Lutes Family celebrates Thanksgiving Day with four Cost Guard recruits. Photos by Jack Fichter

COURT HOUSE -- Local community members participating in Operation Fireside picked up 452 U.S. Coast Guard recruits from Training Center Cape May Thursday Nov. 27 and provided them with a break from the rigors of basic training and, most importantly, Thanksgiving dinner.

Some recruits went to the Disabled American Veterans in Del Haven or Veterans of Foreign Wars halls in various places, but truly fortunate recruits were taken in by local families where they could watch football, phone home and send e-mails.

In Court House, David and Cindy Lutes gave four recruits a memorable holiday: Clint Loughner of Pittsburgh, Pa., Daniel Maxwell of Kilgore Texas, Patrick Horn of Jefferson City, Mo., and Doug Danback of Lecanto, Fla. The recruits said they were in week five of eight weeks of basic training.

They had not been off base or in touch with the world at large during that period of time.

Loughner, 24, said he was inspired to join the Coast Guard after seeing the Kevin Costner movie “The Guardian.” He is a former professional soccer player with Maryland in the United Soccer League.

“I kind of got burned out playing soccer and decided why not enlist in the Coast Guard and do something for the country and save some lives,” said Loughner.

He said he was looking forward to starting training to become a rescue swimmer.

Maxwell, 18, said college did not seem like the right choice for him. He will train to become an electronics technician after 27 weeks of school in Petaluma, Calif.

Patrick Horn, 26, said he wanted to “get a jump start on his life.” He is married and has a 2-year-old daughter. Horn said he opening up the recruiting page of the phone book and saw the Coast Guard as one of the first listings.

“I got on their Web site and checked it out and it looked like something I would enjoy,” he said.

He is undecided at the moment as far as his training direction.

Danback, 18, said he grew up on the water. His dad is a commercial fisherman.

“I've always wanted to do something on the water and it's a great career,” said Danback.

All four men said this Thanksgiving was their first one away from family and friends. They said Operation Fireside was a nice surprise.

They were also happy to find out they will graduate from basic training before Christmas.

The four men spent the first hour of their holiday leave phoning their families. None of them agreed on which football game they wanted to watch on television since they hail from four different parts of the country.

Maxwell said arriving for basic training is stressful, in particular, remembering what to say, how to dress and how to fold items.
“You have to do everything really quick,” said Danback.

“The days are long but the weeks go fast,” added Loughner.

Recruits' days start at 5:30 a.m. and end around 10 p.m.

Maxwell said many hours are spent in classes learning history, customs, ranks and tying knots.

None of the men had been out on the water during the first four weeks of training.

Loughner said he hoped to be stationed in Elizabeth City, N.C. where rescue swimmers train.

Maxwell said he hoped to be on an icebreaker/cutter from Seattle, Wash.

Horn said he preferred San Diego, Calif. while Danback said he would like to return to Florida and be based on a patrol boat in St. Petersburg.

Horn said he thought it was a smart time to be in the Coast Guard with the poor national economic situation.

The men said the only time they have the opportunity to think about their loved ones and what they miss from the civilian life is at night and when standing in formation.

Maxwell said he missed his cell phone.

Horn said basic training has taught him more about himself than he knew before entering the Coast Guard.

“You have things in you that you never thought you had,” said Horn.

All four men said they have learned to pay more attention to details.

Their graduating company, Tango 180, is large with 98 members with 50 to 60 recruits being standard.

David Lutes said he was in charge of cooking a 14-pound turkey that would feed a total of 14 people gathered at their house for Thanksgiving. He said his family has been inviting Coasties for Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner for 14 years.

Lutes said he spent eight years in the Army.

The recruits returned to the gate at the base at 7:30 p.m.