Category Archives: News

A silent protest with a loud message

Posted on by
Reply

Dallas Cowboys team and owner lock arms in moment of silent protest on Monday September 25. Photo from ESPN.

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick drew nationwide attention for not standing during the national anthem before games. His silent protest was against the oppression of people of color in light of events of police brutality. This form of protest has gained more attention since Sunday, when more players were shown with arms linked, kneeling on the field, sparking a debate over what the players are protesting and whether they should be able to protest at all.

On Monday September 25, the Dallas Cowboys team and its owner, Jerry Jones, linked arms and knelt on the field before the national anthem was played amidst jeers from the crowded arena. Jason Garret, Dallas Cowboys head coach, said in an interview with NFL Total Access they chose that moment to demonstrate for a reason.

“The biggest thing for us was to show support and to demonstrate, but do it in a way that didn’t involve the American flag and the national anthem, and everybody was behind that,” said Garret.

“The reason that I’m particularly proud of this team and the coaches that coached them, is because we all agreed that our players wanted to make a statement about unity and we wanted to make a statement about equality,” said Jerry Jones.

Jones is not the only owner to kneel with his team. Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons and Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins also kneeled with their teams. Donald Trump has spoken out against the NFL, urging for a rule that forces the players to stand for the anthem and sees kneeling as a sign of disrespect on the United States rather than a silent protest for social equality. He shared his opinion through a series of tweets.

Many Americans agreed with his statements. Taya Kyle, widow of ‘American Sniper’, Chris Kyle, shared her thoughts about the issue in a letter to the NFL on Facebook. In the letter, she claims the NFL’s job was to “bring people together and heal the world” and feels that their recent protests go against that.

“You are asking us to abandon what we loved about togetherness and make choices of division,” Kyle said.

While many Americans believe the protests are disrespectful to the country, others do not. There are many Americans that understand there is a meaning behind the protests, but feel the field is not the right platform.

Zane Watson, freshman, was on the fence about the issue.

“It’s their right as human beings to represent their opinions, but those opinions can reflect badly on the organization,” he said.

Cameron Frieden, University of Iowa student, does not believe the protests are disrespectful to veterans or the flag.

“These players make millions of dollars a year to play one game on Sunday, Monday, or Thursday. It’s a distraction to the sport of football. I think they should do it on their own time and not involve the game.”

“I personally don’t see why they shouldn’t be allowed to kneel. I also feel like if there are etiquette rules about the national anthem, they should consider that, too,” said Kayla Biegler.

Other Americans support the protests and feel the players are within their constitutional right to protest an injustice on the field.

Olivia Okoye, freshman, supports the players kneeling. “It’s their right to kneel. If they feel that they should do it, it’s their right.”

“I think they are standing as a team no matter what race they are because it affects all races. There are all races in the NFL,” said Arlena Lightsey, freshman.

Cassie Underwood, United States Army service member, believes the players have the right to kneel because they are using their right to a nonviolent protest.

“There are many people who don’t take off a hat or stand during the national anthem, but since the football players are televised, they are scrutinized for every movement they make.”

United States Navy service member, Kevin Marshall, agrees that the players should be allowed to kneel. However, he thinks the reason for it has changed.

“The protest is no longer about social injustice. Now it’s a protest against the President,” he said. “It started with protesting the social injustices that we as people of color face every day. Now, it’s more superficial with some protesting the cause mixed in with some showing unity after disrespect.”

United States Navy veteran, Willie Black, said, “Colin Kaepernick wanted to bring attention to racial inequality and police brutality toward African Americans. After Trump’s tweets this past weekend targeting the NFL, players, coaches, and managers and owners responded peacefully.”

Fans rally behind popular DJ

Posted on by
1

Photo provided by Mimi Campbell

Popular radio DJ Mimi Campbell was dismissed from her position with Townsquare Media almost three weeks ago.  Following a post by a disgruntled fan in the Facebook group Texarkana Cheers and Jeers, Campbell’s fans and friends rallied to show support.

Campbell had worked as a radio DJ for nearly 17 years when she was told that the station was going in a different direction.  Listeners could hear Mimi on Power 95.9 in the mornings and Magic 93.3 in the afternoons. “I guess those corporate folks just didn’t know how much of a chameleon I can be. I can go with the flow; just tell me what needs to be done,” Campbell said in a Facebook post regarding her dismissal.

When a disgruntled fan heard the news, she took to the Facebook group, Texarkana Cheers and Jeers, to air her frustrations.  Neither the disgruntled fan, nor Campbell, expected such an overwhelming response.  The post generated over 300 likes, 23 shares, and more than 90 comments.  Fans posted moving messages, such as; #teammimi, #bringmimiback, and “I WANT MY MIMI AND MORNING SHOW BACK.”  The general consensus of the commenters was that, without Mimi, the listeners were changing the channel.

Attempts have been made to contact the management at Townsquare Media Corporate Office in Shreveport.  No one was available for comment at this time.

Nowhere But Up!

Posted on by
2

It is hard to believe that there are seven billion people in this world yet somehow, we are all connected in some way. I can’t fully explain this connection, but obstacles are placed before us in which some people overcome, share their stories, then someone, somewhere, somehow is able to personally relate because they too experienced a very similar situation. There are some things in life that many of us will never endure and it’s easy to judge a person when their social norm is different from ours. It is during these times that we should get to know them.

Monday, September 25, 2017, I had the opportunity to have a sit-down interview with one of the residents at the Randy Sams’ Outreach Shelter in downtown Texarkana, TX. Tommy Aubrey, 40, is one of those residents. Growing up Mr. Tommy was the oldest of three and suffered from dyslexia along with a speech impediment. As a child, he imagined that one-day he would grow up to go into the Marines he was fascinated with law enforcement, and forensics was something that interest him most, but challenges were forced upon him and life takes him on a detour. He settled back in Texarkana, AR after moving away from Oklahoma, he quickly explains that the reason it’s been hard the last two years is because he had a hard time asking for help when he needed it most. “If I can’t get it on my own, it was meant for me not to have it,” Aubrey says.

He went on to describe what the first night was like for him being homeless, he says “It was hard, because I have a lot of pride issues and I believe in myself so much that sometimes you try to hide things until you get it together, I didn’t want anyone to know I was homeless.” Mentally he felt hopeless, but quickly understood what it felt like to sit and sleep on the sidewalks. Aubrey says, “It made me understand, and gave me an idea of what those people were going through. It’s kind of hard to understand a homeless person unless you are put in that situation.” Despite everything he went through he has no regrets, he went on to describe them as “growing pains” he says that “this experience allowed me to understand where I can survive at and let me know where I am weak. The weak part is I can’t do everything on my own.” He was quick to make light of the situation by telling me how he would’ve never known what it was like to camp out had he not been homeless sleeping in the woods.

I couldn’t help but to wonder, ‘how is Mr. Tommy able to remain so positive and hopeful that everything will one day work out?’ He responded, “I believe in the self.” Both his grandmother and mother taught him to not feel sorry for himself, to stand tall in the midst of any storm and he has done just that! Mr. Tommy emphasized on being a risk taker, trusting the decisions you make for yourself, and not being afraid to go with the unknown. I learned that not everything is going to be easy in life but as he said, “I believe everyone has to go through something in order to know where they are going.” Now being 40 years old he has experienced enough of life to know that the things he cared about when he was younger just don’t matter anymore. He has truly inspired me in a way that will always leave this lasting impact on my life. That day, he taught me that everything truly does happen for a reason even if we don’t understand the reasoning at that moment. I’ve always wondered and questions the obstacles of my life, why was I of all people handed certain stumbling blocks while others seem to have it a lot easier than myself?

Mr. Tommy taught me that as “bad” as your life may seem, there’s someone dealing with a struggle that you may not ever endure in a lifetime. I learned that we all go through tough situations but you must learn that struggles are necessary in order to get to where you are going. Society should be less judgmental of people who have less than them and that life don’t have favorites, that at any given moment the life you have now can be taken away and you could be in the position that you said you would never be in. So, the next time you see a homeless person let me tell you now, they are humans and they have feelings.

Animal rescue, not for the faint of heart

Posted on by
Reply

There is more to animal rescue than puppy breath, furry faces, and unconditional love.  Animal rescue is a heartbreaking and oftentimes, painful undertaking.

Animal neglect and abuse are responsible for a large number of rescue animals. According to Whitney Harrison Stokes, Director of Ark-la-tex Animal Rescue, they get two or more calls a week regarding animal abuse or neglect. Recently, the rescue responded to several dogs abandoned in Nashville, Arkansas. In two separate yards, a total of nine dogs were left on chains to starve.

“There is a lot more going on in our rescue than just giving dogs second chances,” Stokes said.

Ark-la-tex Animal Rescue currently has 37 dogs in foster care. Stokes fosters six herself. With only 20 volunteer fosters, each volunteer has an average of two foster dogs. This rescue, and many others, are always looking for foster volunteers.

“Would it be a big deal to allow a dog to come stay with you instead of sitting terrified in a shelter, or starving on the streets, or neglected at the hands of some idiot,” Stokes pleaded.

Though fosters are severely needed, each volunteer has to be carefully vetted. This strict rule was invoked following a horrendous tragedy, where more than a dozen animals lost their lives at the hands of a once trusted volunteer and her boyfriend.

Unbeknownst to Stokes, an established volunteer, Whitney Smither, had been pulling countless animals from the animal shelter in Fort Worth, Texas, since June 2016. Smither and her boyfriend, Brian Moore, had pulled close to 130 animals.

“I can’t tell you how many animals she actually had in her possession,” Stokes said. “I keep hearing that she was pulling dogs from shelters all the way up in Arkansas.”

In November 2016, after receiving a call from a concerned neighbor, Stokes learned that Smither had skipped town, leaving countless animals to fend for themselves. When Stokes arrived at the deserted home, she was met with more than just abandoned animals. There were more than a dozen dead animals, skeletons, and tufts of fur scattered around the property. The bones told a cold and cruel story.

“If I had any inkling of an idea that she was doing this, I would have shut her down real fast,” Stokes said. “This kills me.  It’s devastating.  Sad.  Makes me mad.  There’s just not the right words out there.”

Smither has not been located to answer for her crimes. The boyfriend, Brian Moore, was charged with eight counts of cruelty to animals and is scheduled for court on March 14, 2018. He could face a fine or up to 10 years in prison for each misdemeanor charge.

Following this tragedy, the surviving animals from the property required veterinary care. In fact, every animal brought in to rescue usually requires some form of medical attention. The rescue spends an average of $500-$700 per month on vet care.

“We spend right at $250 just getting a dog their shots, a fecal exam, heart worm test, and their spay or neuter,” Stokes explained.

With the average adoption fee being $150 per animal, the vet expenses are rarely fully covered. Expenses must be covered in other ways; such as fundraisers and adoption events.

“Adoption events are fairly successful, but we really don’t want to do on site adoptions,” said Stokes. “We prefer to do the home check and interviews before anybody takes the dog home.”

Running an animal rescue is a lot of work and it comes with more than its fair share of heartbreak. However, Stokes believes it is worth it.

“My favorite part is getting updates on dogs that have been adopted,” Stokes said. “Some of them have the most amazing lives compared to where they came from. It takes my breath away.”

Local Church’s Million Dollar Remodel

Posted on by
1

On August 27th, 2017 more than two thousand people, members and non-members, gathered at First Baptist Texarkana. Their newfound curiosity? A sanctuary with a renovation ringing up a whopping 1.4 million dollars.

The campaign “To the King” began in February 2017. After worshiping in the same room for 32 years, leaders of First Baptist agreed it was time to bring the room up to date. The carpet in the church was frayed and pulled up in multiple areas, the pews had carvings in the wood, and the paint was old. The church made a bold statement that honoring God included taking care of “His House,” which meant fixing what looked unpleasant. This would involve a new sound system, new flooring, stadium style seating, added railing in the balcony for safety, and fresh coats of paint. To do it right, the church had to raise 1.4 million dollars in donations. After several weeks of prayer and offerings, the total sum amounted to $1,535,408.

Members had the opportunity to stake a claim to one of the old pews if they wished, and those not claimed were donated to churches in need. A day was also dedicated for people to sign their names and write thoughts and prayers where the new flooring would be laid. In a sense, they had the opportunity to leave their mark on history.

The overhaul took 83 days, and a few changes had to be made for this to happen. Sunday morning service was held in three different areas of the church. As if this wasn’t hectic enough, these rooms still didn’t have the capacity to hold the usual Sunday crowd. So, there were two different times offered for services.

Without a baptistery accessible, no weekly baptisms were held. However, FBC made the best of it and hosted a summer celebration. Everyone who had been saved during the summer renovation was baptized outside on the church softball field. A little untraditional, but hey, there was free food and sand volleyball! While it was interesting to have a change of venue, members were glad when everything settled back down to normal. An anonymous member even joked “It’s nice to be back in the sanctuary. I just hope people know I hold season tickets to this row of seats.”

All in all, First Baptist Texarkana did a wonderful job. Even though they updated the room to give it a modern feel, the original stained glass is still intact. If you have a Sunday morning free, you should add making a visit to your list of things to do. Deacon Bill Gordon says, “While the remodeled sanctuary is truly beautiful, it is only so because it honors God”

For some, visiting a church might not be a priority. If that is you, there is a YouTube video to check out that is worth watching. You will feel like you are a part of the action.

Stepping Up: Arkansas High Theater

Posted on by
Reply

Allison Hall

Arkansas High, of all things, is probably least known for its theater program, but I have a feeling that that is about to change. In 2014, a new instructor was introduced and he couldn’t be doing a better job. Since the arrival of Mr. Hamilton, set design, casting, cast and crew chemistry and much more has blossomed. The most recent production, performed four times from April 21 to April 24 by both a white cast and a red cast, blew my mind having one of the most energetic casts I have seen in a while. I attended the white cast performance only, yet it is clear to see that there is a lot of new and eager talent moving up the theatrical ladder at Arkansas High.

Harvey, an original 1941 piece, was performed amazingly by the white cast. Upon entering the student union at Arkansas high, the audience was swept away by melodic notes of what is assumed to be songs of the era. The atmosphere was great. Sitting in eagerness, the audience is greeted by a very vivid and optically pleasing set as the curtains open at seven. Differently than typical shows, the music didn’t stop. It continued and followed a light footed maid around the set. The really cool thing about the set was the fact that it was double sided and rotate friendly. The curtains never closed. While scenes changed music played and the audience got to experience the creation of a new area, which, to me, added to the elegance of the show. Everything ran so smoothly and gracefully. Even the characters seem completely natural.

Speaking of characterization, the cast was phenomenal, particularly James Hodges playing as Elwood P. Dowd and Semaj Harris who played Judge Omar Gaffney. Hodges did exceptionally well in creating this quirky, smooth, and lovable Elwood that made the audience chuckle and aw at his innocence. Elwood came across as this pure child-like man and the audience fell in love. It really worked in contributing to the idea of the imaginary bunny (sort of an imaginary friend that a kid would have) and the thought of Dowd actually being mentally unstable (kind of a coping mechanism for whatever the issue may be). Spoiler alert, in the end Elwood is fine, but Hodges’ use of swift arm gestures and naturalized interaction with a rabbit that’s obviously not there kept the audience guessing. It felt magical. Mr. Harris was a different story. The audience had love for him, but for completely different reasons. His over the top stereotypical judge persona and use of a typically authoritative klutz accent sent the audience over the edge. It was funny. And I don’t mean funny like I just heard a joke about the economy and chuckled. I mean funny like I just saw another flying lawnmower video pared with random music and laughed until I cried. His timing is impeccable. This added so much to the comedic vibe he put off. He paused at just the right moments to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Venturing from these two, the entire cast was really incredible.

In the end, Harvey was fun and family-friendly and actually entertaining. I’m still in awe. I can’t wait to see the next show in the fall. I urge that you do the same!

Alcohol at Chuck-E-Cheese

Posted on by
Reply

Hope Hawley

As some of you may have heard, the local Chuck-E-Cheese has put in an application  to serve beer and wine at its location at Central Mall in Texarkana. I wanted to write about this from the perspective of a college student.

First let me just say I do not have kids but I do have nephews and nieces whom I love to take to Chuck-E-Cheese, so with that being said, I say not just no but Hell no. Chuck-E-Cheese is not designed for adults; it’s known as “A place where a kid can be a kid.” How are you supposed to be a kid if you have a drunk parent running around? This just puts the establishment, employees, and other customers in danger. Now I know people are saying, well, beer and wine isn’t hard alcohol; you are correct, it is not, but it is to light- weights who can’t handle it or who can’t cut themselves off. Chuck-E-Cheese is simply not a place for adults to be drinking. I mean, why would you want to, anyway? If you are bringing your children there, it should be about their having fun, not you. As a college student I understand the struggle of having nothing “fun to do” in Texarkana but as a mature adult I also have enough common sense to know that mixing alcohol with a kids establishment is just flat out crazy.

There are plenty of places for adults to go and have a drink around town. Multiple restaurants, bars, clubs, and even the bowling alleys serve alcohol. At the bowling alley you can have fun bowling and drinking, which makes far more sense than playing games at Chuck-E-Cheese with two- and three-year olds running around while you’re sipping on a Budweiser. Some places that you may want to look into to have a good time while drinking that are adult friendly: Fat Jacks, Holiday Bowl, College Bowl, Stages, Buffalo Wild Wings, AppleBees, Electric Cowboy, Club Primetime, etc.

Yes, this is just the opinion of a college student and a young adult who likes to drink. Even I realize how crazy it would be to have a drunk person running around at Chuck-E-Cheese. Their slogan has always been “A place where a kid can be a kid,” but when you mix alcohol in, it’s taking that completely away. There are not many places in Texarkana where young kids can simply run around and be a kid so don’t take one of the few spots that are still around.

Decision America Tour 2016

Posted on by
Reply

“America is at a crossroads, and I believe we should take every opportunity to stand up for the things of God and His Word.” –Franklin Graham

April 12th at 7 a.m., I forced myself out of bed to go sit on a van for 3 and half hours as the only college student amongst 100 other members of First Baptist Texarkana. The destination? Little Rock Arkansas. At 11:30 a.m. my grandma and I managed to weasel our way to the front row in a crowd of over 5,000 people gathered on the steps and lawn of the Arkansas State Capitol. Why? To hear Franklin Graham, speak, and to gather with other Christians and pray for our Nation.

Franklin Graham is a Christian evangelist and missionary from North Carolina. He plans on traveling to all 50 states in 2016 to host prayer rallies. His purpose? To encourage Christians to live out their faith, even within the political realm. His challenge was to live out your faith at home, in public, and at the ballot box.

Before we prayed, he gave a message over Nehemiah 1. He used the crumbling walls in this chapter as a metaphor for our Nation. Everything I took from this follows. Just like the walls of protection crumbled in Nehemiah 1, so our walls as a Nation are crumbling. We as Christians should not withdraw from politics, rather, we should influence and be a part of it. Too many teachers and political figures today are more concerned with political correctness than God’s truth. To truly be One Nation Under God we have to stand for truth. It starts locally. With you. From school board members, to mayor, to President. Every elected office matters. Let’s bring Christ back into our government.

It is important you know he and his team are not by any means supporting a single candidate or party. He emphasized that the only hope for our country is to pray about whom we are to vote for. He feels “this may be the most important election in the history of our Nation.” After the rally was over, he encouraged us to sign an electronic pledge that said we would pray for our state and country.

For more information on Franklin Graham, or Decision America and how you can be an influence in your community, click the links below!

https://decisionamericatour.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTX1oyJanXY

http://billygraham.org/gallery/decision-america-tour-photos-from-arkansas/

Pray. Vote. Engage.

The Woes of the Veterans’ Administration

Posted on by
Reply

Anthony Hamilton

It is very difficult in recent years to have paid any attention to any news outlet, and not realize that there are major problems as well as challenges facing the veteran’s administration here in the United States. Speaking for myself, as a disabled veteran, I feel the way that we are treated in many cases in downright disgraceful.

We are sent away for months at a time to “protect our freedoms” while in many cases our very family relationships suffer, due to missing births, graduations and every other family function that anyone can think of. There are also the injuries and casualties of war that ultimately can make life exceedingly difficult.

If we were to take a look at the average person (lawmakers) that have a say so about going to war, etc. they generally have no ties to the military, and not only would they not consider going in harm’s way to protect the country, but you hardly see any of their family members on the battlefield either, so why are these same people allowed to block funding to those who come home changed mentally or physically?

In most instances it’s like you go to war, give the best you have to give, then you come back home battle-scarred only to realize that the government has cast you aside, and no longer view you as their problem. It’s almost criminal, the fighting you have to go through with the government in order to get disability when you don’t come back home whole. If it doesn’t flat out take forever, you end up having to file twice and get what you have coming the second time around.

With all the missteps that the VA has recently encountered, some might wonder what type of people they’re hiring, or just how diligent these people might be. While these are fair questions, one thing we all must keep in mind is the budget cuts that the VA has been sustaining. Anytime you have the same amount of work to do with fewer employees, there will definitely be some hiccups along the way.

According to www.blogs.va.gov , there were 1.4 billion dollars in budget cuts in 2015. These cuts will have an adverse effect in Medical care, where they will lose $690 million dollars, meaning 70,000 less vets will have access to VA health care, there will be reduced staffing, and there will be delays in research. There will also be $592 million lost in new facilities, meaning the St. Louis rehab facility, outpatient clinic in Alameda, California and the French Camp CBOC in Livemore, California will either be delayed or not built at all. There will also be 18,000 less military families having the ability to seek a military funeral for loved ones who served.

There have also been recent incidents of veterans being infected at military hospitals because protocol wasn’t properly followed: www.cnn.com broke the story about 1,800 veterans of a VA Hospital in Missouri being infected with HIV due to technicians handwashing instruments before using the cleaning machines, when correct protocol is to only use the cleaning machine. Also the 3,400 vets infected at the Palomar Hospital in San Diego, California during colonoscopies performed with dirty endoscopes.

Another recent misstep was reported by www.foxnews.com regarding the 26.5 million veterans whose social security numbers and birthdates stolen when a VA laptop was stolen from an employee who took this information to his home without authorization.

Despite these discrepancies, there are many VA employees who are very diligent, and who also happen to love their jobs, and as a disabled vet, I have plenty of dealings with these workers. Ambulatory Care Dietician Karrie Cole, at the Texarkana CBOC has worked with me since 2010 trying to help me to take control of my diabetic ills. She has worked for the VA since 2009 and says she loves the job. “It’s very rewarding to know that you’ve helped people become healthier through diet” Cole said. She sees 8-10 patients a day, and she follows up with each patient and documents their progress.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Blair Culbreath at the Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport says she also loves her job. “It’s very rewarding to work with someone who may have been injured, and be a major part of helping them regain their strength,” Culbreath said. She sees 5-8 patients in a day depending on whether the patient is new or returning. “I like to spend more time with a new patient to find out about their medical background.” Culbreath also pointed out that the wound care physical therapist sees more patients because they don’t have to spend as much time with each patient.

According to www.thehill.com, the Democrats blocked a VA funding bill from the Republicans in hopes of brokering what they feel would be a better deal for veterans and their families. In my opinion, as long as those in congress continue to play with VA funding like little kids fighting over toys, the VA is going to continue to have their missteps, and unfortunately, the veteran will continue to ultimately pay the price.

Officers At Sea

Posted on by
Reply

Richardson Rutter-Reese

The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the five armed branches in America. The Coast Guard is unique in that it falls under the Department of Homeland Security, while the other four branches fall under the guidance of the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard was the first armed force created by the United States as a nation, then known as the Revenue Cutter Service. The job of the service was to deter smugglers and to ensure that taxes were being paid by sea-going merchants. Over the centuries other agencies and duties have been created and absorbed, including the Life-saving service, the lighthouse service, the ice breaking service, the aids to navigation service, the radio service, the humanitarian service, the intelligence service, the law enforcement service, and the immigrations service. All these services and more have been combined to form the multi-directed mission that the modern U.S. Coast Guard performs today.

From a historical perspective, the Coast Guard has been involved in every American conflict, notably Vietnam, World War II, and the War on Terror. During World War II the Coast Guard performed minesweeping operations, operated watercraft during beach landings, collected intelligence, kept traveling routes clear of ice, and performed anti submarine operations. It was a during a beach rescue operation that Signalman First Class Douglas Munro was killed after volunteering to make multiple trips to get all the Marines off the island, including a Marine who would become General Chesty Puller. He was shot on the way back to the ship after making the last trip. He remains the only Coast Guardsman to receive the Medal of Honor.  During the Vietnam War the Coast Guard patrolled the shoreline ensuring the Vietcong would be cut off from supplies and reinforcements. They would also transport troops.

The Coast Guard is the only military branch authorized to perform law enforcement action. This is becuse it falls under the Department of Homeland Security. A Coast Guard vessel may at any time inspect, board, or question any vessel in U.S. waters or our Allies’ waters. There are no rights to privacy on the water as on land. All petty officers in the Coast Guard are federal law enforcement officers, and able to carry subpoenas, detain suspicious individuals, and make arrests. Due to the dual military and law enforcement nature of members in the Coast Guard, there is confusion on how far the rights of a petty officer go. Technically, as federal law enforcement officers, petty officers can carry weapons across the fifty states.  Some state police disagree with this and will still arrest members carrying weapons. This is still an ongoing issue in the courts.

On the topic of members of the Coast Guard, it has consistently been the smallest service since its creation. At the height of its force, the New York Police Department outnumbered the active duty members of the Coast Guard. It has always been a service that prides itself on doing more with less. It receives the lowest budget out of the five services, it has one of the oldest fleets in the world, and consistently uses older technology from the Navy. Many swathes of water go unguarded due to their not being enough funds to patrol all the areas of the coastline.

Even with these problems, people are not deterred from the Coast Guard. It is the most competitive branch to enlist into. The reenlistment rate is above 90%, the only service to have this claim. The Coast Guard administration had to create programs to phase non-performing members out to create space for other sailors to advance. Through the ages, members of the Coast Guard stay with their service. The Coast Guard is a unique service in America, and although its numbers are small, it provides a large impact for the safety and protection of the American people.