Enlisting in the Coast Gaurd

[M.D. Holloway]

My Son has a buddy who is thinking about joining the armed services out of HS. Of all the opinions, he figured the CG a good choice. You get to be on a boat, you protect the US (mostly), you most likely won't be involved in a fire fight like the Army or Marines, you get to save people and chase bad guys.

What would life be like in that branch as opposed to say the AF, Army, Navy, Marines?

[sammyg2]

My nephew barely gradumacated high school, was floundering.

My brother finally cracked the whip and told him to straighten up.
He decided to go into the CG, best move he ever made.
He is a man now: disciplined, strong, rescue swimmer qualified in both surf and open water. He married a decent gal and has two baby girls.

Except for the hundreds of tattoos, I'd say he has his stuff together.
The CG made him grow up.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

My nephew barely gradumacated high school, was floundering.

My brother finally cracked the whip and told him to straighten up.
He decided to go into the CG, best move he ever made.
He is a man now: disciplined, strong, rescue swimmer qualified in both surf and open water. He married a decent gal and has two baby girls.

Except for the hundreds of tattoos, I'd say he has his stuff together.
The CG made him grow up.

Similar story with a former roommate of mine. Moved to the NE to escape KS, joined the CG and cruised around on a cutter patrolling inland rivers for a few years. He did some cool stuff, nobody shot at him, and his college was paid for. Not a bad deal.

[bmcuscgr94]

Speaking from personal experience, I enlisted in the coast Guard Reserves and went into boot camp on my 18th b-day. I stayed in for 23 years. Helped me pay for college and once I hit 60, I'll get health insurance and a small paycheck. Last six were on Cutter as the reserve team leader. CG gives you a lot of responsibility for your age/rank compared to the other services (Sons in Navy & Army). You get with the program or you'll be out.

Since its a small service you have many responsibilities beyond your main operating specialty. I've been with 18 year olds who were in charge of small boats doing rescues that scared the ***** out of me, but they did their job.

Just like with any other service, NEVER take a recruiters word about what rating or job you'll get. make sure whatever rate and school you want you get in writing as part of the enlistment contract and even then it can change.

[URY914]

I look back on the "what-ifs" in my life and not joining the CG was my biggest mistake.

[ckelly78z]

Of the different services, I believe you will get the most domestic action with the CG, no overseas deployment, and probably be appreciated more than any other service branch.

[wrpeterson]

Don't bet the farm on no overseas deployments - USCG has been involved in quite a few "Overseas Contingency Operations" over the last dozen years.

See here: http://allhands.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2014/02/05/from-the-homefront-top-10-things-we-wish-people-knew-about-coast-guard-life/

Bill

[strupgolf]

I tried to join in 1968, but my eyesight was too bad. I would have loved to say" I was in the Coast Guard".

[BK911]

The CG was my first choice but they didn't accept high school drop outs, so I went navy.
I work with a few retirees and they ALL have positive things to say about their CG service.

[Seahawk]

The Coast Guard is, IMHO, a remarkable outfit.

They are not DoD but they do deploy in support of DoD operations.

Their pilots and aircrew are top notch. CG pilots train with the Navy so I had a lot of instructors and friends who were in the Coast Guard. The finest kind of people.

A good friend of mine from HS was an enlisted boatman (I may be getting my terms wrong - if so I apologize) and attained the rank of Senior Chief. He was an instructor for the CG in their rough water/surf boat program. Great guy who loved being a Coasty.

Again, I could be getting the terms wrong.

One other thing: The Coast Guard is tidy and neat. They really take care of their equipment since they use it in the most dire of circumstances.

The CG does things on a routine basis that I would have loved to have supported and been involved with - they are either there when the SHTF or they are on their way.

Nothing cooler. Your son's buddy will need to step it up to play with the CG.

[BeyGon]

One of my friends joined the CG as an officer. While working with a crew chipping ice on a buoy tender in the Aleutians he got called in to the CO. They wanted to know if he would like the position of CIC at the Nixon Western White House in San Clemente. He spent the rest of his time there. He let us come in and surf Trestles as long as the President wasn't around.

[PorscheGAL]

My suggestion is to contact the closest Coast Guard Station and see if he could spend the day there. I did that in HS. Everyone gave great insight into boot camp, the day to day and different jobs available. Had a great time but decided it was not for me.

[Mark Howard]

Don't bet on no fire fights. Google topics about the coast guard and drug runners. Lots of firefights.

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

One of my closest friends is in the Coast Guard. He has to move to a new station in a different state every 4 years. He's currently on his last year here in Long Beach and will be heading to Seattle in July where he will ship off on a boat for 3 years. He's extremely excited as he will be traveling to so many countries that are on his bucket list. His work schedule right now consists of 24 hr on duty and then 24 hr off duty. It's not a bad set up at all as they have some very nice amenities on base. He sometimes gets sent up the coast for about a week whenever there are oil spills that they have to clean up. Straight out of high school he'd be E3 out of boot camp. He told me to ask him the following question: Can you swim and are you color blind? If he can't swim he'll be up 1.5 hours earlier than everyone at boot camp and color blindness drops you down to 5 jobs in the CG. If he wants to talk to him about it and his experiences in the Coast Guard you can shoot me a PM and I'll get you in touch. He's very open to talking about it.

[M.D. Holloway]

I shared these posts with him and he said "Dad, maybe I should think about the Coast Guard!" hmmmmmm

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Mark Howard

Don't bet on no fire fights. Google topics about the coast guard and drug runners. Lots of firefights.

That was my impression as well, when I looked at going to a military academy after HS about 25 years ago. It was peacetime, and the CG was regarded as the most dangerous (to life and limb) branch of the military to join. Maybe not considered a big deal to an 18 year-old, but probably a big deal to the parents of said 18 year-old.

[mocha07]

Recent History Channel featured the Guard fighting in Viet Nam, on the rivers in gun boats,never knew that they were involved in Nam!

[chapo]

My friend is in the CG, it's great for him. Good guy, but does better in a structured environment. He has done three tours in Iraq, one in Korea. The hottest and coldest he has ever been. His United handles port security for the Navy, camo fatigues, twin fifties on the whaler, etc. that's what they did overseas. Made an interesting video on Iraq, I asked him about the sunken ships in the harbor, ruined tanks, he said that's all left from the First Iraq war. This was a few years ago. He's led a fun life, recommend

[Nickshu]

Originally Posted by bmcuscgr94

Just like with any other service, NEVER take a recruiters word about what rating or job you'll get. make sure whatever rate and school you want you get in writing as part of the enlistment contract and even then it can change.

Best advice here.

[vash]

My navy buddy said the coast guard is nice. He said if the boat sank, you can wade to shore


Sent via Jedi mind trick.