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Son is thinking of joining the Coast Guard (VANITY)
n/a ^ | 5/23/05 | Mom

Posted on 05/23/2005 7:54:14 AM PDT by coder2

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To: vladima; coder2
"Someone else here might correct me if I am wrong. Also, aren't there CG in the Persian Gulf right now?"

Yes, they are, I have friends in the Coast Guard who are there now.

About 1 year ago the 1st Coast Guard war casualty, since Viet Nam happened.

But the fact is the men and women in the Coast Guard face more day to day danger than just about any other service.

Think 10'-30' waves on a 47' boat, on a search and rescue mission.

This occurs daily.
61 posted on 05/23/2005 9:10:02 AM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Dept of Homeland Security Plank Owner)
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To: coder2

Regardless of which branch he chooses, it is something that can serve him well.

When I graduated from High School, I was not college material, did not know what I wanted to do. My parents wanted me to go to medical school...:)

When I told them I was going to join the Navy in 1975, they were both pleased. We were a military family, my father was a 30 year veteran of the USN, so they knew what I was getting into.

The Navy taught me some very important skills, and I have to say, really made me what I am today (after, of course, what my parents did) It taught me how to take orders, work with others, do things I didn't like, take intiative, and appreciate life. The USN also taught me leadership and responsibility, which all branches do.

For example, I worked as a flight deck troubleshooter for an attack squadron on a carrier. One day, one of our planes had an oil leak, and I was trying to fix it, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was one of our CPO's asking me how long it would take to fix is. When I said I thought it would take "a few minutes", he said, "The Air Boss wants to know, because the captain wants to know how much longer we have to keep this course..."

Only later did it hit me. Here I was, a 20 year old troubleshooter, and an entire carrier task force, billions of dollars of ships and equipement and tens of thousands of men, was waiting on me to say yea or nay.

I chose not to stay in the Navy. I had done too much traveling in my life, and wanted to put down roots. But I never regret it for one minute.


62 posted on 05/23/2005 9:12:52 AM PDT by rlmorel
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To: coder2
I'm smiling !!!

Good. Keep him focused. He sounds like the kind of people we need to lead us into the future.

Tell him I'm a WAFI!!! That stands for Wind Assisted F&$@ing Idiot.

I'll be looking for him next time when I pitch pole my catamaran.

63 posted on 05/23/2005 9:12:58 AM PDT by Focault's Pendulum (I just got my free credit report....cost me $69.95......I'm not paying the bill. I'm doomed!!)
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To: coder2

If your son is looking at entering as an enlisted man, I would advise the Marine Corps for him. Of the services, the Marine Corps by far offers the best realistic and useful training for their enlisted personnel. Note that I am a former Army officer, so this is not branch pride speaking out. If he were going to go through college first, I would recommend ROTC and Army, but for the enlisted path I think the Corps is the way to go.


64 posted on 05/23/2005 9:13:53 AM PDT by AzSteven
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To: coder2

There are other majors, but math, science, and engineering courses are a must even if you major in Sociology.


65 posted on 05/23/2005 9:15:11 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
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To: Focault's Pendulum
ROFL
66 posted on 05/23/2005 9:16:15 AM PDT by coder2
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To: coder2

Prayer Request for Coast Guard Rescue that is Underway in Oregon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/805652/posts

Posted on 12/12/2002

Here is a perfect example of what the Coast Guard faces everyday.

The crew ( 3 men 1 woman) on this case received medals about 6 months later.


67 posted on 05/23/2005 9:16:28 AM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Dept of Homeland Security Plank Owner)
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To: vladima
I don't know this for certain (saw it on some documentary a few years ago), but the Coast Guard Academy is harder to get through than the other military academies

Did you mean harder to get into, or harder to get through.

Not that it means anything, just curious.

68 posted on 05/23/2005 9:17:20 AM PDT by coder2
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To: rlmorel
Great story, thank you for sharing it !!
69 posted on 05/23/2005 9:18:36 AM PDT by coder2
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To: Labyrinthos
He loves math & science... Just not sure about engineering... But good to know.

Sociology major !!! ROFL --- never in a million years would he do that...

70 posted on 05/23/2005 9:20:05 AM PDT by coder2
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
Thank you...

I'm going to bookmark this and have him read it.

I wish there was an auxillary or some one that he could be talking with in town, but we live in the middle of Minnesota with nothing near here.

71 posted on 05/23/2005 9:22:30 AM PDT by coder2
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To: AzSteven
This may seem like a really stupid question, but what impact does ROTC have on the rest of the normal college life?

Meaning is it just the same, just with training ? or does the ROTC change things for the normal individual.

I guess what I'm getting at, is that I somewhat consider most colleges today a complete waste of time and money (and this coming from a college graduate). So much liberalism and socialism run amuck.

72 posted on 05/23/2005 9:26:00 AM PDT by coder2
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To: coder2

"I wish there was an auxillary or some one that he could be talking with in town, but we live in the middle of Minnesota with nothing near here."

Try this

http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/public/tbjoinaux5.shtml


73 posted on 05/23/2005 9:29:32 AM PDT by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Dept of Homeland Security Plank Owner)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
Thanks !! Closest is the Twin Cities or Duluth, both a drive from here.

But maybe we can take a trip this summer to check it out.

I really want him to learn as much as he can and be as informed as he can be about this. To me, this means he is making a long-term commitment and he needs to be sure.

He agrees, so that is half my battle, I guess.

74 posted on 05/23/2005 9:32:32 AM PDT by coder2
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

I'm talking about inspections offshore for fishery violations, not dockside safety inspections.

Where do DEA officers and Marine Fishery officers stand in the chain of command aboard a CG Cutter?

I'm a retired Captain 200 ton...25 years...Tugs, crewboats, longliners and Coastals. I had many dealings with the CG from the Grand Banks to Nicaragua and Trinidad to the Gulf of Mexico. I've always hated having my vessel boarded, my crew held on the bow under armed guard(SOP)while the BO went through my logs, licenses and permits while the rest of the boarding party crawled through my holds, my crew quarters and even the personal drawers in my cabin.

I tolerated this because(besides their bow mounted .50 cal.) they are some of the bravest men alive and have saved quite a few of my peers lives in storms that are unimaginable to anyone who has never been in one.

4 times over the years they airlifted injured crewman off my vessels...saving ones life.

And there was that one incident off the west coast of Cuba in 1981....


75 posted on 05/23/2005 9:37:52 AM PDT by KDD (http://www.gardenofsong.com/midi/popgoes.mid)
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To: coder2

I graduated CGA in 88. Did a tour on a Polar Breaker, one in a Marine Safety (then it was a Marine Inspection Office) Office in NYC, then one in Seattle in Marine Safety.

The education at the academy is absolutely top notch. Classes of less than 30. Great labs, limited number of majors, which means far better curricular content in each major. They also get funds for research from the Feds. The early work in diffential GPS was done at CGA, and CGA got to test and work with the early TMS series digital signal processors. We always had the best stuff.

Lack of outside distractions, great discipline, work ethic enforcement, and a TON of other kinds of training are all pluses. Ronaldus Maximus gave me my diploma, and while I was there three other Presidents came to speak. So did Admiral Stockdale and William F. Buckley, Jr. too.

I learned how to sail there too. Did quite a bit of sailing on someone elses nickel. Also visited all seven continents and over 60 countries. The education was simply incredible, and serves me every single day.

As for making the CG a career - well, you gotta want to do that. CG officers are NOT risk takers by any stretch of the imagination. If you go in, get your education, do your 7 years (5 in my day), and position yourself for post grad school (only the best throught the CG - Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.)

The guys I graduated with that are in and happy went into niches: intelligence, aviation, admiralty law - with an eye to doing something like that when they get out.

In the CG, it is very hard to battlefield distinguish yourself for promotion to flag rank. Normally you 'ticket punch' your way from billet to billet - going only to the right billets in some semblance of right order - to make admiral.

The enlisted guys get the best jobs hands down. In the CG you can get electrician school, crypto school, machinery school, aviation machinist school, etc. If you are looking for adventure, you can go to a motor surfboat station, or go after your Coxswain's pin.

Our stations are generally very good, and generally in great places in the country or the world.

In all, you could do worse than the CG. I'd definitely steer my kids in that direction if they had decision making disorders about what they wanted to do with themselves.

The CGA - no question about it. Hard to get in. In my class 7000 applied, 300 selected, 157 graduated. I'm the son of a janitor, so the crack about elitists using the school to send Biff to are inacurate. It was very tough, so if you were there because you were a 'fortunate son' then you were'nt going to last Swab Summer, more than likely.

Here's another thing: You don't need to be appointed by a Representative, Senator, or President. You can make it in on essentially guts alone. Strength of your portfolio is all you need - no political connections required.

Alumni, as in all schools, gets a bit more consideration but it isn't a deal breaker for getting in. I got in from a not-very-distinguished public HS in California.


76 posted on 05/23/2005 9:48:38 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs (The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money.)
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To: raccoonradio
My dad (84 years old now and living on Cape Cod) was in the Coast Guard in the 40s--it became part of the Navy during the war and he served on the U.S.S. Bayfield (Normandy invasion, etc.)

My grandfather also served on the U.S.S. Bayfield in WWII. Small world.

77 posted on 05/23/2005 9:51:55 AM PDT by Clemenza (Regrets, I've had a few...)
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To: coder2

All branches of the Armed Forces have advantages and disadvantages. What it usually comes down to is family tradition and the goals of the person considering service.

I'd say get him to get specific goals in mind, and then talk to members of the branches he is considering. Talking to current active duty people is best.

But remember, enlisted have a total duty obligation of 6 years total, you can do more but you don't have to, (usually,not counting "stop loss"). BUT on the other hand, Officers serve for LIFE at the pleasure of the President.

In other words once you are discharged as enlisted, you are done, (with the noted exception).

You are never completely discharged as an officer (unless you have been hurt and henceforth unable to preform duties, or kicked out, as with a dishonorable).

Just things to think about.

If he likes looking at the world from the inside of a ship he should go Nav. (They say, "see the world", they don't say they'er going to let you off the ship to actually touch the thing.)

If he's "at least 6ft tall?", (a Navy joke, I can't help myself), "so he can walk ashore if his boat sinks", and likes being a shallow water sailor, (smaller ships/cutters and boats), he should go Coastie.

The difference WAS; Big outfit, Blue/deep waters, Warships and associated missions.

Vice Small outfit, Brownwater/shallow/coastal waters, Coastal patrol vessels and associated missions.

It depends on what he wants really.

Good luck, and God Bless you all.


78 posted on 05/23/2005 9:55:42 AM PDT by porkchops 4 mahound (God Bless the American Armed Forces)
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To: coder2
He could do a whole lot worse the join the CG. I worked with the CG a bunch and they are a good group of people. I know that the get sort of laughed at, or no one considers them real military. Until of course, their dumba$$ does something and then the CG has to go and get them.

CG Rescue Swimmers, IMO are the bravest, guttiest people, alive, bar none.

79 posted on 05/23/2005 10:00:49 AM PDT by Duke809
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To: RinaseaofDs
Thank you for your post...

I think one of the hardest things he's considering is whether to go in as enlisted or to try for either the CGA or ROTC.

He's got a good GPA and is in the top 15% of the class (large school). I would think he would do very well at CGA, but then again, it's up to him to actually do it.

My only concern is his indifference to school now. But I know he is bored even with talking some of courses he does. So a more focused approach in school (with no disruptors/slackers) sounds good to him.

But it's kinda hard to tell from your post, which do you think is better, going in as enlisted or trying for CGA. You mention that the enlisted get the best jobs !!

Probably didn't word this the best, but I know I'm clear enough... Thx..

80 posted on 05/23/2005 10:05:27 AM PDT by coder2
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