PORTSMOUTH, Va. — U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward has returned to Portsmouth Thursday morning following a two-month deployment in the Caribbean Sea.
For many servicemembers on USCG Cutter Forward, it’s not the first time they’ve deployed.
“This is my third patrol on board Forward,” said Fireman Harrison Fream.
But the feeling of coming home never gets old.
“Feels really good,” Fream said.
Smiles, signs, and food greeted them at the pier.
Victoria Anthony waited for her sister, Ensign Olivia Anthony, alongside her family. They were all ready to welcome her with open arms. Victoria said although her sister was deployed for two months, she hasn't seen her in a year due to school.
“She’s my best friend," Anthony said. "So, it’s really nice to have her back and be able to tell her all the stories I’ve been saving for her.”
The crew's arrival couldn’t come at a better time with Christmas just days away.
“I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to see them over Christmas but I’m so excited to spend the whole holidays and New Year’s just to be able to catch up with them and play games," Ensign Anthony said.
While deployed, Commander Staci Rutsch said crews focused on countering illicit trafficking and supported southwest border operations. The crew offloaded approximately 13,375 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $176 million in Port Everglades, Florida, last week.
“We were patrolling all the way off of the coast of the Dominican Republic in Puerto Rico and then we went as far south as Curacao and just north of Colombia,” Commander Rutsch said.
Rutsch said their work isn’t possible without the family support waiting for them at home.
“For them to be on the pier and welcome them home, it’s just a great welcome relief and I know it means a lot to the crew,” she said.
The Forward isn't the only Coast Guard cutter returning home for the holidays. Officials said USCG Cutter Escanaba returned to port on Thursday afternoon following a 42-day patrol on the Caribbean Sea.