Um, but helicopters, i- was service, is that what got you into helicopters originally?

Right.

So, um, when I started out after graduating from the Coast Guard Academy, as most Coast Guard Academy officers do, they assume that they're gonna be on ships for their entire career.

And, uh, I was fortunate or unfortunate enough to be assigned to a ship patrolling the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, um, some pretty heavy weather.

And, uh, really had not thought about becoming, uh, an aviator, but got acquainted with the aviators who would deploy on our ship, the helicopter pilots, and I said, "You know, this sounds like a pretty good career.

I...

Maybe I don't wanna stay on a ship the rest of my life." So I applied and was fortunate enough to be accepted to naval flight training.

Can you talk a little bit about that group and, and why you're so committed? Here at AOPA, we're big fans of sort of type groups and being among others who share knowledge and institutional wisdom that could be helpful to all of us, and it sounds like that's important to you, too.