With 63 days till my Coast Guard retirement, todays pictures and 20 Years a Coastie post highlight a bit of Public Relations awesomeness we occasionally get to take part in. Aside from flying, fixing helos, and all the other work aspects to the job, we get to go out and wave the flag, shake a few hands, and meet with the public. This can range in things like visits at local Schools, lunch with various Veterans Organizations, and Static Displays at a host of events where we fly a helo in and talk to people about what we do. They are usually alot of fun, and a great way to change the job up for a quick flyby, a day talking to kids, or a weekend Air Show, surrounded by other military aviators. But in New Orleans, the pinnacle of such awesomeness came from riding the Coast Guard float in a Mardi Gras parade. I o lying rolled once when I was here on the first go-round in the 90s, but when we were here this past tour (2009-2013) Emily and I rolled every year. * Sidenote. If you are a Coastie in the Gulf Coast and havent done it yet, I highly recommend calling District and getting on the list to ride next Mardi Gras season. I guarantee it will be one of the best 4 hours you will have in New Orleans. So the Coast Guard was one of the few organizations that would have a float (designed to look like a Coast Guard Cutter, complete with deployed helo and all) roll just about every day for the 3+ weeks of Mardi Gras. They would load up a band on the bow, about 20 or so Coasties from around the area in the back and on top, and head down St. Charles Avenue, Veterans Highway, LaPalco, or whatever route in the city that particular parade was taking. And back in the day, everyone knew when we were coming, as we were one of the few floats who had a band onboard. This band, comprising mostly of my fellow Air Station shipmates, would rock it for about 5 hours all along the route. Tim Grimes, Curtis Winn, Kevin Cheatham, JR Ross, Gino Mendicellie, and John Green would set the tone for what became one of the best Rolling Parties in the city. I didnt have a chance to ride the first 3 years I was here, but I spent that time collecting beads and saving them up so I would have some good throws on my 4th and final year when I did ride. I would get back from the various parades and shove them into a large suitcase that was in the back of my closet, knowing I would need them down range. So when I got the call that, not only would I be riding durring the 2001 Mardi Gras season, but it was going to be in Rex, one of the two major parades that roll Fat Tuesday, I was stoked! I went to check on my suitcase of beads, excited to sort them out for the parade. As I lifted it out of the closet, knowing it was sure to be heavily weighted down with throws, I nearly toppled over as it came up, completely empty! I was stunned and confused, until Emily came in to see what was going on. When I showed her the empty suitcase, she said Yeah, I threw those things away. Why do you need a suitcase full of beads? Why? Why indeed! As I began trying to figure out just how much it would cost me to buy the replacements to throw a few days later and where, exactly, I could hide a dead body, Emily, still not sure just what she did, reminded me we needed to clean up the house. Her cousin Jenna and 7 of her collage girlfriends were soon to descend on us for the weekend through Fat Tuesday. 8 college girls coming to party up for Mardi Gras? Hazaa!!! The parade is saved! And so, each day and night those girls came back, laden down with beads aplenty, they kept the ones they wanted and refilled my suitcase (and then some!) with the rest. I now had my beads, and was ready to roll! Fat Tuesday, 6am load up on Claiborne. All the Coasties were ready to roll and wave the flag. As we took our place in line and the parade started, I found myself at the top of the float, pretty much owning it. There was room for 4, but one guy was a no-show, and one guy was...ahem...unable to stand up and participate from his antics from the night before. The 4th guy, an Officer from Sector, wanted to take the opportunity to get in some quality brown-nosing with his boss, who was riding below. So as it turned out, I had the top of the float and all their extra throws available to me alone. I felt like King Rex himself as we made our way down Carrollton, and that feeling of pure awesomeness increased, as the following transpired. While at a stall in the parade (where you just stop for anywhere from 5 minutes to half an hour), some lady came running to the side of the float, yelling Nacho! Nacho! Nacho! For those of you who dont know, Nacho is my nickname at work. I figured I must have known her, so I tossed her some good beads and a few cups. She kept yelling, smiling, and waving her arms, so I threw her a few more. On taking another look, I realized I had no idea who she was. A few others joined her in yelling to me, so I toss them some stuff too. Next thing I know, the entire street for two blocks in either direction begins chanting Nacho! Nacho! Nacho! as I wave my arms in time, tossing cups and beads to them. I felt like a monarch appeasing the peasants with trinkets galore. Then, the parade begins to move on, and we leave them still chanting my name. About as cool of a moment as you can imagine. It was later that I was informed that, when the original lady came up to the float and asked the Band for beads, they said We dont have any, but go back and ask Nacho. Hell hook you up.. Well, I guess we hooked each other up. The rest of the parade went by in much the same fashion, with the awesomeness levels only getting better when we passed our neighborhood and Emily tossed me up my Toga. Its one of those times that we all have where we are glad that Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter werent around yet. Not that I did anything wrong, but I am sure the CO may have been asking me the question Just what made think it was a good idea to go swinging from the mast of the Coast Guard float wearing a Toga while making the Nuns at the Sacred Heart Convent dance the Twist for beads? But if that question was asked, the answer was ready. Awesomeness, sir. Awesomeness made me do it.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 16:31:24 +0000
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