In addition to these activities, the The US Coast Guard serves as one of the five Armed Forces of the United States. It has served in every major U.S. war. The President institutes the USCG in wartime situations through his command of the Navy. During conflicts, the Coast Guard has a primarily logistic function, which includes participation in antisubmarine and amphibious landing operations, operation of transports and invasion craft, convoy escorts, coastal and offshore patrols, and port safety operations. The Coast Guard frequently uses Navy facilities in training and takes part in fleet exercises with Navy ships. The Coast Guard and the Navy share rank and pay rate structures.
With the wide range of functions that the Coast Guard performs, it can offer diverse careers to diverse individuals. The type of experience one has in the Coast Guard depends both on the individual and the method of entry one chooses. For those who enlist directly after high school graduation there are over 20 different career fields available, all of which are open to women. Enlisted careers are divided into five areas, designated as follows:
- Deck & Ordnance: boatswains mate, quartermaster, radarman, gunners mate, and fire control technician
- Engineering & Hull: damage controlman, machinery technician, electronics technician, telephone technician, and electricians mate
- Administrative & Scientific: yeoman, storekeeper, public affairs specialist, food service specialist, health services technician, marine sciences technician, telecommunications specialist, and musician
- Aviation: aviation survival technician, avionics technician, and aviation maintenance technician
- Reserve: port security specialist
If you want to be a part of the The US Coast Guard on a part-time basis, the Coast Guard Reserve offers many of these positions, as well as three that are only open to Reservists, port securityman, data processing technician, and investigator. This is a viable way for those who attend college or work full-time to get experience with the Coast Guard.
For those looking to be leaders, or those who possess special skills, it is possible to enter the Coast Guard directly as an officer. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy offers a free, four-year college/boot camp to its accepted students. Its graduates receive a commission as an Ensign in the Coast Guard and a Bachelor of Science Degree in one of eight fields: civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, naval architecture, marine engineering, marine science, mathematical and computer science, and government and management.
Individuals who already possess a college degree, or have prior military service as an officer, may apply for either Direct Commission or Office Candidate School (OCS). Direct Commissions are available specifically to those with a degree or special experience that is useful to the Coast Guard. Programs are available for persons in the fields of law, environmental management, engineering, and aviation. Programs are also available for maritime academy graduates and prior-trained military officers. After an orientation course, applicants accepted for direct commission become a Lieutenant, Lieutenant (junior grade), or Ensign in the Coast Guard Reserve. They may integrate into the regular Coast Guard after they fulfill their initial service obligation. OCS is a seventeen-week course for candidates who possess a bachelor's degree of any kind. Those who graduate become Ensigns in the Coast Guard Reserve and may integrate into the regular Coast Guard after they fulfill their initial service obligation. Both those who are accepted to the USCG through Direct Commission and as graduates of OCS do not participate in the boot camp required for enlistees in the regular and reserve Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard, like the rest of the military, requires commitment. Therefore, it is important to know what you're getting into before heading to sea. Enlisted recruits sign either 4 or 6-year contracts that begin once they finish boot camp. Officers who receive a direct commission are generally on full-time active duty for three years, except lawyers, who are on active duty for four years. OCS graduates all have an initial obligation of three years. Students at the Coast Guard Academy go through an academic and physical boot camp for four years even before their five-year service obligation. Applying to the CGA is usually frowned upon unless you are considering a career as a Coast Guard officer.
Fortunately, everyone in the Coast Guard has ample opportunity to advance his or her paygrade and position. (These terms are interchangeable. Everyone at the same position throughout the service earns the same pay.) A man or woman who performs well at their position can compete in a yearly service-wide exam for the next highest position in their career field. Advancement is based directly on test scores and position availability.
It is possible for every member of the Coast Guard to eventually become a commissioned officer. The ranks of commissioned officers, from lowest to highest, are:
- Chief Warrant Officer Ensign
- Lieutenant - JG
- Lieutenant Lt. Commander
- Commander
- Captain
- Rear Admiral
- Vice Admiral
- Admiral
- Commandant of U.S. Coast Guard
Should you choose to leave the Coast Guard, either from the enlisted ranks or as an officer, your experience can provide you numerous opportunities. If you were enlisted, chances are you were probably taught skills that apply to a number of "real world" vocations. According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, 88% of military positions have direct civilian counterparts. If you were an officer, you have leadership and management experience. Plus, a military position on your resume indicates commitment, an ability to work hard, and determination to succeed in life.
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