Posted on Oct 2, 2015
Coast Guard vs Navy: Are the ratings the same?
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Being that the Navy and Coast Guard are both on ships, are the ratings the same and are the schools similar?
Coasties
Sailors
Inter-Service
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 14
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The Navy has a lot more ratings than the Coast Guard (they also have a lot more people). A Coast Guard petty officer will typically do the job of multiple ratings in the Navy. We have Boatswain's Mates (BM), while the Navy will have a BM for operations, one for aviation, etc.
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Agree there are similarities but I've seen much more crosstraining in the CG as the cutters have fewer in numbers, hence some more jack of all trades. Also given different mission like maintenance of aids to navigation and science support, there're a number of additional unique skill sets.
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PO1 Terese Duffy
Yes the Coast Guard falls under DHS because we are task with additional duties that fall out side of the of the military. The biggest is that under United States Code the Coast Guard is task with enforcing federal laws, regulations and international treaties and it has been that way since it's inception back in 1790.
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I do know that the Coast Guard does (did) not recognize our quals on the O-side when attempting to join as former Navy. Shortly after the IRAD, I attempted to cross-deck to the Coastie side while still holding a Reserve commission and an OOD underway qual. The offered me PO3...which, depending on one's point of view, might be a promotion :)
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CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025
LCDR (Join to see) , The CG is only trying to maintain their blood line!
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LCDR (Join to see)
PO1-Correct. The way their O-"recruiter", herself an O-3, explained it to me...the CG commissioning process was "different". Personally, I think she had numbers to meet, or her facts wrong. Either way, the NG offered me E-6...so maybe that's just how it was working in those days. I did know a SWO O-4 who ended up getting his papers as an ABS on the Merchant Marine side, and we had a National Guard SSG in Afghanistan who had been an O-3 on active duty...who knows?
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LCDR (Join to see)
There's always "more to the story" of course...lots of things happen. Still, I had a lot of respect for that NCO-He never told anyone about his former rank, and seemed to be respected by his Soldiers. I think if someone is willing to do that to continue to serve, it's hard to knock 'em.
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Suspended Profile
There are differences. In the navy HM is hospital corpsman, in the CG it's HS, or Health Services Technician. In the Navy we have MM - Machinist's Mate, EN - Engineman, and GS - Gas Turbine Technician. In CG they have MK - Machinery Technician.
There are also similar ratings, such as BM - Boatswain's Mate.
Each service also has unique mission specific ratings like AST in the CG - that is the Rescue Swimmer Rating...
There are also similar ratings, such as BM - Boatswain's Mate.
Each service also has unique mission specific ratings like AST in the CG - that is the Rescue Swimmer Rating...
SCPO (Join to see)
The Rabbi nails it. There are many rating similarities when it comes to the Deck group, Quartermaster, Radar and Radio specialties, and the like. But the USCG's specialized ships and 11 specific missions mandated by federal regulations creates a number of ratings that bear little or no semblance to those in the Navy, AND vice versa.
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Pretty much as the good LCDR said. Many of my schools had Coasties as students. The big difference is the mission, and occasionally that blends.
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The ratings that the CG has are similar, (BM, ET,GM etc), but they are far less specialized, with only 22 ratings, one of which is reserve specific. For instance, my rating ET handles everything from Radar, to Sonar to Radio to Navigation, to fire control and gun control and firing circuits, etc. While I was in, I was also small boat crew, JOOD, MA-2, MK-19, MAA, and Boarding Party Qualified. I was also a part of the Nav Team for special sea detail, prisoner guard, etc. Many ratings like ST, RD, RM, and QM were absorbed into ET, OS or BM ratings depending on the specific rating, and/or in some case, individual's choice.
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No. The two that come right to mind: the Navy has Hospital Corpsmen (HM), the Coast Guard has Health Specialists (HS). The Navy has Machinist Mates (MM), while the Coast Guard has Machinery Technicians (MK).
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Is there some reason why when a question is asked about the Coast Guard we feel a need to post a Meme like this?
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PO1 (Join to see)
Haha, I had to scroll all the way to the top to figure out what you were referring to. I guess I didn't even notice it on the way down. The "Navy" QD is likely from a carrier or amphib, big ships make a big deal out of the "ceremony" of it all. I was a frigate sailor, we cared little for such things, in fact we had a guard shack very similar to the one in the Coast Guard pic!
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PO2 Jonathan Scharff
PO1 (Join to see) I agree lol. I am fine with jokes...but it seems whenever there is a serious question about the CG they stick a pic like this? I just don't get it.
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PO1 (Join to see)
Well then you'll love the one about the new height requirement for the Coast Guard...
I do understand your sentiments with the memes, however. It seems anytime someone with a green uniform meets a sailor the very first thing out of their mouth is about how much fun all of this "yachting" must be while they're over there fighting the war for us! :D Just some good ol' ribbing, I'm sure.
I do understand your sentiments with the memes, however. It seems anytime someone with a green uniform meets a sailor the very first thing out of their mouth is about how much fun all of this "yachting" must be while they're over there fighting the war for us! :D Just some good ol' ribbing, I'm sure.
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1stSgt (Join to see)
PO2 Jonathan Scharff - My apologies. Ask a serious question and then put up a dickhead meme. I stand corrected. The fact that it took over a year makes it even worse.
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There are a ton of similarities, (rank and many ratings) but of course a lot of differences. They are culturally as similar as any of the two services, but each has their own uniqueness.
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