Petty Officer 3rd Class Harrison Bauer, a boatswain’s mate on Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10), and Seaman Emmily Hercules, a member of deck department on Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10), sit on the fast ice during ice liberty in the McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Jan. 2, 2023. They deployed in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2023, one of the more challenging U.S. military peacetime missions due to the harsh environment in which it is conducted. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Aidan Cooney)