It's important to know what you're getting into.

But in many of life's decisions, there's a hard truth of that not being completely possible.

Like when joining the United States Armed Forces, for instance.

No amount of literature or film based on the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps,

or Coast Guard could truly prepare one for all that such a career may throw at you, or into,

or out of.

Welcome to Marooned, harrowing tales of the catastrophically lost.

I'm Jack Luna. This is Aaron Hable.

Peter Iden was born and raised in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he grew up around skiffs and sailboats,

which led to an interest in joining the Coast Guard as a young man.

After graduating from Brown University in 1978, Peter then joined the U.S. Coast Guard through their

officer candidate school. The program would take three and a half months, including six weeks

of Coast Guard training, where superiors would attempt to break a prospect down, telling them

that they're stupid, playing tricks on them, and just generally testing the metal of a recruit.

Basically, there's the right way, the wrong way, and the Coast Guard way, which had a reputation

for being a bit loose with the rules at one time, but by Peter Idon, Sarah, things had changed.

The Coast Guard didn't have the respect that the Army, Marines, Air Force, or Navy had,

and was aiming to change that.

An example of a trick pulled on recruits was a sign placed on the floor three inches tall that warned not to walk on the carpet. It wasn't really noticeable or fair, but that was the test.

Recruits had better figure out what was expected of them and do it no matter what.

The Coast Guard prospects were taught how to march, how to shoot, but piloting and navigation

wasn't covered until nearly the end of the program. Swimming wasn't a requirement at the time.

...