CBS News at Coast Guard T.C. Cape May: A Behind Scenes Look

The CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell featured a report Wednesday from The U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May.

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O'Donnell spent time in Cape May in late November filming a segment on the Coast Guard's attempt to boost recruitment, after falling short of its recruitment goals-- like other branches of the military-- for the last four years.

For the visit, O'Donnell interviewed the Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Linda Fagan, toured the Coast Guard Traning Center facility, and took part in a Coast Guard rescue mission training exercise.

The report pointed out that the Coast Guard has increased bonuses for recruits -- up to $50,000 -- and is actively promoting the role of the Coast Guard. The feeling is that people don't really understand what the Coast Guard does.

Four-star Admiral Linda Fagan, the Coast Guard's first woman commandant, is especially eager to recruit women to the service. Presently only 15% of Guardsmen are women.

The Coast Guard welcomed the publicity of a featured story on the nightly CBS Evening News broadcast to spotlight the work of the Coast Guard, conducting over 16,000 rescues and saving about 4700 lives each year, along with its work breaking up drug smuggling, opening shipping lanes and providing national security.

Thanks to Coast Guard photos taken during the CBS visit to Cape May and screenshot images from CBS reporting, we are able to give you a behind-the-scenes look at O'Donnell's visit to the base and an interesting look at what life is like at the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May.