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CGC Kukui

(The Cadet Experience, Class of 2012) Permanent link All Posts

30 May 2009

I am currently writing from my summer assignment on the CGC Kukui in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the three short weeks I have been here, I have experienced numerous unique opportunities. From becoming qualified at the helm of a 225 foot and 2,000 ton ship to being a part of a .50-caliber gun shooting drill in the middle of the Pacific; not a day has passed that I haven’t learned something new and useful.

Immediately after arriving in Hawaii, we headed to sea for a two-week deployment to Johnston Atoll, a small, former military island several hundred miles to the south. On that trip, I was able to be an active part in buoy evolutions working with heavy machinery. (Yes, it is a dirty job.) I learned much about life underway as well as the morale accompanied with it – the crew engaged in a “fish call” while at sea catching enough fish for dinner one night.

While I still have two weeks onboard Kukui before I depart to meet the Eagle in Bermuda, I have learned so much while working side by side with the crew. The incredible experiences I have encountered thus far have only confirmed that I have picked the right service to be in.

More about Alex.

Posted by Leann Strickland at 2/10/2012 11:19 AM