Officially, divers employed by the French underwater exploration outfit Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises), breathing carefully formulated gas mixtures and employing an elaborate pressurization regime known as saturation diving, hold the depth record of 1,752 feet.
The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is a four-year service academy located in New London, Connecticut. Approximately 225 cadets graduate each year, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an ensign in the Coast Guard. Graduates are obligated to serve a minimum of three years on active duty.
The Coast Guard is one of 22 governmental departments that will be under the auspices of Homeland Security, a merger that will be fully completed by March 1. At that time, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be in charge of 175,000 employees.