Date: April 18, 2007

Contact: 
Donnie Brzuska
O: 904-564-7623
C: 305-318-1864

CGC CONFIDENCE RETURNS TO CAPE CANAVERAL

NOTE - Confidence Media are invited to the homecoming at the Port Canaveral Coast Guard Base, 9235 Grouper Road.  Confidence is scheduled to arrive at approximately 7:30 a.m. Photos of Confidence crew members participating in training at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., and transferring Cuban migrants from the cruise ship Century are available for download below.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The Coast Guard Cutter Confidence will return to Port Canaveral Thursday at 7:30 a.m. after a 25-day patrol in the Florida Straits and Windward pass, and 17 days of Tailored Annual Cutter Training at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.

Confidence received and cared for 20 undocumented migrants, most notably 12 Cubans picked up by the Bahamian Celebrity Cruise Ship Century while on patrol.  Confidence provided food, water, shelter, blankets, and medical attention to all of these migrants while they awaited repatriation determinations.

The crew also participated in an interagency mass migration response exercise off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies worked together during this exercise to practice mass migration response techniques.

Confidence coordinated with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and several law enforcement agencies to lead a "go-fast" boat response scenario. A Coast Guard Auxiliary boat acted as a suspected migrant smuggling vessel fleeing at high speed. Confidence went into pursuit and lowered its over-the-horizon cutter boat to affect a successful intercept.  This exercise provided an outstanding opportunity to practice tactics and communication methods which will improve interagency coordination in the event of any future mass migrations.

Confidence moored at Naval Station Mayport and was met by representatives from the Navy and Coast Guard's Afloat Training Group to begin TACT after Confidence's 25-day patrol. 

The instructors from ATG evaluated the speed and proficiency of the crew's response to damage control, navigation, and engineering emergency drills while also assessing the cutter's training teams.

After many long days of firefighting, flooding, navigation, communications, and many other drills, Confidence's crew was awarded the coveted Battle "E" for their outstanding proficiency. Approximately only 30 percent of all cutters that participate in TACT achieve the Battle "E."

The Coast Guard Cutter Confidence is a 210-foot medium endurance Coast Guard cutter with a crew of 80. The crew of the Confidence routinely conducts homeland security, migrant interdiction, search and rescue and counter narcotics missions.

To download photos, please right click on the thumbnails and select "save as." 

Photos of Confidence crewmembers transferring Cuban migrants from the cruise ship Century.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph D'Amico of the Coast Guard Cutter Confidence conducts rescue swimmer training during the ships Tailored Annual Cutter Training at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. The crew spent 17 days honing their skills in firefighting, damage control, search and rescue, and numerous other shipboard skills. Coast Guard photo by PA1 Donnie Brzuska.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Confidence enter a compartment or room aboard their ship that is filled with smoke. The crewmembers are participating in a drill aboard their ship to test their skills in firefighting as part of their 17 days at Tailored Annual Cutter Training at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. Coast Guard photo by PA1 Donnie Brzuska.

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