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The Coast Guard is engaged in missions
and good work every day. We’re out there rescuing people. We're protecting the ports.
We have four crew members who are on watch, ready to go, kinda like a firehouse.
We have two pilots, a flight mechanic and a rescue swimmer.
I am Lt. La'Shanda Jones, I’m a MH-65 Dolphin
helicopter pilot for the United States Coast Guard
and I’m stationed here in beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Search and rescue is
service, it doesn't matter if it's two in the morning and the marine layer is in and the visibility is low.
We will put those goggles on and hop in the aircraft and we will go look for you,
where ever you are. And we will keep looking until we find you.
And that’s what I love about being a pilot in the Coast Guard.
I lost my mother at the age of two to suicide and I was adopted after that.
And towards
almost 16 years old, I went into foster care because of some things that
were going on at home. I would cry every night. And I would be upset. Woe is me. You know, why is this happening? After a while, I said
Okay, La'Shanda, you gotta stop crying. You gotta come up with a plan.
You've gotta do something. That’s the only way you’re gonna turn it around.
I didn’t know that the Coast Guard was a lifesaving service.
Knew nothing about the mission so it was really a blessing that I ran into Senior
Chief and learned about the Coast Guard because it's completely changed my life
and I can’t imagine doing anything different right now.
He started telling me about the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard's missions.
And about the CSPI program, which stands for College Student
Pre-Commissioning Initiative
and one of the things that you get out of that is a full scholarship for your last two
two years. That's pretty much how I learned about the Coast Guard. I signed up that day.
And the rest has been history.
The person who shifted my focus towards aviation would have to be
Lt. Jeanine Menze.
I knew I had to meet her. She took me up on a C130 flight.
And from that moment I knew
by meeting and seeing her
that I could do it.
Jeanine was there when I got my wings so that was a
very, big, big day for me.
Lt. La'Shanda Jones is a very driven, focused officer.
A very studious pilot. She represents progress. She's really good at inspiring
youth. She's out there just trying to help young people
figure out what they want to do. And inspire them to just be their best.
It feels great
to be an inspiration.
It feels great for young women, and even young men, to look up at me.
And say wow I've never seen a woman
whose flown. I've never seen an African-American woman whose flown.
Also lets me know that I have a responsibility that comes along with
that. To be a leader and to be a good role model, which I fully take that on.
It's awesome that I get
to serve in this
in this awesome uniform.
No matter where you fought, how old you are or where you've even flown
we are all a small part of a bigger piece that would do what it takes
to defend
this nation and
its ideals.
My mother would be extremely proud and I
feel like maybe that's why I've been allowed to go through
some things and make it out
on this side of it and be successful - I am so blessed
because I know my mother's looking over me. And I know I am going to be just fine.