“The Coast Guard is a small knit community, and we take care of one another.” Corey Beard told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. So when it came time for his younger brother, Coast Guard aviation technician Ryan Beard, to be promoted to aviation maintenance technician second class, Corey suggested that they try something different. Why not have his brother and colleagues fly to New Orleans so that their dad, Donald Beard a retired U.S. Marine Corp combat veteran, who was recently diagnosed with terminal colon cancer could attend the ceremony. Always ready, the ‘Coasties’ convinced Beard that they were doing a routine training flight and had him fly to his hometown for a pinning ceremony that him and his family will always remember.