Coast Guard Expects to Cut Back on Arctic Patrols

The Coast Guard expects to scale back on its Arctic patrols this summer because of budget cuts and a lack of commercial traffic.
   
The Kodiak Daily Mirror (http://is.gd/TvVpcx) says how much Arctic deployments are decreasing is still being debated as crews from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak fan out across the state for summer deployments.
   
The Coast Guard deployed helicopters, C-130 fixed-wing aircraft and Coast Guard cutters to the Arctic Ocean last summer to provide search-and-rescue coverage.
   
The helicopters were based in a Barrow hangar while a cutter cruised offshore. Other Coast Guard crews tested cold-weather equipment or conducted medical and veterinary visits to villages.
   
There probably won't be medical missions this summer, and the Coast Guard's base of operations may not be in Barrow. It could be in Kotzebue.