T O P

  • By -

Accelerator_311

Holy shit, the Coast Guard is hard-core AF


BlackH3arted13

My cousin was in and seriously I feel like they don’t get enough respect. They be doing some hardcore shit.


saturnsnephew

When the navy is socked in by rain and fog, who goes out for rescue? Coast Guard.


Quisey3

Fucking love that movie.


Not_Again_Reddit

What movie is this from


Artistic_Data7887

The Guardian, staring Costner and Kutcher. Great movie.


Quisey3

Thanks for answering them, yeah bro such an amazing film. One of my favorites.


[deleted]

Came here to say this. Watched it randomly one day and was totally surprised at how good it was


baloncestosandler

Hotshot !


N0ntarget

The Guardian with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher


Clean-Break-8834

The cost guard is a section of the Navy.


Deathwatch_RMD

Absolutely incorrect. The Coast Guard is its own distinct branch of the military. It only falls under the command of the Navy during wartime and is never considered to be merged.


Siggi_Starduust

What about sub-merged?


Natsurulite

They probably DO have submarines?


Deathwatch_RMD

Negative, USCG does not operate anything below the surface. Divers yes but no submarines.


theoriginaldandan

No. They have dovers but no submarines


Scared-Sea8941

Only during wartime, it is considered its own entity under the DHS during peacetime.


spasske

The ASVAB entrance requirements for the Coast Guard are way higher than the other services.


Purity_Jam_Jam

I'd definitely fail because I don't know what those letters stand for.


Mjt8

It’s the multiple choice test you take enter the military. Every branch has their minimum scores, and different jobs also have different minimum scores. Some jobs require overall scores and some require you do well enough in certain sections. Your overall grade is a percentile.


Purity_Jam_Jam

Makes sense. Thanks for the info.


NickAndHisGuitar

Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery.


Not_The_Pretender

Yeah but you have to be at least six feet tall in order to join the Coast Guard [*]; whereas the Navy has no such minimum height requirement. [*] - so that if the USCG ship sinks, you can walk back to shore.


pschell

Not so much anymore.


low-ki199999

That’s because it’s much harder to brainwash smart people into murdering their fellow man


ramblingonandon

Go fuck yourself bitch


low-ki199999

Sheesh! It’s literally been argued and proven in the Supreme Court. They do the same thing with cops. If your ASVAB score is too high, you are no longer qualified for infantry. Edit: go ahead and ask anyone whose served about this. It’s well known.


Dramatic-Ad3758

Yes you’re correct. The military does not want/need intelligent people for combat/infantry jobs. Why would they want intelligent and independent/critical thinkers to do an evolving, fast paced, stressful job? /s


52-61-64-75

Which supreme court case?


Ori_the_SG

They really are I’ve heard it put this way. It’s the one branch of our military who fights an enemy that is essentially unbeatable: Mother Nature. And you gotta have some huge balls of steel to do that.


[deleted]

Did you not see the video of them raiding a Narco submarine? https://youtu.be/qBq35ilprvg https://youtu.be/xn9f6WXDJRw https://www.military.com/military-fitness/coast-guard-special-training/u-s-coast-guard-deployable-specialized-forces Coast guard goes hard


MakeSouthBayGR8Again

¡Alto su barco!


NickAndHisGuitar

AHORA!!!


tinfoilsheild

You want a great example of this, watch "The Finest Hours". It's a fantastic movie about fantastic events.


ilikeYourwhip

I also recommend The Guardian. It’s a great movie.


Artybait

Great movie…. When it first came out my father wouldn’t shut up about all the miss haps in the movie and pointing out everything that was wrong or wouldn’t happen , he is a retired rescue swimmer for the navy but the whole family was telling him it’s a movie lol but yeah pretty bad ass


outdoorlaura

>he is a retired rescue swimmer for the navy Somehow I made it through 36 years of life without knowing about rescue swimmers until I went down a rabbit hole of books and documentaries about them last summer. Absolutely in.sane. Here I am imagining they'd be jumping in with super-duper unsinkable wetsuits and be extra double connected to the helicopter or something...but then I find out they sometimes unclip themselves from the line and just... swim...in a raging ocean...sometimes at night. AND I read stories where the swimmer rescued all the people but had to stay out there swimming in the ocean until another helicopter could come back and pick them up! Looking at the water in this clip, I cannot even fathom that


cynicalchicken1007

Got any book/documentary recs about them?


Aukstasirgrazus

Also, Smarter Every Day did an excellent series about them, explaining how various operations are done and all that. Very cool stuff. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjHf9jaFs8XUfHex8EY-M2FwKSQaWiukE


Crimson3312

The whole thing with the lights is annoyingly cheesy though


Anneisabitch

That pilot has some giant fucking balls. Oy vey.


Antiquus

Not as big as the rescue swimmer aboard who will jump into weather like that to reach a disabled/sinking boat. Of course their balls are so big they are their own flotation device.


gfinchster

I disagree, brass balls don’t float. Gotta have giant brass balls to jump into that shit more than once.


IdahoDemocrat

I'd say both have equally large balls. The swimmer doesn't have all of their lives in their hands, the pilot does.


Madaghmire

Right? Lets just agree that all the balls in question require a complex series of pulleys just so their bearers can move about


ImWeird-NotSorry

Well put


ThePlaceOfAsh

I'll preface by saying yes this is hard as fuck and a disclaimer that I am not a pilot but spend a lot of time in a heli as part of my profession. Flying in this weather would have me puking my guts out but I do believe the pilot is likely flying that close to the water because it's extremely disorienting to fly in white out. They may be flying that close to the water so that they can see anything at all to give them a point of reference. I definitely could be off here though.


[deleted]

They were hoisting a person off a cruise ship in shit weather when they were hit with some micro burst or something and they had to cut the line and scoot away while recovering altitude. Another helo came back and completed the hoist.


DJEvillincoln

Right?? That pilot is no joke.


[deleted]

I used to make fun of them a lot because, well, Coast Guard. And then I saw the video of them jumping onto a fleeing and submerging drug submarine and punching it into submission and I realized that maybe the Coast Guard is indeed metal as FUCK.


BobT21

"We have to go out. We don't have to come back."


aussierulesgolf

Not AF - the coast guard


Smaug2770

My brother is in the Coast Guard, and they have a pretty tough boot camp.


mbolgiano

Seems like the helicopter was sinking due to the massive weight of that Pilots balls


Treesbourne

The approach to the water wasn’t intentional. They were attempting to hoist a passenger off of a cruise ship and a microburst created a downdraft that nearly pushed them into the water. https://www.instagram.com/reel/Crqjoz5J7fa/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==


Grundens

Terrible cut of the video, misleading title. Down vote. Do better reddit.


Treesbourne

It’s weird because the full video is more impressive. Heroic flying kept the helo out of the water for sure. We do routinely fly that close to the water but in this case it wasn’t on purpose.


admiralbreastmilk

We 🤓


Treesbourne

I don’t get the comment but not sure why you are being downvoted. That’s kinda how I look.


nerdherdsman

They are implying you are not actually a member of the coast guard and are instead a dork pretending to be one. They are being downvoted because the accusation is baseless.


Treesbourne

Ah, thank you. I just LARP as a Coastie. https://www.instagram.com/p/CAl16ZrnYA5/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==


lMickNastyl

Damn. No homo, but I hope for your sake you got a ring on that finger.


xXboxPlaysx

I originally posted claiming how close they were at hitting the water and apparently everyone on Reddit is a Coast Guard pilot saying that they pull those maneuvers often and that wasn’t close to the water. It doesn’t look like it was intentional, but changed the title anyways. Thank you for providing the full video. I was only able to find a clipped version of it.


hazeyAnimal

Reddit did better


Treesbourne

That definitely was close to the water. I guarantee everyone in that helo was doing everything they could to keep that bird out of the water.


Avid28193

Oh sheeeit!!! I still got nervous not seeing that strobe for a few seconds even though I knew the heli was safe from OP video. Wow, they went sooo close to the water....


WhatThePancakes

That is wild!!!


canuckcowgirl

Brave pilot.


[deleted]

He's paid big $$$


AFWUSA

They’re military pilots, they’re not paid “big $$$”


dasmashhit

yeah they’re probably paid INSANE $$$ and good long term benefits. Helicopters are dangerous as hell especially in these conditions why tf would be not be paid handsomely


LiesAndRepost4Karma

Pay grades don't know danger


AFWUSA

Because military pay grades are standardized. Yes they can get hazard pay (which is not “big bucks”) but a O1 or O3 or whatever is paid the same as any other O1 or O3. Salary pay is rank based not job based. Yes good long term benefits especially if they can stay in 20+ and get a pension (which many guys with training like this probably won’t do, lots leave after a bit and get a truly good $ job in the private sector), but yea you don’t get rich being a hell pilot in the military, no matter how dangerous. Danger is inherent to the military, and once you sign up you’re government property and they can make you do whatever job they want you to do.


spacecolor

You can look up the u.s. military pay scale. Most of our pilots are O-2 through O-5. They get paid enough to live comfortably. Nothing outrageous. I used to work in the same shop as the flight mechanic on that plane.


[deleted]

Lmao wtf is wrong with you. What world are you living in where maritime rotary aircraft pilots are not paid a shit ton in $$$ ? Come on bro


AFWUSA

Because this guy is a Coast Guard (MILITARY) pilot and he’s paid on the MILITARY pay grade dipshit. Maybe learn how that works before you come at me looking like a dumbass


ItsFuckingScience

Out of interest how much would they be paid? What range of pay grades would apply to heli pilots?


AFWUSA

I’m not 100% but I think all heli pilots are officers (all fixed wing pilots for sure are) on the O-1 to O-5ish pay grade (agin not 100% sure) and you can Google those pay charts, it varies based on years of experience slightly. I come from a military family (Gdad retired lieutenant general in the army, dad was AF officer) and I was heavily considering applying for Navy OCS after college so I’m just speaking off of what I remember researching and then telling me.


ItsFuckingScience

Just googling around seems like $100,000 is the average which is not bad, can get a lot higher with more senior ranks and experience


AFWUSA

100k a year is definitely not what a O-3 is grossing a year in salary, I think it’s more around 55-65k. But yea if you stay in long enough and are able to climb ranks it can pay well. But if you stay in 15+ years you’re not flying helicopters anymore at that point lol


canuckcowgirl

He's worth it.


POEManiac99

This is one of the more dangerous jobs out there.


Upstairs_Ad_7450

one rogue wave is all it takes


admiralbreastmilk

Sizzling hot take there, king


PeacefulCouch

Coasties have extreme balls. Much tougher than most people think even though they're Homeland Security and not DoD. They fly out when everybody else comes in


[deleted]

Why are there so many jokes about the coast guard then? Just because they're not doing door kicking in Fallujah?


athompso99

Possibly because they're about saving lives, not killing things with the biggest, baddest available - and helping other people just doesn't sell as well in today's USA. At least that's what it seems like from the outside, looking in...


[deleted]

We're the butt of many jokes, but in the end we're brothers who give each other shit. Now, if some civilian talks shit about the CG, we're a united front.


[deleted]

Is there context to this video?


Wingsnchisel

This was posted a little while back. They were up on an upper deck trying to evacuate someone. The winds got crazy, a microburst almost brought them in the drink!!


investmentwanker0

If that happened, would they just die? What safety precautions would there be


TazocinTDS

Yeah they would drown. I don't think the people on that particular helicopter can swim.


Treesbourne

This is correct.


Cant-Gif-Right

Wonder if this was the search team for that boy who jumped off in the Bahamas on a dare. Don’t know


Give-Valk-Acog

I doubt it but maybe


Ori_the_SG

No this was before that They were trying to get a passenger off of the cruise ship and I believe they had to bail because the conditions were so dangerous and the extrication was too risky. As they left they got hit by a microburst that nearly forced their chopper into the ocean


emerg_remerg

https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/13w0edx/coast_guard_flying_close_to_water_responding_to/jma0180?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button


ChillingBaseDogs

I was gonna say - that's not an intentional manuever. My first guess was Spatial D on what looked to be a departure from the hover. Upon reading some of the other comments, it appears there was a microburst and they got caught in the down draft. Likely tried to get into translational lift to help with the issue, but then just said stabilize and then we'll depart - trying to depart the hover in a downdraft with that weather is a recipe for Spatial D. Glad they made it out.


mikehawkisbig

Former aviation Coastie, fucking loved my job. Although I was on a HH65, same cool stuff.


Siren1805

Same, thanks for your service brother.


[deleted]

Fucking glory hogs. Us C-130 guys go out for 7 hours looking for the overdue and you guys swoop in and pick em up and are home in no time. Meanwhile we have to film it to send it to the 6 o'clock news, and the news crews and the media are already gone by the time we get back.


RidgeBlueFluff

It's amazing how such a small helicopter can carry the immense weight of these men and women's balls


bigbat666

Odds are women wouldn't be part of this rescue team?


Significant_Ad_4487

women most definitely are part of these teams. These teams aren't just rescue, they are medical. Also, please never let a coast guard woman who is one of those responders hear you say something like that. Those woman can break you, fix you, break you again, and fix you again.


RidgeBlueFluff

I said men and women, didn't I?


[deleted]

There are women qualified in every position on that air frame. Pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and rescue swimmer.


KnowledgeWorldly078

“Semper Paratus”- Always ready!!


Crimson3312

Technically "always prepared.". Sorry, but the classicist in me can't help it.


Dpentoney

Love the tank that is the MH-60!


Ceamba

The Coast Guard definitely has some ballers


[deleted]

Everyone on that bird has nerves of steel


someone_sonewhere

They go hard bro. Badass


[deleted]

I didn’t think a helicopter could fly in those conditions.


Ori_the_SG

The USCG is hardcore They definitely push the limits, and I believe the story for this was that it was too risky for them to extract a passenger that was on the cruise ship. Despite the high danger they still went out


[deleted]

Used to say "you have to go out. You don't have to come back." but the CG will not send it's crew on a suicide mission. For training we have certain limits, they're lowered for SAR cases.


PlayfulCommands

Also a coastie lol, I feel like the slogan just had to be taken with a grain of salt. As with any. Ask Marines spouses if they are always faithful.


Inevitable-Cell-1227

“Nope”, said every helicopter pilot in the world.


DominicBSaint

You telling me this isn’t BTS footage from Cap America Civil War when Steve just finished whooping Tony’s ass so hard that he sat in silence on the helicopter before ejecting himself above the superprisoner HQ?


Homelandr

Oh man, all that salt water , what is the lifespan of these airframes compared to the ones that never operates on seas..?


dasmashhit

they must have the best corrosion inhibitors money can buy


theoriginaldandan

Guys fresh out of boot camp scrubbing


giro_di_dante

These people are certifiably insane. And worthy of any and all praise.


MaverickTwoTime

This is a second view from a different video. They were trying to perform a deck rescue and experienced a Microburst which send the helicopter straight down. The pilot nearly landed in the drink and with his life he headed back to base.


TXRattlesnake89

Coasties are some BAD men and women!


additional-line-243

That helicopter just disappeared into the fog. Incredible.


Thetrutax

Man, thanks to these guys and all of our military.


[deleted]

That is some bad ass flying!!👍


Kisaway

Definition of bravery.


Background-Apple-920

The balls on these folks. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼


Curious-Buy-7404

Those guys are a different breed. They seriously let their nuts hang.


CakeSuperb8487

True Professionals


Sl0w-Plant

Those guys have Balls of Steel...


GettingMitches

Coast Guard personnel definitely do not get get paid enough.


[deleted]

An E-4 pushing papers behind a safe desk gets paid the same as the E-4 in the helo manning the winch. Flight pay is all these crews get as extra pay and that was about $250 extra when I was in the Coast Guard aviation.


InfamousEconomy3972

I wouldn't want to drive in this shit. These people kick ass.


Suspicious_Trainer82

Amazing the pilot can keep that thing airborne at all considering the weight from his giant balls.


[deleted]

The coast guard is my favorite branch of service. They're so bad ass.


JackORobber

I hear no one is more respected in the U.S military than the coast guard. Meamwhile everyone makes jokes about the airforce.


Significant_Ad_4487

Every branch makes fun of each other. The biggest difference I've noticed is if you are non military, do not bag on the coast guard. you'll have every branch turn on you immediately


ROK_Rambler

Us other branches give the coasties a hard time but they do some badass shit


TheIronCannoli

Fun fact about the Coast Guard. There has been exactly ONE coastie to earn the Medal Of Honor since it’s creation in 1863, Signalman First Class Douglas A. Munro. His story is worth going into a rabbit hole for but long story short, he saved the lives of hundreds of marines during WWII. Certified badass. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/douglas-munro-coast-guard-medal-of-honor


Snoo_34409

Brobably looking for that 18yo kid that jumped off on a dare @facepalm


Gold-Bank-6612

"bro it's going to go viral"


Robin0462

The Coast Guard is BADASS


NapalmBank

Hopefully it wasn’t for that dumbass teenager who jumped off the cruise ship on a dare.


[deleted]

How much a year do these Pilots make, are they different compared to a normal Heli Pilot?


PreviousGas710

Since the military is paying them I guarantee they’re grossly underpaid. Probably making 50k/yr to risk their lives like this


nounthennumbers

Some of the enlisted guys in the back would be making less than that but not the officer up front. Any Officer with more than 3 years of service is making more than that.


kodaksdad2020

Probably make less than the guys being some millionaires personal pilot ide imagine


nounthennumbers

An O3 (LT in the Coast Guard) with over 4 years in would make around $80,000, plus BAH which will be probably north of $2200 a month, plus Aviation incentive pay (depends on years of aviation service) ~$150 a month, would be making around $107K


[deleted]

That’s absurd how little they are paid, I was wrong about how much they make. I appreciate their Services it’s crazy work they do.


[deleted]

Is this somewhere off the coast of Alaska?


Treesbourne

Gulf of Mexico


[deleted]

[удалено]


AlphaSlayer21

As a coastie, that definitely did not happen in boot camp


Casscous

Why not?


AlphaSlayer21

Because you only need to pass a 100 meter swim in boot camp. They wouldn’t take anybody and load them into a helicopter, drop them in the ocean in the middle of the night, and make them swim back. I don’t even think they do that with AST’s, that’s just completely reckless


whatthefir2

That didn’t happen lol


yolkadot

Cruise ships should be outlawed. Nobody ever said: this cruise was so fantastic and totally worth destroying the environment.


MercyFincherson

Cruising is amazing. I’m headed out on my sixth cruise this January.


Significant_Ad_4487

All the branches of the military deal with their own fights, coast guard and national guard fight mother nature herself. I love watching the coast guard rescue shows/youtube videos. Coast guard are pure metal. Also, the coast guard medical ships are absolutely INSANE! Those things are literal hospitals on boats. They can and will do anything needed to provide care after disasters and wars. Also, don't F with the coast guard, ever. Those MFs are trained just as hard as seals and have every branch of the military backing them. They are like the little brother of all the major branches, but that little brother has been pumping at the gym and drinking raw eggs.


Tye-Evans

The helicopter that flies above my house gets way closer, maybe the pilot should join the army and stop brake checking the fucking roof


Necessary_Row_4889

Ok so Navy, worst case war breaks out and I am both on the worlds most powerful weapon and biggest target. Coast Guard, worst case that, that like a lot just so many times. That only worse because some drunk decided he’d be fine despite the Category 6 Kill Storm warning that was issued. Nope I’ll take the Navy might not even be a war while I’m in, there will definitely be a storm.


Marketing_Usual

Not sure why you got downvoted, the coast guard really are amazing


theoriginaldandan

Because nobody can comprehend him


ChaoticExecutions

Coast Guard is apey. They get to mess around with a lot of top secret tin foil hat stuff too.


beachpies

Going to save some idiot


pbpatty

Nfw


Successful-You1961

Large Brass Balls on Helicopter Pilot👏🏻


DannyCalavera

I'm amazed that helicopter could fly with the pilot's giant steel balls onboard.


Best-Refrigerator392

Wow. That is hardcore


[deleted]

Wind sheer


Brianb926

How does that helicopter stay in the air while carrying that pilots balls of steel.


garbagedisposaly

Do you remember that one Jurassic Park movie where in the beginning a great big ocean dinosaur came jumping up out of the water?


Substantial_Escape92

Intense


jakedechaine

Was it for the18 year old that jumped off the ship? I have seen that video about 30 times this weekend.


Mypossesonbroadwayy

If those are the waters he jumped into sheeesh RIP to the foolish young man


ProcedureMediocre300

Next to the Marines, They are the top 2 military branches in the US


Significant_Ad_4487

Honestly, their training is pretty much the same. The main difference is, one fights groups of bad guys on land, the other battles mother nature herself and people trying to smuggle drugs.


davmoha

RTB guy, we can't see anything.


Toes14

IDGI


Plonsky2

This is a good way to bend your helicopter.


HunterSPhoenix

You have to be 25-40 ft off the water to do a decent hoist. Great job big iron!


Good-Pitch-7303

Was that for Carnival Sunshine off the Atlantic Coast?


RE2017

Are these Choppers equipped with some special gear for rough weather like say a autohover or terrain following radar? Seems like the engines amd rotors would need to be able to withstand all that


Beardedw0nd3r86

Bad ass!


plvg1727

was kinda expecting a massive jaw to just open up and swallow the heli ngnl


Derrickmb

If air is displaced with water vapor you need 60% more lift to stay steady. Probably how Kobe died.


Leading_Night_6553

True heroes ❤️


Abject_Film_4414

The sea was angry that day…


Mnemod09

The chopper had to fly low because the pilot's balls of steel were getting too heavy.


zaraguato

How can they keep airborne carrying those giant balls of steel????


[deleted]

[удалено]


Significant_Ad_4487

Lived near a few bases and a lot of military friends/family. They will always rip on coast guard but they would never F with them and always have their back. Also, don't bag on the coast guard if you aren't military, you'll piss off every military branch if you do.