In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the U.S. Coast Guard served as the Alaskan 911. Known then as simply the Revenue Cutter Service, it was comprised of skilled navigators, judges and law enforcement specialists tasked with preventing the frontier from descending into anarchy, and securing its status as a "cash cow" for the mainland states. This is the history of the early U.S. Coast Guard, with special focus on its former whalers-turned-cutters, the Bear and the Northland, and their voyages along the coast of Alaska, Hawaii and Greenland. Following the two vessels through history, chapters detail the diverse responsibilities that the "Coasties" had to face at the time, including capturing seal poachers and pirates, delivering babies, pulling natives' teeth and even engaging in combat with a German warship.

At the end of October 1969, 5,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars surrounded a force of 150 American soldiers and their South Vietnamese allies at a firebase in a far-flung corner of Vietnam. The situation was desperate and, despite initial attempts to resupply the base, soon became untenable. It was fight on and meet near-certain death or capture--or attempt an escape. Led by a pair of no-nonsense Special Forces soldiers, the Americans and their allies chose escape, which was a harrowing five-hour experience conducted across two and a half miles of enemy-infested ground in the dark of night. This story of against-all-odds bravery is also a cautionary tale about the perils of Richard Nixon's policy of Vietnamization, which produced the precarious situation at Fire Support Base Kate.

"Unlocking the Doors to College and Career Success" provides indispensable guidance to benefit not only current and future college students, but also their parents, teachers, administrators, and other mentors who want to enhance a student's chance of success in college and in life.

Authors Arthur G. Sharp and his daughter, Kristine E. Barnett, provide the principles and keys to success in the educational process based on their experiences as students, professors, and parents. By reinforcing the importance of such values as hard work, diligence, and integrity, Sharp and Barnett show students how to persevere and succeed both inside and outside the classroom. "Unlocking the Doors to College and Career Success" includes not only personal anecdotes and inspirational quotes from successful people from different backgrounds and eras; it also shares Sharp and Barnett's professional experiences with other administrators and colleagues.

"Unlocking the Doors to College and Career Success" encourages you to think like a team when it comes to a student's educational accomplishments, and to understand that success is rarely realized based on individual efforts.