What's life like in the USCG? I'm curious as I've never actually looked into it. Anyone willing to share?

2016-09-14T03:00:48-04:00

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 14 at 2016 3:06 AM

2016-09-14T03:06:57-04:00

We've had some great conversations with the top handful of contributors. Very cool stuff. One of them does the security boardings on suspected drug traffickers. They get a bad rep. I loves the Coasties. Semper Paratus.

Response by SFC George Smith made Sep 14 at 2016 10:07 AM

2016-09-14T10:07:11-04:00

Worked with The USCG a few times and went out on their 110 footers for a couple days at a time over 6 weeks...
they were good to work with and they had an excellent support and logistics net...

Response by PO3 Larry Suggs made Sep 14 at 2016 11:40 AM

2016-09-14T11:40:20-04:00

It is an awesone life. I was an Army brat growing up near Ft. Bragg, NC and Coast Guard in my opinion was alot more close knit of a group. You get to do alot of things even as an E3 and you can go as far as your mind and want to will take you.

Response by LTJG Robert M. made Sep 14 at 2016 6:16 PM

2016-09-14T18:16:04-04:00

It's periods of absolute boredom, and then short terrifying times when you don't think you're gonna make it. I was able to do almost every job the CG performs on a daily basis, Law Enforcement, drug interdiction, EEZ enforcement, alien interdiction, fisheries, ATON, SAR, Pollution Response, two joint service tours with the USN, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Sep 14 at 2016 11:33 PM

2016-09-14T23:33:40-04:00

Pretty sure SCPO Private RallyPoint Member can shed some light, Seaman.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 15 at 2016 1:15 AM

2016-09-15T01:15:11-04:00

advancement's horrible

Response by CPO Bernie Penkin made Sep 15 at 2016 3:24 PM

2016-09-15T15:24:46-04:00

Met some Coasties while I was an E-3 in the Navy. They all loved their jobs and the responsibility they had as enlisted personnel. After I got out I joined the Coast Guard Reserve and later finished my career in active duty. My only regret was joining the Navy first.

Response by PO3 Gary Hadden made Sep 17 at 2016 9:16 PM

2016-09-17T21:16:53-04:00

It helped me in my current position as an Interdiction officer with my police department. Worked many interdiction operations in South Florida.

Response by PO1 Kevin Dougherty made Sep 20 at 2016 8:28 AM

2016-09-20T08:28:02-04:00

Back in the 70's when I was making my decision, I had narrowed it down to the CG and USN. My dad had been Navy in WWII and I asked him what he thought. His reply, "Screw the Navy, join the CG, to much chicken XXXX in the Navy."

The CG has a very diversified mission, and a very small force. This means that you gain responsibility more quickly. It also means that their entrance requirements are a little more demanding. As an example, as an ET-1, my last couple of duty stations were as an XPO of a group support facility(ESMT - Electronics Shop Minor Telephone), and then LPO for electronics on a ship.

It is a good service, very professional, with a lot of pride, a lot of skilled people. It is more informal than most of the other services, if only because so many of the units as much smaller. Most units are 20 or 30 at the most, even the larger ships are small by navy standards, 200 to just over 400 feet. The 210 I was on had about 87 officers and enlisted, while the newest High Endurance Cutters run about 110. Outside of training, the next largest unit I was assigned to in 10 years had 20 or 25 people. Even as an ET, I ran the occasional small boat SAR, and conducted the occasional safety or LE boarding.

Response by FN Charlie Spivey made Sep 20 at 2016 11:56 AM

2016-09-20T11:56:37-04:00

Be ready for anything at any time. You see a lot on TV about rescues and the like. Most of the time it is mundane "Ship's Work " ( Maintainance ) and Training plus standing watches. I was only on one Station that I didn't stand a watch. That was in Lewes, Del. The Main Staion was next to the Lewes - Capy May Ferry and they stood the watches. There 6 of us in a 65' Mobile home up in an Inlet doing the Boat work when called, 3 on duty at a time. There were a lot of Overdue boats that we sppent the better part of the night looking for, Med Evacs from ships coming into Delaware Bay heading for Wilmington or Philly. We had a Manned light within sight so we took Groceries and mail Out, brought the off going crew to shore and the incoming crew out to the light. It Varies from Station to station one what you may run into. While at Cape Cod Canal, we had a Collision between a Freighter ( American Pilot ) and a Coastal Tanker ( Maumee Sun ) which is smaller than your typical Tanker. Before thjat was over, I had to fish a shipmate out of Buzzards bay that went overboard in rough seas passing a pump up to the tanker and lost his balance.
Aboard ship, it is a whole other thing and sleep was a Luxury when underway. If you ahd the Mid Watch, you didn't really get much. That watch was 1200 Hrs to 1600 Hrs and then again from 0000 Hrs to 0400 Hrs. You would hit the rack after you got off at 0400 and were back up at Reveille at 0600 Hrs. At night, there was a lot of activity in the berthing area, and you could forget about sleep until lights out at 2200 Hrs and then you were back up two hours later. We the ship I was on was deployed to Vietnam, I can remember working around the clock for some 96 Hours + getting a Main engine back on line. I stood my watches and was working on that unless I was making my hourly rounds getting readings and checking things. I have good memories, looking back. It is a small service and thus more is expected.