The Interview: Captain Tom Maine

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - When you hear of Coast Guard rescues anywhere around the nation, you may not be aware of Mobile's part in that.

Just beyond the congestion of where Airport Boulevard meets Schillinger Road lies the U.S. Coast Guard's Aviation Training Center. Their mission is to train the pilots who fly the Coast Guard's planes and helicopters.

The base commander, Captain Tom Maine, is a former helicopter pilot who is serving his third tour at ATC-Mobile. Captain Maine also has ties to the Gulf Coast and started his career in Mobile.

"I've been very fortunate in the Coast Guard to spend a good chunk of my career right here in Mobile," Captain Maine said.

Although a New England native, Captain Maine enlisted in the Coast Guard after graduating from Theodore High School. His father's job relocated the family to the area for his last years of high school.

Now he's the man in charge at Aviation Training Center Mobile. Initially, he wanted some paramedic experience flying in a helicopter.

He had plans to use that experience in the civilian world after his enlistment. He enjoyed it and the Coast Guard so much, however, he eventually became an officer and helicopter pilot.

"Back in the day I got to do a lot of flying, and some great rescues, I realized that I had a special bond with the Coast Guard," Maine said.

Captain Maine also realized another bond with the service as he remembered a picture of his stepgrandfather that he had seen over the years. His stepgrandfather served in the early 1900's in Rhode Island as a surf man. He and his crew would manually row a boat out to rescue shipcrews in distress.

Tom Maine's newfound enjoyment turned a planned four year enlistment into a 28-year career.

"One of the few professions that you can earn a good secure living and be very proud of what you do every day," he said.

GULF OIL SPILL

In April 2010, a deadly accident happened at the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven workers were killed and it caused the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

ATC-Mobile responded to the BP oil spill.

"We did quickly send aircraft out in response," Maine said. "We played a very prominent role in making sure the spill wasn't worse than it was.

"For quite a while there we were flying continuously, with scientists, observers and others to get them out to see the site and to understand the magnitude of the spill When the alarm goes off for an oil spill we're very serious about responding to that, we understand that the American public counts on us as a first responder."

HURRICANE KATRINA

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf Coast and rewrote the history of several communities.

"When a storm comes our way its a big deal," Maine added.

Coast Guard pilots and crews from around the nation responded to Gulf Coast and were able to work together successfully.

'The standardization is very important to the Coast Guard. It's what allowed us in Katrina to bring aircrews, aircraft, bring them all down here to Mobile and New Orleans," Maine said. "Without every flying together or meeting each other before, they go over to New Orleans and rescue hundreds of people. That's what our standardization program is all about."

Captain Maine oversees that program, which is one of ATC-Mobile's main jobs. The captain, like most of us, celebrated another "quiet" hurricane season ending.

He said, though, the Coast Guard is always training and preparing for the next rescue and mission.

"We're always looking at next year, always looking at being more prepared," he said.

AVIATION TRAINING CENTER

ATC not only provides aviation support to the Coast Guard's Gulf Coast Operations, but also to Atlantic Coast missions.

The Aviation Training Center-Mobile is also involved in the war on drugs, helping detect illegal drug shipments heading for our shores. The Coast Guard stops an average of more than 800 pounds of cocaine daily, nationwide.

Captain Maine no longer flies helicopter rescues as his main job. So the question is, how much does he enjoy leading in today's Coast Guard?

"As a commanding officer, you get to take pride in the accomplishments of those professionals you work with and who work for you," he said. "I would just say our enlisted person is smarter than I was, is better educated than I was, and probably has a better vision of their career, than I did."