn’t even address the fact that they requested someone of a much higher pay-grade than myself.

Well, I know the stakes are high, but I believe that this trip holds the possibility of pouring a solid foundation on which the rest of my career can be built.  I hope to make the absolute most of this.

Now for the down side: I will be away from Toni and the kiddos for a month and a half.  I will miss them dearly, but in all reality, a 41-day deployment is considered very brief.  I have a co-worker who will be on the Coast Guard Cutter Rush for the next three months!  Add to that the fact that the crew of the Healy will be underway far after I have departed and I don’t feel so bad at all about the length of my trip.

Long story short (too late), I will keep you informed as best I can, but my internet capabilities will be extremely limited while I am on the top of the world.  That being said, I will do my best to keep you informed as I make my way from Houston to Barrow, Alaska and then on to the Healy.

Click the above image to obtain a high-resolution version.

Saving Lives and Guarding the Coast Since 1790.
The United States Coast Guard — Proud History. Powerful Future.

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The act of quitting was every bit as miserable as one would expect, but not as drawn out as people say it is. The first three days are what count, and if you can survive those first days, then you will make it.

The key is having a carefully orchestrated set of circumstances that will place you in the best possible position to succeed.  I took vacation from work and sent Toni and the kids back home to Ft. Worth.  I signed up for Netflix and bought Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010.  I bought a ton of red beans and rice, Goldfish, and Quaker Oats Oatmeal Squares.  I moved the big TV into my sports room and put the little one out in the living room.  I did everything I could to put myself at ease and make me as comfortable as possible.

On day-one I was an absolute wreck.  I didn’t want to think.  I didn’t want to move.  I didn’t want to breath.  I didn’t even want to play Xbox!  It may have been the worst day of my life.  That sounds ludicrous, but I’m serious.  This is the day that most people throw in the towel.  It’s easy to quit quitting because you know that all you have to do to make everything better is put in a little heater!  Crack open a can.  Steal a little pinch.  But once you do that, the horizon levels, everything is back in focus, and you don’t hate everything anymore.  If you give in, however, then you have just wasted several hours of your life for no good reason.

Day-two was the worst day of my life…  I punched a hole in my door because I missed a 10-foot-putt on the Xbox.  I walked around the house talking to myself.  I ate everything in the house.  I wanted to burn down the house.  I wanted to burn down the neighbor’s house.  I wanted to burn down your house.  I turned off my phone!!!

Even though I was going completely insane, I knew that “this to shall pass.”  Once I made it through day-two, I knew I was going to make it because I didn’t want to put myself through that horror ever again and I was not going to allow that initial effort to go to waste.

Cooking on day-two helped me because it took a lot of time and I happen to really enjoy it (even when I am a tobacco deprived skitzo).  I made beans and rice with bell peppers and onions.  Might not sound important but it helped to pass the time.

Day-three was when I first started to realize that I was going to survive.  I was still pissed-off, but I was starting to believe that there was, in fact, life after chew!  I started to talk to family members.  I called Toni.  I remembered that I have kids.  I made fun of my brother Brian.

Since then it has been cake.  I have been using “Smoky Mountain Mint Leaves” instead of tobacco.  It’s not bad, but I don’t foresee myself using this stuff for too long.

While I hated every second of the first few days, I am amazingly proud that I endured.  I thank all of you out there who prayed for me, and I thank God for providing the perspective needed to overcome addiction.

Now that it’s done, I am a bit regretful.  I wish that I would have made a big production out of the whole thing.  I wish I would have failed a few times, so everyone would recognize how tough it is.  I wish I would have portrayed myself as a victim a bit more.

I don’t really mean that, but it has been a bit anticlimactic.  Setting myself up for success has deprived me of my family; the ones who would be the most likely to lob a high-5 my way as congratulations.

When I tell people that I quit they say “cool” or “way to go.”   That is strange to me because those are the same people who acted like quitting was impossible!  How can they act like I had no chance and then act like success is not a big deal!?

I will, most likely, never figure that out, and it most certainly doesn’t matter.

All that counts is that I have freed myself from the shackles of tobacco, and if you need a little support to help you break the chains of addiction, just give me a shout.

Cotten's Hamburgers

Martha ensures each tray is fully equipped

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Every town, it seems, has at least one place that everyone knows about and recommends to all the outsiders.  That place in Lake Charles is “Cotten’s Famous Hamburgers.”  I had the pleasure of dining there on my last day in the small city in southwestern La.

The first thing you realize when you arrive is that this is not a high-brow establishment.  That happens to be just fine by me, and as I suspected, even those with the most selective of palettes would be hard pressed to find something negative about the small hamburger hut. I was met at the cash register by Rolonda, who may have been the most delightful and patient meal-order-taker I have come across.  I am not a local and I ordered my food as such, but Rolonda helped me figure out one of the most basic menus around.  The difficulty I encountered was the difference between an old fashioned cheeseburger and a cheeseburger.  Rolonda explained to me that the old fashioned burgers came with grilled onions, while the regular burgers had plain onions. Based on the information provided, I promptly ordered an old fashioned eggburger.

Rolonda (left) and Jeaninne aim to please

It came with lettuce, tomato, pickle, grilled onions, mayonnaise, and was topped with a fried egg.

I also ordered a small basket of onion rings, and a half order of fried shrimp.

Jeannine checks an order

As I waited for my food to be prepared, I had a look around the joint.

Kenny, the owner, never stopped moving. He worked non-stop, preparing everything that had to be hand-battered and fried. Whether it was onion rings, shrimp or catfish, Kenny was on the job.

Jeannine filled cup after cup and made certain that every order had been plated properly.

Alvin never looked up from the grill as he prepared patty after patty for the hundreds of customers that came by for lunch.

Martha and Alvin never stop

But the person who most stood out to me was Martha.  Not to say that Martha worked any harder than anyone else at Cotten’s, but it was immediately evident to me that she possessed the warmest demeanor and the most graceful persona. She worked as the “topper,” ensuring that each burger served was topped appropriately, and that each plate that was put on a tray had all of the required components. It appeared to me that even when she was the busiest, she still had an unmovable smile on her face.  She is the type of person that one could always trust to be looked after by.

Kenny likes to keep it simple, but works his tail off in the process

Now, on to the food.  My old fashioned eggburger was tremendous and made me think back to meals I shared with my great-grandfather.  The burger itself was fresh cooked, and the grilled onions were terrific. The rest of the toppings were great compliments.

When I ordered the half order of shrimp, I thought it was only shrimp. As it turned out, for $4.99 I was granted several butterflied shrimp, fries, and a salad.  The shrimp was as fresh as any I have had, and the fries were crisp.

But the most ridiculous offering I was served may have been the “medium” order of onion rings.  When you think of a medium serving, you don’t imagine an eight-inch-tall stack of fresh, hand-battered onion rings.  As you may have suspected, I had get a to-go box for my abundance of left-overs.

Medium... Are you kidding?

As for my definitive judgment of Cotten’s: It has the feel of a small town burger joint but has the taste to match any big city establishment in the country. But more importantly, the people who pour their hearts and souls into providing some of the best food along the Gulf Coast are what make Cotten’s such a great, must stop, must-see restaurant.

When I asked Kenny, the owner, what the secret to longevity in the food industry is, he replied, most fittingly, “Keep it simple.”

Thanks to the staff of Cotten’s for the great food and the level of care you have for each and every customer who enters your domain.

Shrimp, salad and fries for $4.99!

From the outside, the place looked like many of the old, two story buildings of Lake Charles, though the neon “Pujo’s” sign helped draw attention to an, otherwise, ordinary facade.  Inside however, there were two totally different, if not conflicting, atmospheres. The patio and main dining areas struck the chord of romantic, up-scale dining, but at the core of the restaurant is a bar that took on the feel of a sports pub.  The feel of the bar area may have been just temporarily altered due to the fact that all of the televisions were tuned to ESPN to appeal to the local patrons, who were cheering on the LSU Tigers baseball team as they worked to defeat my beloved Texas Longhorns in the College World Series Finals. Either way, the bar, at least that night, did not match the rest of the eatery’s ambience.

We stuck to the romantic side of the house, and the rowdy LSU fans didn’t put a damper on our dining experience.  Toni had the Andouille Chicken with the house-choice of starch and vegetable.  The starch selection of the day was a creamy serving of mashed potatoes with more than enough butter to please.  The vegetable turned out to be a blend of red peppers, squash, zucchini and asparagus that had been sauteed and spiced perfectly.

But the star of the dish, without question, was the main course.  The chicken was served as four medallions, topped with a savory brown sauce, and stuffed with what the waiter called “an andouille, pecan breading.”   I wish I could have had the chef explain that to me, because I certainly couldn’t figure it out.  Well I can tell you, even though I wasn’t exactly sure what went into the dish, I did know that it was awesome.

My dish was more traditional, but no less enjoyable.  My sides were also house choice, but I opted for the “Beer Marinated Rib-Eye.”  The beer of choice was Abita, which is a Louisiana brewed beverage.  The steak was almost as good as if I had cooked it myself, which is no small compliment – I don’t necessarily believe that I make the best steaks, but as a man, I am required, by law of evolution, to declare that I cook better steaks than any other griller out there – because I make the best steak on the planet.

On a side note, I think this is a good time to offer up a bit of advice that I have found to work pretty well.  When ordering a steak, you are always asked how you would like it cooked , but more often than not, your steak does not make it back to you cooked the way you requested.  To help you get a steak cooked the way you want it, I have created a conversion chart:

• Rare – Cook it yourself (nobody serves a truly rare steak anymore, for fear of a lawsuit)
• Medium-Rare – ask for rare
• Medium – ask for medium-rare
• Medium-Well – ask for medium
• Well – cook it yourself (You can burn a steak as well as any chef and save some money at the same time)

I ordered a medium-rare steak, and was served an absolutely perfectly cooked medium steak.  Works every time…

We had lunch today at a joint called “Blue Duck Cafe,” and it was really tremendous.  Toni had the “9th Ward” roast beef sandwich, which turned out to be the best roast beef sandwich that I have ever tried.  The roast beef was cooked “debris” style, which basically means that it was cooked at a low temperature until it completely fell apart.  The sandwich was topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle and Cajun mayonnaise- which is really just mayo with Cajun seasoning mixed in.

I had the Wednesday special, which just so happened to be a terrific offering of shrimp creole.  It was fresh, spicy and rich.  The shrimp was so fresh that it reminded me of the days I spent boarding shrimp boats in the Gulf of Mexico.   The creole was hot enough to make you take your time, but was sweet enough to make you want to scarf it down.

More to come about our trip and the great food we tracked down.

As a guy, I know that I would prefer to smoke a few racks of ribs and drink enough beer to drown Homer Simpson, but we all know that that is not a logistically sound plan.  We, as dads, know that each day, Father’s Day or not, brings forth a decision that must be made.  Most decisions have already been made by our significant others, but we are obligated to participate in the process, nonetheless.  We have to be that rock upon which long term principles are built.

If your youngest child punches your oldest child in the ear, well someone has to come parading in to declare that such behavior is unacceptable.  That someone is dad.  If your 18-month old drops a deuce on the living room floor, someone has to be there to inform him of the laws and regulations that dictate potty policy.  That someone is dad. If your four-year-old attempts to water your topsy-turvy tomato plant by peeing on it, someone has to let him know that, while the effort is appreciated, there is a better way to irrigate.  That someone, of course, is dad.

But for the most part, we are only called into action when things have gotten too ridiculous for mom.  That’s important because it goes to show that of the two being yolked as parents, the mother probably has the most to do.  Therefore, I am just fine with having my day be more about the U.S. Open than about parenting, because that pretty much mirrors the ratio of parenting to playing for most of us guys.

Thanks Toni for being such a great mom that I am but an advisor in the parenting realm, and thanks for the great gift (top).

HOUSTON -

I was born in Arlington, Texas, and grew up in a couple of small towns outside of Fort Worth. I have since traveled from coast-to-coast, yet I still believe that Ft. Worth is one of the best places to reside, eat some of the best food anywhere, and raise a family.

I joined the Coast Guard in February of 2001, graduated boot camp, and reported to Station Sabine Pass just months before the horrific attacks of 9-11. I remember bursting into the executive officer’s office, demanding to be sent overseas to make right what had been the most awful and devastating wrong in American history. He told me that, while he appreciated my enthusiasm, just about everyone in the Guard was making the same demand, and only so many could go.

Well I never made it overseas, but I did make it to Virginia, where I attended machinery technician class-A school. I had never changed a set of brakes, let alone changed a cam shaft, yet I was headed toward a career as a mechanic.

After school, my new wife, Toni, and I headed to the Coast Guard Cutter Cuttyhunk in Port Angeles, Wa. We were both just 20-years-young, and we both struggled to make the transition. I had to get used to life away from my home address and Toni had to grow accustomed to being away from her home state. Even though we had some rough patches, the Northwest experience was amazing. We learned that if we could survive the nine consecutive months of rain that we would be blessed with the best three months of summer on the planet.

After Port Angeles, we were headed back to Port Arthur. I had recently advanced to E-5 and was set to assume the number two position in the engineering shop at the station in Sabine. While I worked diligently as a mechanic, I knew it was not what I should be doing to best serve the Coast Guard and my family. In fact, I did more search and rescue and law enforcement than mechanizing.

So after seven years in the Guard, I made a career change. After command approval, an extensive screening process and surviving an absolutely grinding school, I was headed to Houston as a brand new public affairs officer.

Since making the change, I have been busier than any other time in my life. I have done live national interviews, met some of the most powerful people in the country, covered historic events, learned the basic elements of photo and video, helped to tell the Coast Guard’s story and generally had a great time. I have met two presidents, one DHS secretary, General Petraeus, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, several state and federal congressman, the first ever Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (MCPOCG) – Reserve Forces, and both the current active duty and reserve MCPOCG’s. I have been part of the responses to hurricanes Dolly, Gustav and Ike, the New Orleans oil spill and the North Dakota Floods.

While that all sounds great, I am still learning the art of transitioning from work to liberty. This blog is part of my effort to detach from work, once I leave the office. I am sure that I will, at times, write about my job, but for the most part I plan to blather on about whatever happens to tickle my fancy. I hope we can both enjoy my experiment at not working.

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The music was performed by “Jawad.”