DID YOU KNOW?

       THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO MY BROTHER-IN-LAW~THE LATE PATRICK MARTIN MAHER AND MY NEPHEW~JERET BRANDON ROGERS, WHO IS CURRENTLY SERVING IN KUWAIT. PLEASE KEEP THEM BOTH IN YOUR PRAYERS. THANK YOU!
     
      MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW VITAL THE COAST GUARD IS TO THE SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES. THE FOLLOWING IS JUST A LITTLE "FYI."
      THE CORRECT TITLE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD IS "COAST GUARDSMEN." IT WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED AS "THE REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE" BY ALEXANDER HAMILTON ON AUGUST 4, 1790 AND LAYS CLAIM TO BEING THE OLDEST CONTINUOUS SEAGOING SERVICE.  FROM 1790 TO 1798 THERE WAS NO NAVY. THE CUTTERS, THE PREDECESSORS TO THE USCG, WERE THE ONLY WARSHIPS PROTECTING THE COAST TRADE AND MARITIME INTERESTS.
        THE MODERN DAY UNITED STATES COAST GUARD DATES BACK TO THE YEAR 1915 WHEN THE ROYAL CUTTER SERVICE MERGED WITH THE U.S. LIFESAVING SERVICE. THEIR MOTTO IS "SEMPER PARATUS" OR "ALWAYS READY." THE COAST GUARD FALLS UNDER HOMELAND SECURITY AND IS ALSO A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WITHIN ITSELF. THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE NOT ONLY IN KEEPING OUR COASTLINES SAFE BUT THEY ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR BORDERS. THEY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN STOPPING DRUGS AND HALTING THE TRAFFICKING OF HUMANS.         
        SURPRISINGLY TO MANY PEOPLE, THE COAST GUARD'S INVOLVEMENT  AND PRESENCE IN WARTIME, DATES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE WAR OF 1812. THEY WENT ON TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN WAR, AND EVEN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD ESCORTED THE U.S. ARMY WHEN THEY LANDED ON OMAHA BEACH DURING THE INVASION OF NORMANDY ON JUNE 6, 1944. THEY WERE ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN ESCORTING THE "ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE" PARATROOPERS WHEN THEY WERE LANDING.
       MY NEPHEW, JERET BRANDON ROGERS IS NOW IN KUWAIT. I REMEMBER VERY WELL THE DAY I RECEIVED THE E~MAIL FROM HIS MOTHER THAT HE WAS BEING SENT TO IRAQ. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, "BUT HE IS IN THE COAST GUARD?!!" 
      JERET SPENT THANKSGIVING AND "CHRIST"MAS AWAY FROM FAMILY PROBABLY LOOKING BACK ON MEMORIES OF HIS PAST WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER. MY ENTIRE FAMILY PUT TOGETHER A BOX OF EVERYTHING FROM BAKED GOODS, TO PICTURES, TO LETTERS OF CHEER, TRYING TO GIVE HIM A LITTLE TASTE OF HOME.
                    GODSPEED JERET! BE SAFE
    
            MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, THE LATE PATRICK MARTIN MAHER, MADE A CAREER OF THE COAST GUARD. HE ENLISTED RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND I REMEMBER HIM AND HIS WIFE ELAINE HITTING THE BOOKS SO THAT HE COULD ADVANCE THROUGH THE RANKS AT AN ACCELERATED PACE. HE WAS STATIONED FROM ALASKA, TO NEW JERSEY, TO SAN DIEGO, AND FINALLY TO HAWAII. HIS SON NATHAN WAS BORN IN ALASKA AND HIS DAUGHTER MANDY WAS BORN IN SAN DIEGO. PAT RETIRED  FROM THE COAST GUARD AFTER 20 YEARS BUT HE STILL WASN'T FINISHED SERVING THE PUBLIC. HE TOOK ON A JOB WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN HAWAII. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS HE MOVED BACK TO THE STATES AND SETTLED IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND, GOD BLESS HIM, HE AGAIN TOOK A JOB WITH, THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY POLICE DEPARTMENT, DOING WHAT HE DID BEST~ SERVING THE PEOPLE AND WATCHING OUT FOR OUR SAFETY. UNFORTUNTELY JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER COMING TO WASHINGTON STATE HE WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. HE WAS CALLED OUT ON A DOMESTIC DISPUTE AND IT TURNED DEADLY.
            SO THE NEXT TIME YOU HAPPEN TO BE OUT IN YOUR RECREATIONAL BOAT AND YOU GET JUST A LITTLE CRAZY, MAYBE GET GOING A LITTLE TOO FAST, OR PERHAPS A LITTLE RECKLESS, OR THERE IS A DISASTROUS FLOOD AND THE U.S. COAST GUARD COMES TO YOUR RESCUE, REMEMBER THIS~ THAT COAST GUARD BOAT THAT PULLS YOU OVER AND GIVES YOU A TICKET OR, THAT HANDSOME GUY WHO PULLS YOU FROM THE RUSHING WATER AND SAVES YOUR LIFE~ THAT COAST GUARDSMEN IS SERVING THE PUBLIC AS A  MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. HE DESERVES YOUR RESPECT AND YOUR THANKS FOR BEING A TRUE PATRIOT WHO LOVES AMERICA AND HAS PLEDGED THEIR LIVES TO KEEPING YOU AND YOUR FREEDOMS SAFE!      
            
        R.I.P~~PATRICK MARTIN MAHER
            JANUARY 26, 1957~ AUGUST 2,2003