With a small crew of seven, a large amount of responsibility is placed on each crewmember to make ensure the ship completes its missions in an efficient manner. Chief Petty Officer Christopher Lombard works adamantly with Petty

PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The 65-foot Coast Guard Cutter Chock, an ice-breaking tug boat, sits moored at its homeport in Portsmouth here. Due to the lack of ice that accumulates in the Mid-Atlantic region, Chock crewmembers also participate in law enforcement operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Fireman Mike Snyder.

Officer First Class Stacey Barr, the executive petty officer, and Petty Officer First Class Christopher Martin, the engineering petty officer, to ensure the operational readiness of the cutter. Two seamen, a petty officer second class and a fireman work tirelessly to maintain the Chock's mechanical and structural integrity.

The Chock was built to primarily function as an ice-breaking tug, but due to the lack of ice in the Mid-Atlantic region and the operational needs of the Coast Guard, it currently functions as a law enforcement platform. It is necessary for the Coast Guard to have an ice-breaking vessel on standby for the rare instances that ice forms in the area. Therefore, the cutter spends many of its operational hours boarding local fishing vessels and pleasure crafts, checking for compliance and enforcing safety standards.

The Chock has evolved with the ever-changing missions of the Coast Guard. For almost 50 years, the cutter has completed its missions with a small crew, whether tasked with ice breaking, search and rescue or law enforcement. The crew of seven comes together as a team, and routinely accomplishes the mission. The hard work from a small crew has yielded nearly 50 years of success from the Chock, and with continued determination the cutter can potentially strive for many more years to come.