Meet the U.S. Coast Guard’s elite surfmen

The U.S. Coast Guard’s elite surfmen are highly trained rescuers who operate lifeboats in some of the most challenging and dangerous conditions. They undergo rigorous training at the National Motor Lifeboat School, often in areas with the worst weather and highest seas, such as the Columbia River’s mouth, known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific”. 

To become a surfman, Coast Guard members must earn the coveted surfman certification, which is comparable to being a Navy SEAL or Army Special Forces in terms of difficulty and exclusivity. Out of approximately 40,000 Coast Guard members, only around 130 are active duty surfmen. These elite rescuers are trusted to command and drive lifeboats on crucial rescue missions, often facing 20-foot breaking seas and 50-knot winds. 

The training involves a four-week course where trainees are exposed to extreme surf conditions and must memorize the Coast Guard’s Surfman’s Creed, which emphasizes the importance of not jeopardizing themselves, their boat, or their crew unnecessarily, but being willing to do so to rescue those in peril. 

It’s a demanding and prestigious role, requiring a special type of person willing to put themselves in perilous situations to save others.