What is the toughest job in the United States Coast Guard? Why?

Very tough question! Agree with the comment about "loving what you do", but there were days, times, when some stuff was pretty tough. Fisheries patrols in the North Atlantic from Dec to March could get rugged. Everyone always talked about duty in Alaska, but off the coast of Maine, Massachusetts, etc, could get intense too. AtoN duty on the rivers of the then 2nd CG District was hairy at times. Dealing with snakes along the river, intense humidity & heat in July, Aug. Tough duty at times hauling a dayboard up a ladder on a river bank. SAR could be tough...especially when you searched the same waters for days to no avail & have to give up a search. We used to call it, "boring holes in the ocean". And I guess the last thing that comes to mind was the old saying, "you gotta go out, but you don't have to come back". Always fun to be going to sea in terrible weather as the fleet was coming into port. Gave you a special feeling....remember "The Perfect Storm"?

Wasn't a volunteer position when the program began. Be a Swimmer, get out, take a bust to change rate.