After 55 days supporting counterdrug missions off the Central American coast, crew members with the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Active returned to Port Angeles and their loved ones earlier this month.
During their patrol on the 55-year-old medium-endurance cutter known as “Li’l Tough Guy,” crew members also took part in helicopter training and proficiency operations that resulted in qualifying and certifying eight pilots and certifying 18 shipboard aviation support crewmembers.
Active also teamed up with Florida-based Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco.
“The crew performed superbly in every assigned mission during this patrol, bringing their best selves to the job daily to deter and suppress transnational crime and narcotics smuggling while helping crew members hone new personal and professional skills,” Active’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Brian Tesson, said.
“Presented with myriad challenges, from engineering casualties to Omicron safety protocols, this crew made a bold statement by stepping out with a positive, can-do attitude in the face of adversity, defining what it means to work aboard the ‘Li’l Tough Guy,’” he said. “I watched this team overcome each consecutive obstacle with ingenuity, fortitude and professionalism.”
