Petty Officer 2nd Class Lawrence Schad receives help from other crew members with his equipment aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless during a fire drill Feb. 14, 2014. The exercise encouraged team work to help develop efficiency among the crew. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.
Lt. Caroline Dewechter prays during divine services aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless in the Caribbean Sea Feb. 16, 2014. While underway, the cutter holds spiritual services on Sundays to allow crew members to practice their faith. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.
Cmdr. Christopher Strong , commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless, places Valentine’s Day gifts in crew members bags Feb. 14, 2014. The crew aboard the Dauntless participated in the holiday to help promote morale and camaraderie. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.
Cmdr. Christopher A. Strong, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless, congratulates the crew aboard the Dauntless for their hard work during a patrol in the Caribbean Sea Feb. 19, 2014. The crew conducted several training evolutions successfully while maintaining operational readiness at sea. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.
Upon graduating from basic training, new recruits ship off to their permanent duty stations where they can begin their military careers. At these stations, they will meet and join a team who will indoctrinate them into a new way of Coast Guard life. A life that often relies on bonds built on trust to get the job done.
The Coast Guard has core values that are designed to guide Coast Guardsman in their lives to help better themselves and strive for mission success. Like other units, the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless has its own set of values that reflect the Coast Guard’s core values. The commanding officer’s command philosophy states, “Our crew is our family… and our personal families are part of our crew, respect for our people will ensure a positive environment.”
Aboard the 210-foot medium endurance cutter, Coast Guardsman work closely together to accomplish the mission. In the process, they become a tight-nit unit that prides itself on the commitment to each member and operates cohesively as a surrogate family at sea.
“We are like a big family on the cutter,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles R. Richter, a Boatswains Mate aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless.
Through the shared sacrifice of being away from families and friends back on land, the crew grows closer on water as their cutter pulls further away from home. The friendships and bonds aboard the cutter are essential to the overall morale of the crew. During emergencies, those friendships and bonds are solidified through trust and a mutual respect between one another.
“When we are in tense situations, I look at the people around me, and I know everything will be ok,’ said Petty Officer 3rd Class Ian Ceely, a Machinery Technician aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless. “I look at them as my right-hand man.”
Through the rough seas, the crew of the Dauntless maintains course through a shared commitment to each other. The mutual respect aboard the ship is a value and a resource that contributes to the morale and ultimately the mission.
“I believe that if I take care of the crew and give them the resources they need, the crew will take care of the mission,” said commander Christopher A. Strong, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless.