There’s been a lot of Coast Guard posts lately. The access to this group has been so easy over the past 21 months (although I’m still scheming to get on a helicopter somehow). Last Friday I had the privilege of witnessing a time-honored tradition in the U.S. Coast Guard — a change of command. But this ceremony was a bit special because Capt. Scott Kitchen (above) wasn’t just relieved of command, he retired after 25 years in the USCG. He’s had an impressive career. Under his watch at Air Station North Bend alone, he’s been responsible for more than 1,500 search and rescue deployments and more than 2,400 lives saved. In 2005 he was the commander in New Orleans organizing USGC efforts. He was personally responsible for air-lifting 40 people from roof tops, while the USGC as a whole saved 33,544 people.
Capt. Kitchen has copious stories to share. I inadvertently made it into his collection of USCG tales, one that he apparently likes to tell his crew while all hands are on deck. I live three blocks from the air station. April 8, 2010 I heard a helicopter begin to take off. I walked down and started photographing from across the street on top of a rock in some brush so that I could see over the fence. A young USCG member, or “coastie” as they’re commonly called, approached and asked if I was a U.S. citizen. “Um, yes,” I replied. A rather odd question, I thought. “Would you like to see the helicopters up close?” the coastie asked. “Mmhmm,” I managed. This guy caught me so off guard, my vocabulary retreated somewhere inaccessible. He escorted me inside and onto the hanger deck to check out the bright orange Dolphin HH-65 aircraft commonly seen flying around this area.
After the tour he introduced me to the Captain. Turns out Capt. Kitchen saw me from his office window taking pictures in the brush with a telephoto lens and wanted intel on my intensions. “No, I’m not a terrorist,” I assured the Captain. As photojournalists we’re always looking for the best angle, something different, and usually unaware of how we may look to the people we’re photographing.
benjamin brayfield 
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