The Guardian comes out on DVD today. I know everybody up here is going crazy about it, just thought that given the emphasis on SAR and whatnot, that you guys and gals might have liked the movie too. I know that Doug gave it a good review on his blog.

Matt

Before this the classic Coast Guard movie was Onionhead with Andy Griffith. There was an old 1930s serial involving a Coastie and his adventures, countless cameos in various T. V. series and the boarding of a 210' cutter by Pirates who wiped out the crew after a heroic fight demanded by the then P.R. office. I think the pirates were played by Navy recruits one day out of bootcamp myself. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Got it at Wallyworld a couple of hours ago. It better be good, we usually buy DVD's from the $5 bin, this one was $17...

Does kevin show his buttocks in this one? I have a CG buttocks story, can't post it though <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Charles Grodin? <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

TMI <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

"old 1930s serial involving a Coastie and his adventures"

I believe it is called Coast Guard SOS. I have several parts of the serial on DVD.

Pete

I think it was a very good movie and also picked up a copy of the movie. It sort of reminded me a little like the movie “Officer and a Gentlemen”. I have nothing but total and unreserved respect for the Rescue Swimmers.

My Coastie Son-in-Law is not a big fan of “A” school graduates, but since he himself has not attended one, I take what he says with a grain of salt.

Interestingly, here in the state of Maryland, I have been actively participating in the development of a statewide plan for swift/flood water response. We have looked into the use of the MD National Guard helicopters for the possible implementation of a Rescue Swimmers Program, similar to North Carolina’s. I looked at the perquisites and there is no way I can swim 500yards in 8 minutes. I talked to my daughters, who are competitive swimmers and they said that is fairly quick pace.

Right now our team is one of 6 regional Maryland State Police Helicopter Emergency Aerial Tactics Teams (HEAT Team) and while qualified members (Swiftwater Technicians) may be deployed for swift/flood water operation arenas, we are not planning on any actual “live bait” rescues, in which the rescuer actually deploys into the water from the aircraft.

Pete

This is a tad off topic, but since we have at least two Coasties here I thought I would go ahead and throw it out. This morning I was happily raking leaves in a couple of campsites, surrounded by that wonderful Pacific Ocean fog. Shortly after the fog lifted a CG chopper flew over, and I started wondering. Given the CG mission, do they have any exemption from the FAA rules governing VFR and IFR flight in lousy weather? Can they go anytime they want, ceiling and vsby be damned???

My dad was enlisted in the Coast Guard for 20 years. The feeling I got from him was the Coast Guard was given the world in terms of law enforcement power. However, they always try to interact with everyone in everyones best interest. I think yes, they can do whatever they please. However, there is policy, and from what I remember of my dad's stories, that is what got most coasties in trouble. Not violating a law, but violating policy.

That reminds me, I had the "pleasure" of seeing Coasties training on Blackhawk helicopters for their new Jayhawks. Nothing like seeing 2 Blackhawk helicopters at about 100 feet coming across your neighborhood. You heard them, looked, saw, didn't see, didn't hear. Very fast, very low, and very cool.