Three years earlier, the sound he heard was of a heavy wooden gavel falling at the conclusion of his trial, and five commanders in the US Coast Guard looked down at Jeff from their lofty and imposing bench, their brows furrowed. Jeff’s head was bowed, staring at the green and white linoleum floor of the courtroom of the Judge Advocate General, so he could not see the sadness and frustration on all their faces.
Jeff couldn’t believe it was ending this way, an end to the only two things he had ever wanted and had ever loved.
When Jeff graduated after an aimless high school experience, he knew what he wanted to do. He had always loved boats and was lucky to have a dad and some uncles who also loved boats and were excellent skippers. He learned from them and figured the best way to have a jo
