The personal watercraft dips into the water. The sun glints off its fiberglass deck.
In its ever-evolving fight on the U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled its latest tool: the Jet Ski.
First utilized in 2024 for Rescue Swimmer Stan Team members as well as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Coasties have begun Jet Ski training off the shores of San Diego, California, as a component of a newly implemented effort to shore up America’s southwest border.
At the time of publication the service did not get back to Military Times regarding the deployment of the humble Jet Ski, but a Jan. 14 Coast Guard video finds Coasties riding the waves around San Diego in sleek, powerful all-black Jet Skis.
The Coast Guard is in the midst of an overall facelift as part of Force Design 2028, a plan introduced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last May to transform the service into a “stronger, more ready, and capable fighting force,” Military Times previously reported.
In fiscal 2025, the Coast Guard recruited the most new, active-duty enlisted service members since 1991, according to a service release.
However, no word as to whether the Jet Ski — and the Coast Guard’s slogan of “They say money can’t buy happiness, but have you ever seen a sad person on a Jet Ski?” — has played a role in hitting those recruiting numbers.
Observation Post is the Military Times one-stop shop for all things off-duty. Stories may reflect author observations.
Claire Barrett is an editor and military history correspondent for Military Times. She is also a World War II researcher with an unparalleled affinity for Sir Winston Churchill and Michigan football.
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