The 2016 Republican National Convention
No, I was not a delegate.
I worked with the U.S. Coast Guard on maritime security surrounding the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Oh the irony! They were in charge of monitoring ship traffic, boarding and searching vessels, and working with the EPA on air quality monitoring. Yes, they were on the look out for radioactive devices. I brought mapping data into our common operational picture so they could see what was happening around the city and on Lake Erie.
Because of the thousands of people attending the RNC, we all stayed at a hotel 30 minutes away. The days were very long, but luckily not as stressful as an active response. We arrived at the command post at Station Cleveland Harbor just before the 7 a.m. briefing, and stayed until around 7 p.m. Dinner was in the suburbs near our hotel and that was really our only diversion of the day. It was very difficult to fall asleep with all the adrenaline from the day (not to mention who was being nominated), and I probably got five hours a night so exhaustion quickly seeped through.
Regardless, the leadership that all Coast Guard personnel displayed was a huge motivation to always show up and do my best. Every time I have worked with them, they are always so appreciative of your work and being part of their team.
Because of the sensitive nature of the event and our command post, I did not take many photos. Since they did not have a public affairs person with them, they did ask me to take some photos when the Admiral came in to meet with everyone and hand out USGC Challenge Coins.
My supervisor, Greg, was attentive to make sure that I got some fresh air and experienced the spectacle of the event. One afternoon we left the command post to wander around the city to check out the protests at a safe distance.
The giant triangular dome of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame was right across the street from the command post. On a quiet morning, I was allowed to sneak out for an hour to check it out. I had to speed through and my priority was to see an exhibit coincidently called “Louder Than Words,” showcasing music's place in politics and social movements. I was hugely inspired and it reminded that we are not alone the next four years. Musical artists are the voice of the people, of inequality and bigotry, sexism and racism, the 99% and those who are never counted. So when you're feeling hopeless crank U2 or The Clash or Bruce and remember people have the power!
