For decades, Coast Guard surfmen have operated 47-foot motor lifeboats—known as 47s—designed to navigate treacherous surf conditions, right themselves if capsized, and conduct rescues in violent seas. While the boats offer significant protection against the ocean’s immediate hazards, crews endure thousands of jolts as the 40,000-pound vessels punch through waves and drop into troughs, exposing them to severe and repeated physical trauma.

Former surfman Aaron Harris, who served for 22 years before retiring in 2024, likened navigating a 20-foot breaking wave to experiencing a car accident. He described large surf training as equivalent to "20 car accidents a day." Over time, Harris began suffering from panic attacks, insomnia, migraines, and mood swings, conditions which were later linked to a brain injury diagnosis from the Department of Veterans Affairs after his Coast Guard service. Harris and many peers believe the constant exposure to violent motions during rescues has enduring effects on brain health.

Another surfman, whose career spanned 21 years entirely on 47s, shared a similar trajectory. David Bonner, assigned to the Coast Guard Station Golden Gate near San Francisco, routinely responded to harrowing missions involving individuals who had jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge. His wife, Jenna Bonner, observed his deteriorating mental state marked by restless sleep, disturbing dreams, and heightened stress. Though initially diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2009 and treated with antidepressants such as Zoloft and later Effexor XR, Bonner’s symptoms worsened even as he continued to operate lifeboats.

In 2013, after becoming an instructor at the National Motor Lifeboat School in Washington, Bonner’s exposure increased to near-daily heavy surf training. His health declined further, with persistent headaches, sensitivity to light and noise—classic signs of brain injury that went unrecognized by the Coast Guard medical teams. In 2016, Bonner suffered a seizure while sitting in a parked car. Following the event, a civilian neurologist reviewing his brain scans identified abnormalities consistent with repeated concussions, challenging Bonner’s initial claims of minimal head trauma.

Despite these findings, the Coast Guard did not refer Bonner to specialized brain injury treatment centers operated by the Department of Defense. Instead, he was sent back to duty. Jenna Bonner expressed frustration and concern that at no point during his treatment was the possibility of brain injury from his surf operations seriously considered.

The experiences of Harris, Bonner, and other surfmen underscore emerging concerns about the long-term neurological risks associated with operating heavy lifeboats in extreme surf conditions. While the Coast Guard provides advanced boats for life-saving missions, the cumulative impact of repeated physical shocks on crew health remains a critical and under-investigated issue.