The End

Since the beginning of this patrol, I have been thinking about the ending.  How in the world could I possibly summarize this experience to those back at home?  That has been on my mind since day one (May 31, 2010).  It finally hit me tonight (July 18, 2010).  So here it goes. This is an attempt for you to see the world and the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless through my eyes.

Let me introduce myself.  My name is Renee Charlene Aiello.  I am a public affairs specialist (PA) in the United States Coast Guard.  I am 31-years old and have been stationed at Public Affairs Detachment Houston for a little over two years.  I am originally from New Jersey.  You see, I am not your typical Coastie.  Out of bootcamp I was stated at Group/Air Station Astoria.  When dreamsheets were passed around in bootcamp I put every boat and station that had female berthing available.  Somehow, the detailer interpreted that as, “hey this girl must really want an air station.” Can you sense my sarcasm?  Hence Air Station Astoria.  I went from an air station to A-school and alas, back to another air station!  Currently, I am co-located at Air Station Houston.  My Coast Guard career has consisted of nothing more than HH-60 Jayhawk and MH-65 Dolphin helicopters.  That story was my way of telling you that after four years in the Coast Guard, I have never been on a patrol on any Coast Guard cutter.  Never.  That was, until I got the call from Cmdr. Jim Andrews for my first real deployment with the crew of the Dauntless.

My first entry during the patrol I described my first day aboard comparable to the first day of school.  There was definitely an adjustment period.  The guys had to get used to me, and I had to get used to 80 guys.  It took a week, and then poof! I had 80 brothers.

The dichotomy of this boat is interesting.  There are people on this boat from every race, religion, creed and color.  There are people from Oregon, California, New Jersey, Florida and Oklahoma.  There are people who have just turned 18 and people who are dancing past 40.  There are married people, single people, divorced people, people with children, people with dogs who call them their children, and people who have wives who are going to give birth.  There are people on this boat that don’t eat pork, and there also people on this boat that don’t eat fruit.  There are people on this boat that drink protein shakes like water and people who just don’t drink water at all.  My point here, is that this boat exudes diversity at every level, and I LOVE IT.

Part of the job as a PA is documentation.  And document this trip I did.  But, I also had the opportunity to become part of the crew.  I volunteered to get qualified to stand lookout and helm, and navigation officer of the watch (NAVOW).  I wasn’t about to be considered a “ship rider.” FYI, a ship rider is someone who simply boards the cutter and does nothing more than take up space.  I was not going to be that person.  In earning those qualifications I got to know the crew on such a different level, and truly experience what it is to be called a Dauntless Sailor.

This experience will stay with me forever.  I have watched countless sunsets while transitting the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Sunsets so beautiful they can make a grown woman cry.  I have ventured out on the flight deck at midnight and glanced up at the sky to millions of stars.  There were times at night where it wasn’t unusual to see three or four shooting stars at once.  And, yes, I made a wish on every single one.  I’ve witnessed some of the most beautiful lightening storms Mother Nature has to offer.  I watched whale pods swim with the boat, and dolphins play in our propeller wash.  This is nature at her best.  This is the stuff that National Geographic is made of.

I’ve been sitting on the mess deck when a fellow sailor needed to vent.  I’ve been there when relationships have ended over e-mail, and I’ve been there when young love blossomed during a port call.  I’ve listened to tales of family life.  I’ve seen the excitement in the eyes of these men who cannot wait to see their wives and children.

Now that we are slowly making our transit back to Galveston, it’s funny how all the bad times seem to fade into the background and all the fun experiences come to the forefront of my mind.  Just before I sat down to write this final entry, I was on the forecastle of the cutter.  Tonight was “smoke ‘em if you have ‘em night.”  If you have a cigar tonight was the night to smoke it.  Almost everyone gathered to smoke, laugh and take pictures.  I was sitting next to Seaman David Garman.  A little side note on Garman: he was one of the first crewmembers to mentor me on lookout and helm.  He leaned over and said to me, “this is the one night where you will see everyone put their differences aside and get along.”  As I looked around, I realized that he was absolutely right.  At one point or another, we all hit a rough patch while underway.  Underway life can get to a sailor after a while.  There were little spats here and there.  There were attitudes and egos that needed to be checked, and differences that needed to be settled.  But, on this night we were all on an even playing field.

This is the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless.  Our motto is Sin Miedo, meaning Without Fear.  Regardless of our differences; regardless of our race, creed or color; regardless of our beliefs and morals we remained until duty was done.  And now, we return to what we left behind.

Take a look at the photo above.  Look at the faces that comprise our crew.  That photo is a representation of the culmination of two months of hard work, sleepless nights, endless watches and painstaking boardings.  Welcome back Dauntless!

Photograph and story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Renee C. Aiello

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Tags: CGC Dauntless, Dauntless, Galveston, PA2 Renee C. Aiello, patrol

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