Coast Guard sees security duties expand

[Lori Price CLG]

Coast Guard sees security duties expand

Eight years ago, after his daughter was born, (Petty Officer Wayne) Weschrek transferred out of the Coast Guard's law enforcement side, from ship boardings and drug interdiction missions, and became an environmental officer, a "duck scrubber" who contained oil spills and saved wildlife.

Then came the 2001 terrorist attacks. The Coast Guard became the nation's largest Homeland Security agency and Weschrek's duties changed again. He became a boarding officer, a member of the armed teams that search foreign ships entering U.S. ports.

The Coast Guard's duties are growing faster than its ranks and officers like Weschrek who were saving seals, breaking ice or repairing harbor lights are being retrained.

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Lori Price