after graduation

JennaG

5-Year Member
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Sep 27, 2010
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What do most USMMA grads do once out of the Academy? Is it possible to get a commission with the USCG ?
 
Is it possible to get a commission with the USCG ?

Absolutely. I know quite a few officers who have taken the KP route to commissioning. After graduating from Kings Point, you go through a Coast Guard officer training period (somewhere around 16 weeks I believe) and then receive a commission as a USCG officer and a lifelong teasing from CGA grads. Of course, two can play at that game.
 
Absolutely. I know quite a few officers who have taken the KP route to commissioning. After graduating from Kings Point, you go through a Coast Guard officer training period (somewhere around 16 weeks I believe) and then receive a commission as a USCG officer and a lifelong teasing from CGA grads. Of course, two can play at that game.



So, pretty much, attending OCS right after graduation is all you have to do?
 
Absolutely. I know quite a few officers who have taken the KP route to commissioning. After graduating from Kings Point, you go through a Coast Guard officer training period (somewhere around 16 weeks I believe) and then receive a commission as a USCG officer and a lifelong teasing from CGA grads. Of course, two can play at that game.

Teasing=jealous of not being given a variety of options after graduation like USMMA grads. :shake:
 
I'm not an expert on this and I could be wrong but out of KP when you commission CG you go to a mini OCS at USCGA but its not 16 weeks. Its more like 3. From what I hear its death by powerpoint but I didn't do this so some guys who actually commissioned through KP for CG should chime in.
 
So, pretty much, attending OCS right after graduation is all you have to do?

No you don't attend OCS, you receive your commission and are sworn in at your USMMA graduation if you want to switch over to the dark side.
 
No you don't attend OCS, you receive your commission and are sworn in at your USMMA graduation if you want to switch over to the dark side.

Mission: "The mission of the Direct Commission Officer School is to prepare recently promoted Direct Commission Officers to serve effectively as commissioned officers of the United States Coast Guard."

Direct Commission Officer (DCO) School prepares newly commissioned officers from the Coast Guard Enlisted or Warrant Officer ranks as well as prior officers from other U.S. military services, the Public Health Service, Maritime Academy graduates, and prior civilians with professional degrees to serve in specific critical fill billets throughout the Coast Guard. The DCO course is 3 to 5 weeks in duration, depending on each member's prior experience, and provides these newly commissioned officers with a foundation of basic administrative and leadership skills on which to build their careers as Coast Guard Officers. Generally, PHS officers, Prior Trained Military Officers and Direct Commission Aviators will attend a four-week course. Former Coast Guard enlisted members who graduated the CPO Academy will attend a three-week course. Unless otherwise indicated on their orders to the course, all other members will attend a five-week course, including a brief military indoctrination period to ensure a full understanding of the military culture, customs and courtesies is achieved.

If you have been selected for the DCO program, consult the Reporting Guide for specific information to prepare you for the course.

You wouldn't receive a commission at graduation because you would have to go through the Direct Commission Officer program, which will be 5 weeks long for you if you go to KP (adds more time to that "2 week boot camp" y'all go through :wink:)

My question is why would you want to go to the USMMA if your primary goal is to become a Coast Guard Officer. There is no better choice for this purpose than the fine institution that I call home: The United States Coast Guard Academy. If you don't get into the CGA the first time, you can always go to a prep school or college and apply again next year. There are a lot of self-preps in my class.

Best of luck to you!
 
Never mind, message deleted. After I read it back even I rolled my eyes.
 
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My question is why would you want to go to the USMMA if your primary goal is to become a Coast Guard Officer. There is no better choice for this purpose than the fine institution that I call home: The United States Coast Guard Academy. If you don't get into the CGA the first time, you can always go to a prep school or college and apply again next year. There are a lot of self-preps in my class.

Best of luck to you!

There's no need to question the choice of schools of anyone on this forum. I am pretty sure they realize that the Coast Guard has their own academy. Perhaps they are applying to KP in addition to CGA, or maybe they want a stronger background in the civilian maritime industry.

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but when I read your post, it seems to me that you are putting down KP. Please keep high and mighty comments like that where they belong, on the sports field.
 
There's no need to question the choice of schools of anyone on this forum. I am pretty sure they realize that the Coast Guard has their own academy. Perhaps they are applying to KP in addition to CGA, or maybe they want a stronger background in the civilian maritime industry.

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but when I read your post, it seems to me that you are putting down KP. Please keep high and mighty comments like that where they belong, on the sports field.

I'm guessing that they are applying to KP as a back up if they are interested in getting a commission with the USCG. Of course, if their goal is to serve in the maritime industry then that's completely different. I firmly believe though that candidates on this board will have the most success as cadets if they place themselves in the right environments. I just don't see why you would go to KP if you're primary goal is to become a Coast Guard Officer. IMHO it would be better to go to college or a prep school for a year because you'll ultimately be happier with your choice.

This is no slight on KP at all. It's primary purpose is to produce merchant maritime professionals, not coast guard officers. That's why we have a Coast Guard Academy
 
Sam, I can tell you exactly what one would choose KP over CGA....CHOICE....CHOICE AND MORE CHOICES....My DS was accepted to KP, USNA, USCGA and accepted KP. Guess what...this year when he graduates he can commission into any service. He was gung ho Coast Guard, but after doing internships with them, he decided that perhaps that is NOT what he wants. Same with Navy, etc......

No other Service Academy gives you this ability, and that is one reason one may choose one over the other.

Again, all SA's give you a fine education and preparation for a commission in the armed forces, and as said before, the smack talk should be reserved for the sports field.
 
Sam, I can tell you exactly what one would choose KP over CGA....CHOICE....CHOICE AND MORE CHOICES....My DS was accepted to KP, USNA, USCGA and accepted KP. Guess what...this year when he graduates he can commission into any service. He was gung ho Coast Guard, but after doing internships with them, he decided that perhaps that is NOT what he wants. Same with Navy, etc......

No other Service Academy gives you this ability, and that is one reason one may choose one over the other.

Again, all SA's give you a fine education and preparation for a commission in the armed forces, and as said before, the smack talk should be reserved for the sports field.


There's nothing wrong or going to KP because you want more choices. But if you're goal is to be a CG Officer, Navy Officer, Air Force Officer, etc. I think you're first choices should be either those SA's or ROTC. Why take spots for other people if you don't want to go that route, you know?
 
Keep in mind that many HS seniors may think they know what they want and then suddenly they spend 4 months at sea and realize they have choices. My DA was also accepted into multiple academiles; chose KP and now thinks he wants to sail. His mind changes daily. All SA's offer great educations and opportunities..one is NOT better than the other (except on game day) and all students should be applauded for their desire to serve.
 
Keep in mind that many HS seniors may think they know what they want and then suddenly they spend 4 months at sea and realize they have choices. My DA was also accepted into multiple academiles; chose KP and now thinks he wants to sail. His mind changes daily. All SA's offer great educations and opportunities..one is NOT better than the other (except on game day) and all students should be applauded for their desire to serve.

Exactly. I ended up at KP, but in high school I was very much gung ho on the Air Force Academy. Long story short, I ended up at KP and never looked back and never felt like I missed out on anything. In the long run, the maritime industry has been pretty good to me. I would certainly not have had the background, discipline and time management skills that I have now without KP. Of course as I was going through the program, I didn't understand it.
 
Keep in mind that many HS seniors may think they know what they want and then suddenly they spend 4 months at sea and realize they have choices. My DA was also accepted into multiple academiles; chose KP and now thinks he wants to sail. His mind changes daily. All SA's offer great educations and opportunities..one is NOT better than the other (except on game day) and all students should be applauded for their desire to serve.

Correct. The question is that the applicant find the one that is right for them. While I think there are a lot of very cool opportunities at KP, I know that it was not the right choice for me.

Again, it isn't about if one is better than the other. It is about if one is better for the applicant than the other. :cool:
 
SamAca10:

re: "You wouldn't receive a commission at graduation because you would have to go through the Direct Commission Officer program, which will be 5 weeks long for you if you go to KP (adds more time to that "2 week boot camp" y'all go through )"

So I guess I've been totally "bamboozled" and confused by all those USCG Commissioned Officers I've seen show up at USMMA Graduations, swear in newly minted USCG Ensigns and pin their boards on those same individuals at Kings Point during graduations since June 1979. I'm not arguing that after they recieve their commissions and are sworn in they may or may not need to go to the DCO training that you and Revenue Cutter Service describe, only that when you go to it you do so as a Commissioned Officer/Ensign not a Candidate. Though I'm sure one of the many recent USMMA graduates who've recently traveled this path could describe it better that any of us have done so far in response to the PC's original direct question, unfortunately none have done so to this point. (Also I suspect if Bruno wasn't temporarily banned from these forums he could and likely would have the correct details for us all - not joking about this at all).

As for your earlier comment re: our "2 week boot camp" ...

JennaG:

That comment refers to the two week indoctrination period you would go through when you first report to USMMA. It's significantly shorter than the other four Academies have because in order for you to get the required sea days and hands on training necessary for you to sit for your Merchant Mariners License which here in the US is issued by the USCG in accord with IMO regulations you need either 300 or 365 days of qualifying time/training most of which is done during your "sea year". Sea Year is completed during half of your third and second class years and provides a great chance to fully immerse yourself into the Maritime Industry, the regulatory oversight of which is one of the seven missions of the USCG, and from my understanding based on the experiences of other USMMA graduates who've gone on to careers in the Active Duty Coast Guard one reason why Kings Pointers are highly thought of, especially in the USCG MSO.

Of course as to which is harder or "better" or whatever, I'll defer to the members of the various classes of 2014 at USMMA, USCGA, USMA, USNA and USAFA to "fight that one out."

The keys, IMO are as have been stated: a) All of them provide excellent educational and life opportunities; all of them have a lot in common, and some very important differences. b) The differences, while in some cases subtle and in others pretty stark when you "look under the covers" are what makes any one or the other right for you as an individual. Please don't let any of this banter etc. deter you from considering and exploring them all to figure out which, if any are the right one(s) for you.:thumb:
 
Thanks guys for all your input! You have all given me a lot of good things to consider!
 
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