 Most people don't know that the Coast Guard's operating in the Middle East. We have over 300 men and women assigned to Patrol Forces Southwest Asia in the kingdom of Bahrain. One of the key points of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia is to determine line actors and counter violent extremist organizations through the interdiction activities of weapons, narcotics, explosives used to equip or fund terrorist organizations. We have a squadron of six fast response cutters which are on the leading edge of operations. The fast response cutter is an absolute game changer. They provide greater endurance, a larger crew, a more capable weapon system. They really allow us to get out to areas here in the region that we would not normally get the chance to operate in. Since we've transitioned to the fast response cutter fleet, we've actually had six counter narcotics and one explosives interdiction. Being able to do my first boarding out here and actually having drugs and me being the smallest person to actually be down there and put hands on first, it was exhilarating and exciting. I probably couldn't stop smiling the entire day and night. Coasties are just wired for the interdiction mission, which makes us such a great fit for operations in the Middle East. We have the opportunity to have real-life Dow that we can do scenario-based training on. We have a ship in the box to do our tactical movements throughout. It helps build interoperability between us and our partner nations. When we come together, our ability to determine the line actors is that much more impressive and that much more powerful. Some of the finest members of this organization serve in this theater of operation, living daily a sacrifice that's not experienced by many of our workforce. Knowing the contribution that I've made out here, I definitely want to come back as an ME someday. Every time we get the ship underway, it's an adventure. I could not be more proud of the work that these men and women do out here so far from home, so removed from their support network, yet so immersed in the success of not only the squadron, the organization, but just the national security objectives that are imperative to the United States. When you're out here and you're wondering if you made the right decision to leave your family for a year, and then you get back and see them and you see that love that they have for you, I think it makes you appreciate what you've done. For me, seeing my family when I come back home, it makes everything that I just did worth it.