Annie R B Elis

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard boarding team member is hoisted down to a cargo ship by a Coast Guard Air Station Astoria MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew before a law enforcement boarding on the Columbia River near More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Beau Parkinson, an engineer from Station Cape Disappointment, drives a 47-foot motor life boat back to the station after a vertical delivery boarding with a Co More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Beau Parkinson, an engineer from Station Cape Disappointment, drives a 47-foot motor life boat back to the station after a vertical delivery boarding with a Co More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Bradd Beckett, a 47-foot motor life boat coxswain from Station Cape Disappointment, relays a message to the station on marine band radio during a vertical deli More

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew participate in a simulated search and rescue operation for a Coast Guard Advertising photo shoot near Coast Guard S More

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat crew from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wa., and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Ore., participate in a simulated search More

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat crew from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wa., and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Ore., participate in a simulated search More

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Ore., MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew lowers a rescue basket down to a 47-foot motor life boat crew from Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment during a simulate More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., is lowered into the water near Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wash., during a More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Austin, left, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, rescue swimmers from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Ore., participate in a simulated search and r More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., is lowered into the water near Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wash., during a More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., stands on the bow of a boat during a simulated search and rescue operation for a Coast Guard Adver More

ILWACO, Wa. -- A Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat crew from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wa., and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Ore., participate in a simulated search More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., is lowered onto the deck of a 47-foot motor life boat from Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., is lowered onto the deck of a 47-foot motor life boat from Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Matt Fedorowicz, a coxswain from Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wa., drives a 47-foot motor life boat as an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Austin, left, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, rescue swimmers from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, Ore., participate in a simulated search and r More

ILWACO, Wa. -- Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Austin, a rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria, Ore., waits on board a boat while Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Young, also a rescue swimmer from the a More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Landing signal crews prepare to conduct flight training operations with a helicopter crew on the aft deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward May 23, 2011. The Coast Guard Cutter Forward conducts f More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City prepares to land on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during nighttime flight operations May 23, 2011. More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City prepares to land on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during nighttime flight operations May 23, 2011. More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City conducts a vertical replenishment training operation near the Coast Guard Cutter Forward May 23, 2011. The Coast Guard More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-A Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Elizabeth City prepares to land on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward May 23, 2011. The Coast Guard Cutter Forward cond More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Seaman Peter Vasta carries a fire hose nozzle through the engine room aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during a main space engine fire drill while underway May 25, 2011. The crew More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class David Blonn wipes sweat from his face after a main engine fire drill while underway onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward May 25, 2011. The crew of the Forwar More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Seaman Boatswain's Mate Christopher Liebesman (kneeling) and Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Sapuppo peer into the Coast Guard Cutter Forward's engine room during a main space engine f More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officers 3rd Class Maggie Smith (left) and William Gentry, of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward-s Main Propulsion Division, work in the engine run aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Fo More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Seaman Peter Vasta stands in the auxilliary room after a main engine fire drill while underway onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward May 25, 2011. The crew of the Forward regularly c More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Pate, of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward-s Main Propulsion Division, replaces a fuel pump cover of the number two main diesel engine May 25, 2011. The M More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Marco Mendez conducts a check of the engines aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway during an Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission May 25, 20 More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Seaman Steven Hunter shouts to encourage a shipmate to quickly don a Gumby survival suit during an abandon ship drill onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Africa Partners More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Melissa Galfod practices putting on a Gumby survival suit during an abandon ship drill onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Africa Partnership Sta More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Seaman Boatswain's Mate Christopher Liebesman (kneeling) and Petty Officer 2nd Class John Miller peer into the Coast Guard Cutter Forward's engine room during a main space engine fire More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Damage Controlman Gayflor Dardu follows members of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward crew out of the engine room after a main engine fire drill while underway onboard the More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Musa Getaweh puts on a Gumby survival suit during an abandon ship drill onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission May More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer William Allen makes an announcment on the intercom system onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission May 25, 2011. T More

ATLANTIC OCEAN-Two fire team members climb a ladder to the flight deck where a team is rigging up a dewatering pump on the fantail while underway during an underway patrol in the Atlantic Ocean, May 28, 2011. T More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Machinery Technician, (right) and Ensign Charles Blawah wait on the bridge before a 76mm gun test, which is critical for defensive air and surface combat onboard the More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Seaman Marcos Pendas mans a sea painter line during boat operations aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Foward May 31, 2011. The Forward is the primary operational Africa Partnership Stati More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Oscar Wetzel operates the boat davit during boat operations while underway during an Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission May 31, 2011. The Forward is the More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Dave Blonn takes loaves of fresh baked bread out of the galley oven onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway during an Africa Partnership Station More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Troy King, (right) instructs Seaman Garrett Downey on the proper use of the new personal defense weapon holster and techniques for weapons retention as part o More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Boatswain's Mate Timothy Birch wraps a line around a bit to secure the over-the-horizon small boat while underway aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Afri More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Boatswain's Mate Timothy Birch and U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Christopher Harper man the aft fall line for the over-the-horizon small boat while underway aboard the Coas More

ROTA, Spain--Liberian Coast Guard Seaman Damage Controlman Gayflor Dardu, from Monrovia, Liberia, handles a mooring line on the fantail of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward as the ship departs the U.S. Naval More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, talks to the crew during an underway patrol overseas June 6, 2011. The Coast Guard Cutter Forward is a 27 More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenneth Aho listens to rinsing instructions inside a decontamination shower station during a chemical, biological, and radiological drill held aboard the Coas More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeremy Estes removes a Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) suit during a chemical, biological, and radiological drill held aboard th More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Raymond Figueroa teaches Liberian Coast Guard Ensign Charles Blahwah, from Monrovia, Liberia, how to stand a quartermaster watch on the bridge of the Coast Gu More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel George helps Fireman Ryan Summerlin put on an M40 series protective mask as part of a Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) sui More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Hurst waits in the small boat as it is lowered from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during boat training operations while underway June 8, 2011. The For More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Thomas watches as a boat crewman releases the aft fall hookup from the small boat after it is lowered from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during boat tr More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Doody waits as the davit operator lowers the small boat from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during boat training operations while underway June 8, 2011. More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Doody spots Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Hurst as he prepares to attach the aft fall hookup to the Coast Guard Cutter Forward's small boat, during boat More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Seamen Christopher Harper, (right) and Peter Vasta secure the Coast Guard Cutter Forward's small boat after nighttime boat training operations while underway June 8, 2011. Since gett More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Jeremy Oliver talks with junior enlisted crew members about advancement opportunities on the mess deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway in the A More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Colleen Denny checks a radar while standing an officer of the deck watch underway on the bridge of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward as it transits the Atlantic Ocean June 11, More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Lt. Malcolm Belt stands an officer of the deck watch on the bridge of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward as the ship moored to a fuel pier in Dakar, Senegal, June 12, 2011. The Forward w More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Seaman Stephen Hunter pushes a mooring line onto a bit during special sea detail onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway in the Atlantic Ocean June 12, 2011. The Coast More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathon Kelsey takes a navigational bearing aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, June 12, 2011. The Coast Guard Cutter More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Sweet-Charity Keplinger watches as several crew members aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward prepare to moor to a fuel pier in Dakar, Senegal, June 12, 2011. The Forward wi More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Crew members from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward prepare to moor to a fuel pier in Dakar, Senegal, June 12, 2011. The Forward will be the primary operational platform for the Africa Partnership More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Raymond Figueroa watches as other members of the boat crew prepare to cradle the small boat onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward while underway in the Atlan More

DAKAR, Senegal--Senegalese Navy Lt. j.g. A. Seye, (right) U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michael Meydenbauer, deputy chief of the Office of Security Corporation for the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, (middle) and U.S. Coast More

DAKAR, Senegal--The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward pulls away from the pier after a two-day visit to Dakar, Senegal June 14, 2011. The Forward will be the primary operational platform for the Africa Partnershi More

DAKAR, Senegal--Senegalese Navy Lt. j.g. A. Seye, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Michael Meydenbauer, deputy chief of the Office of Security Corporation for the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, and members of the U.S. Coast Gu More

DAKAR, Senegal--U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart, (left) Coast Guard Cutter Forward's commanding officer, and Senegalese Navy Capt. J. B. Faye (middle) discuss a new operations center for the Senegalese N More

DAKAR, Senegal--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Raymond Figueroa's image is reflected in a search mirror as he stands a force protection watch on the pier in Dakar, Senegal, June 14, 2011. The Forward is on More

DAKAR, Senegal--The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward pulls away from the pier after a two-day visit to Dakar, Senegal June 14, 2011. The Forward will be the primary operational platform for the Africa Partnershi More

MONROVIA, Liberia--U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles Jones stands an anti-terrorism protection watch aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward during an Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission June More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles Jones prepares to record the bearing of a landmark while on the bridge of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward before the ship moors in Freetown, Si More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward crew and U.S. Navy join key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during a tabletop exercise held in preparatio More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Seaman Keith Irons throws a heaving line to line handlers on the pier as the Coast Guard Cutter Forward moors in Freetown, Sierra Leone, June 21, 2011. The Forward is on a sc More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--From left, U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, Christopher John, Deputy of the Office of National Security in Sierra Leone, and More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Bruno Sanchez, the defense liaison officer for the U.S. Embassy in Freetown, Sierra Leone, talks to Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Forwar More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--A representative from the Sierra Leone government asks a question to U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Melisa Hough, from the Navy's Sixth Fleet Command, during a tabletop exercise held in preparation More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Gale and Cmdr. Michael Stewart run through law enforcement scenarios with key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during a More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Christopher John, deputy of the Office of National Security in Sierra Leone, talks with U.S. Coast Guard and key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Lt. Gregory McLamb talks with key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during an operational familiarization meeting aboard the Coast Guard Cutte More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart talks with key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during an operational familiarization meeting aboard the Coast Guard Cu More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Leslie Hunt (left) and Petty Officer 1st Class Troy King, law enforcement officers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, discuss boarding officer equipment with More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Ensign Joshua Kitenko talks with key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during an operational familiarization meeting aboard the Coast Guard C More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Lincoln Mishoe, the chief food service specialist aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, (left) and Seaman Jacob Davis serve a luncheon held for key marit More

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone--Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael Stewart talks with key maritime law enforcement personnel in the Sierra Leone government during an operational familiarization meeting aboard the Coast Guard Cu More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Several law enforcement boarding team members from Sierra Leone watch a commercial fishing vessel from aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward before joining a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement tea More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Sapuppo, a small boat engineer, (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Thomas, a small boat coxswain, drive a rigid hull inflatable near the Coast Gu More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--A U.S. Coast Guard small boat crew, from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, examines the hull of a commercial fishing vessel before embarking a joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement team to c More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Raymond Figueroa, a small boat coxswain, watches as Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Thomas drives a rigid hull inflatable near the Coast Guard Cutter Forward wh More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Sapuppo, a small boat engineer, (left) and Petty Officer 3rd Class Bryan Thomas, a small boat coxswain, drive a rigid hull inflatable near the Coast Gu More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Bruce Walker relays a message on the radio as a boat crew prepares to be lowered to the water in a small boat from aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward in the At More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Troy King, a law enforcement officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, picks up a Remington 12 gauge riot shotgun as he prepares for a joint U.S. an More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Buddy Gavisk, boarding team member aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, prepares to conduct a joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement boarding on a More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--A joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement boarding team prepares to conduct a boarding on a fishing vessel in the Atlantic Ocean June 26, 2011. The Forward will be the primary operational pl More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Joshua Kitenko, (left) checks for safety hazards aboard a commercial fishing vessel during a joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement boarding in the Atlantic Ocean Ju More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--Sub Lt. Osman Bangura, operations officer of the Sierra Leone Maritime Wing, watches as crew members on a commercial fishing boat write their names on a piece of paper during a joint U.S. and Si More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Christopher Harper, a boarding team member from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, and Sgt. Alimamy Conteh, from the Sierra Leone Trans National Organized Crime Unit, check More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Christopher Harper, a boarding team member from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, checks for safety hazards aboard a commercial fishing vessel during a joint U.S. and Sierr More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Joshua Kitenko, boarding officer, (right) alerts the Coast Guard Cutter Forward on a VHF radio that a joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement boarding is complete on More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--A joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforcement boarding team prepares to conduct a boarding on the fishing vessel Haifeng in the Atlantic Ocean June 26, 2011. The Forward will be the primary oper More

ATLANTIC OCEAN--U.S. Coast Guard Ensign Joshua Kitenko, boarding officer from the Coast Guard Cutter Forward, (left) directs a commercial fishing boat crew member during a joint U.S. and Sierra Leone law enforc More