Happy Coast Guard Day!

We are a Coast Guard family, and today is the 224th birthday of the United States Coast Guard. The service has been around since 1790.

So here are the top ten things about the Coast Guard you don't often read or hear about:

10. Most Coast Guard units will have a birthday party today.

  9. Every summer, Grand Haven, Michigan, celebrates the Coast Guard with a weeklong Coast Guard Festival.

  8. Coasties save an average of 10 lives every day. And perform more than 100 other rescues. Every. Single. Day.

  7. As important as saving lives is, it's not the only function performed by the Coast Guard.

  6. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the U.S. Armed Forces that also has law enforcement authority.

  5. And many Coast Guard missions are highly sensitive in nature.

  4. USCG has fewer active duty members than NYPD has officers ... and patrols a LOT more space.

  3. U.S. Coasties perform their duties all around the world.

  2. Coasties aboard the icebreaker USCGC Northwind played the first ever golf tournament in Antarctica.

And the #1 thing about the Coast Guard you don't often read or hear about:

  1. Some cutters and shore units have mascots ... from a legendary dog named Sinbad to a penguin and even a seal!

Happy Birthday, U.S. Coast Guard!

Some of the above facts were gathered here:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/theweatherchannel/13-awesome-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-coast
http://www.uscg.mil/history/uscghist/Mascots.asp
http://www.gocoastguard.com/
http://www.coastguardfest.org/

This month in my website contest at 

http://www.carolkilgore.net 

I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner.

Remember, you can answer with one word

or a little story – the choice is yours.

AND

This week only, the Kindle version of my debut novel,

In Name Only, 

is on sale at Amazon for only $0.99. 

Get your copy now!

I would appreciate any tweets or Facebook mentions you would like to give. Thanks in advance for any sharing love :)
Here's a version you can copy and paste:

This week only, the Kindle version of Carol Kilgore's In Name Only is on sale at Amazon for only $0.99 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FC8OG2

AND

This week I'm guest blogging with 

 Rula Sinara at A Writer's Rush. 

I'm talking a little bit about the Texas Coastal Bend - 

maybe with a photo or two :)