Son is thinking of joining the Coast Guard (VANITY)

n/a ^ | 5/23/05 | Mom

[coder2]

My 17-old son (HS junior) told us over the weekend is thinking of joining the Coast Guard.

It was a complete surprise; he spoke of the Marines before, but never the CG. We did some research on the net and even went to the Coast Guard Academy website.

He's a great kid, all boy though (lol), is bored with school, but has a 3.7 gpa. Will be taking the ACT test next month. Great in Math & Science, but doesn't like English much. Plays varsity sports and is extremely strong physically.

We have been a little concerned over the past year 'cuz he hasn't really shown much interest in going to college, but I do realize that this is normal (just strange in this house), and attributed it to his boredom with school in general.

So I asked him why he felt that if he went to the Coast Guard Academy, what would be different.. And he made us proud when he said that it would be different because he would be doing this to serve his country..

So anyway, that's why I thought I would turn here to see what you guys thought. There is no local recruiter around, closest is about 200 miles away.

Looking for advice as to whether he should go in as enlisted, or try to get into the CGA, etc. General thoughts about the Coast Guard, sources to go for more info, etc. That kind of stuff.

Any advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[New Perspective]

Having been in the Coast Guard for 4 years I can say it was "The best time in my life, and the worst time". I have friends from 20 years ago that I love to death. I also learned some very very valuable lessons. I did many tasks which I never wanted to do, ie, galley work, head cleaning, etc, but the comradery strengthens your inner being. It is hard to find this type of bond in the civilian world. It taught me how to work hard, many times beyond what I thought was humanly possible for me, which I still carry today.

If a career is what he is intending, the adademy is a good way to go. However he will gain the most respect and knowlwedge by going inlisted then going to OCS.

I left for bootcamp 2 days after turning 18 but I feel like it was yesterday. I wish him the best and believe he can make a difference in the Coast Guard by using his skill on everyday missions.

Good Luck

[pbear8]

My brother was CG and went to both Poles! He was in for four years and learned structural aviation mechanics, did SAR on the Great Lakes, etc. He enjoyed his time in.

Currently we have some Coasties who volunteer for us working with kids. They are truly some of the best people I've ever met and are all great with the kids. Several are Academy graduates. I love my Coasties!

[goldfinch]

My 23 year old nephew's best friend, Jason, joined the Coast Guard a couple of years ago and loves it. Your son sound a lot like Jason. He was a good kid, a smart kid and a good athlete, but he did not enjoy the time he spent in the classroom. He tried attending college but his heart wasn't in it. After a couple of years, he joined the Coast Guard. He does not know if he will make a career of it, but, for now, he is doing something important and he loves it.

[Shortwave]

Because the service is small, and there are hordes of officers, the officer class has to distinguish themselves among their peers for advancement. Typically, this is done by embracing and writing policies that are socially trendy. For instance, a friend of mine who graduated from Harvard's extension school, could not get an appointment to Office Candidate School because he was "white." Although, not specifically told this, when the OCS candidates were announced, half were women, and another half were men with "ethnic" names. This happened several times to him. Eventually, he left the Coast Guard to join the Navy and ha enjoyed a very rewarding career as an intelligence office achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. To be fair, this was sometime ago, back in the early 90's.

From my own experience; in the late 90's when the Coast Guard was pressured as to the composition of the force, e.g. office-to-enlisted ratio, the Commandant took lots of heat. In return, he "sacrificed" fifty Captains by immediately retiring them. I knew one of the them, and he is a good man. He told me it was a bunch of bullshit, because almost all on the list were not going to make Admiral anyway, and in his estimation most had already expressed there intentions to retire.

Again, the Coast Guard is a good service. The people are topnotch, but there are many many Mickey Mouse games to deal with, games the Marines can ill-afford to play.

[coder2]

We also talked about him going to college first (ROTC) and then serving, but again this is his decision, we're just trying to help him gather all the info.

He's a smart kid, a good kid. He can be anything he sets his mind on. But he just doesn't know what he wants to do yet.

[ProudVet77]

Get in touch with your local coast guard auxiliary unit. They do a lot of recruiting for the Coast Guard Academy.
Is he heavy into sailing? If yes, coast guard is good for him, they focus on sailing skills a lot. If not and wants to learn a skill like electronics, the USN might be better the focus much less on sailing. Having said that, I have to admit, I wish I had been a Marine.

[brownsfan]

2banana has the right idea.
What is your son looking for?
I think any of the branches of the service can be good, or bad, depending on your goals.
I went in to "see the world" and to take advantage of the close of the old style GI-bill. I went in enlisted. I got more than I bargained for, but that's another story.
My goals matched what was offered, it had a positive impact on my life.
If I were thinking career, and quality of life, I'd go Air Force, officer or enlisted.
If I'm thinking variety, and seeing new things, one hitch, Navy, enlisted.
If I'm thinking maturity, personal challenge, Marine enlisted.
There are a lot of combinations and variations. Navy Seal. Army Ranger.
Some of it is just plain luck.
So, good luck.

[coder2]

Unless a kid that age really has a passion for something, I think it's hard for them to picture themselves in a profession. We've been telling our son to head in a certain direction academically, and if he finds out it's not right for him, he can always change (don't think that works with the military though).

Sounds so similar to what we are talking about here..

I just ask him if he wants a "professional degree" or if he wants to go more technical. 4 yr college or tech school

He does bring some things up that he is interested in, i.e. forensic scientist (watching CSI will do that to you, I guess) or DNR office (no jobs). Also considering more tech, like electrician or mechanic. He just doesn't know.

We don't have the dual credit program here, however, we do have the AP course, in which he receives college credit.

Best of luck to you too, hope all works out for your son.

[coder2]

Thank you... I was wondering about him going in enlisted and then trying later to go to school

[Vic3O3]

I've known a Coastie Ringknocker (a woman too) and she was very good at her job, but left after 6-8yrs IIRC. I know Semper Paratus is the official motto, but I recall somewhere hearing the 'unofficial' motto was "You HAVE to go out, you don't HAVE to come back!" in reference to all the hazardous rescue call-outs the CG gets.

My impression of the CG is that the SAR-type units get to use their training FAR more than any other branch of service.

[coder2]

Not heaving into sailing... But we live on a lake and he enjoys boating and fishing...

[Coldwater Creek]

One of our boys decided that he did not want to go to school after HS graduation, so he joined the Navy and has been in school ever since. He has gone up through the ranks and is now a Lt. working on his master's.

Sometimes you just have to follow your heart for a while.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I "serve" with Coast Guard crew, on base, every week since 9/11/01.

See my FR Profile page for details.

These men and women are a fine example of what is correct in the United States.

You son is on an honorable course in life.

[coder2]

Thank you....

Nice way of laying it out..

[KDD]

Does he get seasick?

Coasties are more like fish cops and drug interdictors then military combat units these days. He may well spend a lot of time inspecting freighters and commercial fishing boats.

From a parental point of view it would be a safer enlistment then the Marines.

Does he want to be an elite?

[coder2]

He went in as enlisted then ??

[pbear8]

Another thing to consider is, the Coast Guard has very limited slots for the Academy. These slots are generally assigned to the social elite who's children want a military experience but can avoid combat.

I count five CG academy graduates as friends, none are of socially elite families, they are all middle class and good people.

[coder2]

He was in for four years and learned structural aviation mechanics

Just curious, is your brother now working in that field ?

[joesnuffy]

I would listen closely to post numero two...

[coder2]

Good for your son...

You must be very proud of him !!!