Once upon a time, for those of us who grew-up on one of America's coastlines, the Coast Guard was beloved. They were more popular than firemen. You'd wave to them when you were boating or sailing, knowing they were always there to help. The 'Fish Cops' commanded genuine affection.

Then came the War on Drugs, the commandeering of the Coasties into the Heimatsicherheitsdienst (DHS), and the War on Terra. Their reputation has now sunk to the point where they are shunned by recreational boaters and seen as 'strangers' on the waterfront. How sad.