The United States Coast Guard cutter Resolute (WMEC 620) returned home to St. Petersburg on September 9 following a 59-day patrol.
Resolute crew members patrolled more than 11,000 miles, providing a law enforcement presence in the Windward Passage in the Caribbean Sea and deterring illegal migrant departures as part of Operation Southeast Watch.
In the Mona Passage, Resolute supported Operation Unified Resolve conducting counter-drug operations and assisting in the search and rescue operations.
Additionally, the cutter worked alongside vessels Mohawk, Hamilton, and Reliance to ensure proper custody and care of suspected drug smugglers and contraband while awaiting transfer ashore for potential prosecution in the US.
A large portion of the patrol focused on training new crewmembers. Resolute trained in small boat pursuit tactics, law enforcement operations, damage control, medical response, ship handling, navigation, and other watch station skills to prepare the crew for various shipboard evolutions and emergency responses, according to the coast guard.
At the start of the patrol, Resolute completed an aviation standardization inspection during which inspectors verified that all equipment, logs, and training complied with Coast Guard regulations and best practices throughout the fleet. Resolute crew members conducted more than 300 helicopter evolutions including shipboard landing, vertical replenishment, and in-flight refueling resulting in the qualification of 15 pilots and 11 shipboard personnel.
Resolute is a 210-foot Reliance-class cutter, homeported in St. Petersburg and has a crew of 78.