Nothing short of amazing. That was 1/c Ella Dreier’s first impression of Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, Alaska. Upon entering the station for her summer assignment, Dreier was welcomed by an inviting staff, picturesque mountain scenery and an expansive lineup of MH-60T Jayhawks and HC-130 cargo planes.
“I always loved flying and did a solo flight at my prep school. I knew I wanted to fly for my career and this opportunity in Alaska solidified that,” said Dreier.
She rose early with the flight crew to attend daily weather briefs, followed by a morning brief for flight-bound crew members. There, the crew got their flight schedule and an update from the engineers about how many aircrafts are operational and ready. After that, the crew worked the day and went on flight training unless they were the duty crew.
“We would go on drop test flights (practice throwing cargo out of the back of a C-130), external load hoisting flights (picking up buoys or cages to practice) and more.,” said Dreier.
The adrenaline really kicked in when Dreier simulated a search and rescue (SAR) scenario.
“The highlight of my experience was being able to fly a C-130 through the mountains of Kodiak and being able to get hoisted out of a MH-60 into the sea to be a dummy for the rescue swimmers,” said Dreier. “It was amazing to be able to go into the sea and feel a rush of adrenaline watching the helicopter fly away for a bit and come back to pick me up. It was one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve had but I’m so glad that I did it.”
Dreier also got Operations Duty Officer qualified which involved being trained to answer the phone if there was a SAR case coming from district or sector. She was surprised at how real it felt listening to those calls and knowing she and the crew were the ones who make the alarms and pipes to send helicopters or the C-130s.
“It was a bit intimidating having that much responsibility, but it made it well worth it,” said Dreier.
Reflecting on her time at Air Station Kodiak, Dreier affirms her love for the Coast Guard aviation community and a desire to return to it during her officer career. She aspires to become the type of competent and levelheaded leader and pilot that she met this summer in Kodiak.
“I felt a sense of pride for what I am doing. It taught me that being a CG pilot is what I want to do no matter how long it takes or how hard it is. Flying to find people or save people is what I want to do,” said Dreier.
