13 Women In The Coast Guard Talk About What It’s Like To Be A Lifesaver

"Don’t try to be one of the boys, be one of the team."

LCDR Karin Evelyn – Honolulu, HI

"Service to me is giving up your normal progression of life to do something civic. I choose to serve to continue my family’s military legacy, and I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. I continue to serve because I enjoy my career, my shipmates, and opportunities the Coast Guard afforded me. What I have learned as a woman who serves is don’t try to be one of the boys, be one of the team, and be valuable. I am proud not only for breaking glass ceilings, but for also changing the culture to remove the idea altogether."

MK3 Samantha Greve – Atlantic Beach, NC

"My day-to-day ranges and it will continue to be different over the course of my career, and that’s what I love most about my job. Not only will I meet amazing people and see beautiful places along the way, but I’ll also get to do something different each day, and to me that’s what makes me enjoy every day I come into work. Being a woman who serves means just that. I am a woman and I’m serving my country. Like, I did that! I want to be an example to girls out there that you don’t have to join to prove yourself but to join because you want to do a job and experience the things we do with pride."

YN1 Tamera Lawson – Staten Island, NY

"Where I come from, most don't even know the Coast Guard is a branch of the military. I didn't know it was until I heard a radio commercial at age 22. For me, joining the Coast Guard gave me the opportunity to show people from my area that not only can you overcome your circumstances, but that you can also do it in a way that both serves you and your country. I have three daughters and two sons and having my kids tell their friends and teachers that their mom is in the Coast Guard with such admiration is very rewarding to me."

OS1 Breanna Tessier – Washington, DC

"A chance to serve my country and fellow Americans is an honor; I take pride in our core values and the missions we execute every day. I’m able to apply my unique skills to assist in saving lives or property, which is my reward at the end of the day. I have the privilege to work with an amazing team of selfless and fearless service members, whom I call family. The Coast Guard has not only encouraged women like me to thrive in this elite service, but it also challenges us to continue pushing limits in our wellness, education, and leadership."

ME2 Madelin Centurion – New York, NY

"There aren’t many women who serve so being one of the few makes me feel happy that I can be a role model or inspire another young girl to follow this path. My main job, being on a search and rescue team, gives me the ability to help people who are in distress or simply need a helping hand. Sometimes just our mere presence gives mariners comfort to continue on the water. That’s the most accomplishing feeling, to be able to provide a safeguard from any hardship."

SK2 Scarlett Ray Rogers – Honolulu, HI

"I am proud to serve my country and be a Coast Guardsman. I am part of a long line of women who served before me. The women in the SPARS (volunteer Coast Guard women in WWII) were limited in what they could do. I am proud to say that now I am able to travel on ship, drive small boats, and be a part of the law enforcement. I serve for all the ladies who came before me and those who come after me."

BM2 Andi-Lee Webster – St. Ignace, MI

"Being a woman who is operational, breaking gender norms, is something I find pride in. While admittedly, there are still social and cultural obstacles that I face and my male counterparts do not, here is what pushes me forward: I am the coxswain (boat driver) of a 45-foot small boat with over 1,650-combined horsepower. I moor that boat to the pier of a marina giving task direction to my crew of all males, and I look over to see a little girl holding her daddy's hand watching me, tugging on him and pointing. I stand up after the boat is tied up and I walk out on deck, wearing my body armor and gun belt. I smile and wave to her and she waves back. In that moment I hope she thinks that she can do this one day too."

AN Kristin Talbott — Elizabeth City, NC

"The Coast Guard is a safety net. I like to be part of that reassurance to others so they know there’s someone there to help when they need it. Being a woman in the Coast Guard to me means helping to bridge the gap between the amount of men and women in the military. Personally, the Coast Guard has allowed me to experience a dynamic life and live in unexpected places."

LT Gabriella Deza – Aguadilla Pueblo, PR

"Every time we gear up for a flight, I'm humbled by the responsibility I've been given and amazed by the training I've received that's prepared me to do this. As a woman who serves, I realize the importance of representation and the responsibility I have to ensure every little girl KNOWS she can do anything her heart desires. The Coast Guard has shown me what I'm capable of, and I hope I can instill that same confidence in others."

MK2 Lauren Leonard – Boston, MA

"What a lot of people don’t understand about this career is that lifesaving comes in so many different forms, and I get the opportunity to try them all. From working small boats assisting small vessels in distress on Lake Ontario, to breaking ice in Antarctica to provide a shipping lane to supply essential products to the science base in McMurdo, to assisting overturned migrant vessels in Haitian waters. There are many more forms of lifesaving for me to discover, but I am humbled by the experiences I have already had."

LT Kimberly Glore – Fort Lauderdale, FL

"The best part about my job is helping the maritime industry uphold the highest levels of safety, and getting to interface with stakeholders both domestically and internationally. The military and maritime industry can be heavily male-dominated, but I enjoy being able to provide diversity and showing that gender should not be a factor in whether or not a person can be a great leader."

PA1 Ayla Hudson – St. Petersburg, FL

"I’ve had the unique opportunity to be active duty, reserve, and active duty again in the Coast Guard. Each association to the service has had its own benefits and challenges, but the constant is my chance to serve in an organization I appreciate and utilize my creative skills as a public affairs specialist. The experiences I’ve had allowed me to be a part of and document modern history, from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the 2017 hurricane season. Being in the Coast Guard is giving me a great life fulfillment of purpose, friendships, and the first in my family to have a college education."

OS1 Kayla Gamester – Baltimore, MD

"People, friendships, professional bonds, and the citizens we help are the best part about serving. I have been a search and rescue planner for the majority of my career, and when the coordination between my team and the units on scene leads to a life saved, it is adrenaline and joy unmatched. The camaraderie and adventures over the years will stick with me forever. I am fiercely proud to be a successful female in the service, leading with positivity and kindness. Together we women are helping shift the men's world military culture, and I can see it day to day."

Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. All images provided by the U.S. Coast Guard.

These are just a few of the extraordinary women from diverse backgrounds who make up the Coast Guard. No matter who they are or where they came from, every Coast Guard member is Semper Paratus — Always Ready.