Of course, this community could shrink or disappear in the future, but no one really knows what direction the next Commandant or two will want to take the Coast Guard in.
The current El Commandante isn't a huge DOG fan, at least not when it came to cuts.
Look, the MSRT and the MSSTs have cool gear, and they do some interesting stuff. I don't think, and a number of my old coworkers, don't think they are quiet what was envisioned.
Like Objee said, this is not a career path. While some officers and enlisted have been able to dip in and out of the DOG, it's not a specialty.
The Army has the same issue years ago. How do you hope to have people specialize and fine tune their skills when you pull them from an operational unit, like an MSST, to put them on a desk, and then four years later, send them somewhere else, that has nothing to do with the DOG. How many senior positions are there? You start removing someone from the MSRT or MSSTs and bring them back 6-8 years later, how much has to be relearned (not even considering how new many of these kinds of units, minus the strike teams, are).
If you're picturing a full career at an MSST, then give up that idea now. You may be able to go to one second tour, but to stay in it, nonstop.... well, as an officer, I'm not sure if anyone has really done that.
People like DOG units. Some people don't. It's not a community the entire Coast Guard either looks up to, or wants to be in. Their fairly focused, but I think, at some times, the Coast Guard isn't entirely sure what to do with them.... so they send them to the same areas a PSU could work (but I'm fairly certainly a PSU is far cheaper than an MSST to run).
I'm not trying to be down on the DOG community. I've had friends, classmates, and fellow CGA folks who have worked in/with them. I've had a few positive run ins with them as well. All good people. I just don't want you to get the idea that you're going to be pulling "Zero Dark Thirty" ops or anything like that.
The opportunity exists, even two years out of CGA, but you need to know what to expect.