Jobs after Graduation

They're really not "offers" but assignments. The vast majority of CGA graduates will be assigned to train either as deck officers or engineering officers in the fleet. A very small number will get to go to flight school.
 
Thanks alaska, my DD is interested in CGIS so those two sound a bit more up her alley (although she wouldn't mind being a deck watch officer either!)

Gives her something to research before our roadtrip to USCGA this summer.
 
CGIS isn't an officer position. Typically it's civilians, and Chief Warrant Officers and enlisted that rotate through.
 
The best way to think about the Coast Guard is to divide it into three parts. One part is the cutter fleet. One part is aviation. One part is the sector community.

Cutter Fleet
These are the guys and gals on ships more than 65 feet in length. For officers the cutter fleet to you will be 87' - 420' cutters. Within the fleet there are little sub-communities, based on the hull colors. White hulls comprise the majority of the fleet. These are the cutters you see often enforcing fisheries laws, interdicting drugs and migrants and conducting search and rescue. The larger white hulls (210' and up) also have flight decks. Black hulls are typically Aids to Navigation (ATON) boats. They're buoy tenders. Yes, they can do other things, like search and rescue, enforce laws etc, but their focus is typically ATON. There are also a small number of 140' ice breaking tugs that also are black hulls. Red hulls are the last community and it's a small one. The red hull community are ice breakers. There's the 240' Mackinaw on the Great Lakes (which is more like a big buoy tender that can also break ice), the two 399' "Polar Rollers" Polar Sea and the Polar Star (but one is in dry dock... and being used for parts) and the 420' Healy. Healy and the Polar Rollers also have flight decks. These larger ice breakers are typically engaged in scientific operations.

Aviation
This is pretty straight forward, this is the community that flies. It can be broken down into two main sub-communities; helos (helicopters) and fixed-wing (planes). In the helo community you have the MH-60 Jayhawk, which is the Coast Guard's version of the Blackhawk, and you have the MH-65 Dolphin. Because of its size, the MH-60 is typically landbased (it's too big for the flight deck of most Coast Guard cutters), while the MH-65 can deploy with cutters, but also have home Air Stations. On the fixed wing side you have planes that typically support search and rescue operations, transport Coast Guardsmen and act as an "eye in the sky."

Sectors
This is the land-based portion of the Coast Guard. It can reasonably be divided into two sub-communities, prevention and response. Prevention is essentially inspections. They'll inspect cargo or commercial vessels, make sure they're up to standards. Response is your small boat stations and boarding teams. They'll go out and board vessels, provide port-side security etc. I think a Sector Commander (Captain of the Port) is one of the most powerful operational assignments in the Coast Guard, and maybe the military (note, I'm saying operational, obviously flag officers have more "power"). They can close down entire ports, on their own authority (it doesn't happen often). While that may not seem like a big deal, in some very large ports, such as NY, or Los Angeles Long Beach, etc. that has a HUGE impact on commerce.


So these are the operational communities. Outside of these communities are other communities. Your career will move from operational assignments to staff assignments (staff assignments are more like desk jobs). Eventually you can develop two career paths, your operational career path in one of the above communities, and a staff career path... in an area you've had some experience and expertise. Staff and operations tours can be related. You may be an officer on a cutter and then go to Coast Guard HQ in D.C. and work in the Cutter Forces office as a staff tour.

Hope that makes sense. Let me know if I've thoroughly confused you.
 
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Nice summation. Can this be some kind of sticky?

In fact, I'm going to plagiarize this for college fairs. In fact, I'm going to plagiarize this. But not without feeling guilty about it. For a bit.
 
I added a sentence about fixed wings.... I realize I only mentioned the helo side of aviation.
 
Not to contradict you, but it's "interdiction."

The most direct experience you'll get immediately after graduation, with respect to drug interdiction, is a white hull cutter. Cutters in Districts 7 and 11 probably get the most action because they're in the area. I was on a Distrct 5 cutter (out of New Jersey) and half of our patrols were in the North Atlantic and the other half were down south. The southern cutters didn't really go north for our patrols.

Later in aviation you might get some experience with the "Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron" (HITRON). And at a sector you may assist, but early on in your career being on a white hull cutter down south is probably the best way. Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETS) often embarked on Navy ships can also help with drug busts.
 
2015 Billets, PII removed.

ACTIVE (WMEC 618) 210 PORT ANGELES WA DECK OFFICER
ACTIVE (WMEC 618) 210 PORT ANGELES WA DECK OFFICER
ACTIVE (WMEC 618) 210 PORT ANGELES WA STUDENT ENG TAB
ALDER (WLB 216) 225 DULUTH MN DECK OFFICER
ALDER (WLB 216) 225 DULUTH MN DECK OFFICER
ALERT (WMEC 630) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
ALERT (WMEC 630) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
ALERT (WMEC 630) 210 ASTORIA OR STUDENT ENG TAB
ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39) 282 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39) 282 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39) 282 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
ALEX HALEY (WMEC 39) 282 KODIAK AK STUDENT ENG TAB
ASPEN (WLB 208) 225 SAN FRANCISCO CA DECK OFFICER
BEAR (WMEC 901) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
BEAR (WMEC 901) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
BEAR (WMEC 901) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
BERNARD C. WEBBER (WPC 1101) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
BERTHOLF (WMSL 750) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
BERTHOLF (WMSL 750) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
BERTHOLF (WMSL 750) 418 ALAMEDA CA STUDENT ENG TAB
BOUTWELL (WHEC 719) 378 SAN DIEGO CA DECK OFFICER
BOUTWELL (WHEC 719) 378 SAN DIEGO CA DECK OFFICER
BOUTWELL (WHEC 719) 378 SAN DIEGO CA STUDENT ENG TAB
BRISTOL BAY (WTGB 102) 140 DETROIT MI DECK OFFICER
CAMPBELL (WMEC 909) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
CAMPBELL (WMEC 909) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
CAMPBELL (WMEC 909) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
CAMPBELL (WMEC 909) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH STUDENT ENG TAB
CHARLES DAVID JR (WPC 1107) 154 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
CONFIDENCE (WMEC 619) 210 PATRICK AFB FL DECK OFFICER
CONFIDENCE (WMEC 619) 210 PATRICK AFB FL DECK OFFICER
CONFIDENCE (WMEC 619) 210 PATRICK AFB FL STUDENT ENG TAB
CYPRESS (WLB 210) 225 PENSACOLA FL DECK OFFICER
DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624) 210 GALVESTON TX DECK OFFICER
DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624) 210 GALVESTON TX DECK OFFICER
DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624) 210 GALVESTON TX DECK OFFICER
DAUNTLESS (WMEC 624) 210 GALVESTON TX STUDENT ENG TAB
DECISIVE (WMEC 629) 210 PASCAGOULA MS DECK OFFICER
DECISIVE (WMEC 629) 210 PASCAGOULA MS DECK OFFICER
DECISIVE (WMEC 629) 210 PASCAGOULA MS STUDENT ENG TAB
DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA DECK OFFICER
DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA DECK OFFICER
DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA DECK OFFICER
DEPENDABLE (WMEC 626) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
DILIGENCE (WMEC 616) 210 WILMINGTON NC DECK OFFICER
DILIGENCE (WMEC 616) 210 WILMINGTON NC DECK OFFICER
DILIGENCE (WMEC 616) 210 WILMINGTON NC DECK OFFICER
DILIGENCE (WMEC 616) 210 WILMINGTON NC STUDENT ENG TAB
ELM (WLB 204) 225 ATLANTIC BEACH NC DECK OFFICER
ESCANABA (WMEC 907) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
ESCANABA (WMEC 907) 270 BOSTON MA STUDENT ENG TAB
FIR (WLB 213) 225 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FLIGHT PENSACOLA FL FLIGHT
FORWARD (WMEC 911) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
FORWARD (WMEC 911) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
FORWARD (WMEC 911) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
HAMILTON (WMSL 715) 418 CHARLESTON SC DECK OFFICER
HAMILTON (WMSL 715) 418 CHARLESTON SC DECK OFFICER
HAMILTON (WMSL 715) 418 CHARLESTON SC STUDENT ENG TAB
HAMILTON (WMSL 715) 418 CHARLESTON SC STUDENT ENG TAB
HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
HARRIET LANE (WMEC 903) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
HEALY (WAGB 20) 420 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
HEALY (WAGB 20) 420 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
HEALY (WAGB 20) 420 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
HEALY (WAGB 20) 420 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
HERIBERTO HERNANDEZ (WPC) 154 SAN JUAN PR DECK OFFICER
HICKORY (WLB 212) 225 HOMER AK DECK OFFICER
ISAAC MAYO (WPC 1112) 154 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
JAMES (WMSL 754) 418 CHARLESTON SC DECK OFFICER
JAMES (WMSL 754) 418 CHARLESTON SC DECK OFFICER
JAMES (WMSL 754) 418 CHARLESTON SC STUDENT ENG TAB
JAMES (WMSL 754) 418 CHARLESTON SC STUDENT ENG TAB
JOSEPH NAPIER (WPC 1115) 154 SAN JUAN PR DECK OFFICER
JOSEPH TEZANOS (WPC 1118) 154 SAN JUAN PR DECK OFFICER
JUNIPER (WLB 201) 225 NEWPORT RI DECK OFFICER
KUKUI (WLB 203) 225 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
LEGARE (WMEC 912) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
LEGARE (WMEC 912) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
LEGARE (WMEC 912) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
MACKINAW (WLBB 30) 240 CHEBOYGAN MI DECK OFFICER
MACKINAW (WLBB 30) 240 CHEBOYGAN MI STUDENT ENG TAB
MAPLE (WLB 207) 225 SITKA AK DECK OFFICER
MARGARET NORVELL (WPC 1105) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
MELLON (WHEC 717) 378 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
MIDGETT (WHEC 726) 378 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
MOBILE BAY (WTGB 103) 140 STURGEON BAY WI DECK OFFICER
MOBILE BAY (WTGB 103) 140 STURGEON BAY WI DECK OFFICER
MOHAWK (WMEC 913) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
MOHAWK (WMEC 913) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
MOHAWK (WMEC 913) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
MOHAWK (WMEC 913) 270 KEY WEST FL STUDENT ENG TAB
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) 378 HONOLULU HI STUDENT ENG TAB
MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) 378 HONOLULU HI STUDENT ENG TAB
MSU PORT ARTHUR RES PORT ARTHUR TX PREPAREDNESS SPEC
MUNRO (WHEC 724) 378 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
MUNRO (WHEC 724) 378 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
MUNRO (WHEC 724) 378 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
MUNRO (WHEC 724) 378 KODIAK AK DECK OFFICER
MUNRO (WHEC 724) 378 KODIAK AK STUDENT ENG TAB
NORTHLAND (WMEC 904) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
NORTHLAND (WMEC 904) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
NORTHLAND (WMEC 904) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
PAUL CLARK (WPC 1106) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
POLAR STAR (WAGB 10) 399 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
POLAR STAR (WAGB 10) 399 SEATTLE WA DECK OFFICER
POLAR STAR (WAGB 10) 399 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
POLAR STAR (WAGB 10) 399 SEATTLE WA STUDENT ENG TAB
RAYMOND EVANS 154 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
RELIANCE (WMEC 615) 210 KITTERY ME DECK OFFICER
RELIANCE (WMEC 615) 210 KITTERY ME DECK OFFICER
RELIANCE (WMEC 615) 210 KITTERY ME STUDENT ENG TAB
RESOLUTE (WMEC 620) 210 ST PETERSBURG FL DECK OFFICER
RESOLUTE (WMEC 620) 210 ST PETERSBURG FL STUDENT ENG TAB
RICHARD DIXON (WPC 1113) 154 SAN JUAN PR DECK OFFICER
RICHARD ETHERIDGE (WPC 1102) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
ROBERT YERED (WPC 1104) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
SEC HOU/GAL RES HOUSTON TX ENFORCEMENT MGMT
SECTOR LAKE MICHIGAN RES MILWAUKEE WI INCIDENT MGMT
SECTOR CORPUS CHRISITI PRE CORPUS CHRISTI TX MARINE INSP/PSCO-APPRENTICE
SECTOR HOUSTON/GALVESTON PRE HOUSTON TX MARINE INSP/PSCO-APPRENTICE
SECTOR NEW ORLEANS PRE NEW ORLEANS LA MARINE INSP/PSCO-APPRENTICE
SENECA (WMEC 906) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
SENECA (WMEC 906) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
SENECA (WMEC 906) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
SENECA (WMEC 906) 270 BOSTON MA STUDENT ENG TAB
SEQUOIA (WLB 215) 225 SANTA RITA GU DECK OFFICER
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI STUDENT ENG TAB
SHERMAN (WHEC 720) 378 HONOLULU HI STUDENT ENG TAB
SPENCER (WMEC 905) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
SPENCER (WMEC 905) 270 BOSTON MA DECK OFFICER
SPENCER (WMEC 905) 270 BOSTON MA STUDENT ENG TAB
STEADFAST (WMEC 623) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
STEADFAST (WMEC 623) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
STEADFAST (WMEC 623) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
STEADFAST (WMEC 623) 210 ASTORIA OR DECK OFFICER
STEADFAST (WMEC 623) 210 ASTORIA OR STUDENT ENG TAB
STRATTON (WMSL 752) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
STRATTON (WMSL 752) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
STRATTON (WMSL 752) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
STRATTON (WMSL 752) 418 ALAMEDA CA STUDENT ENG TAB
STRATTON (WMSL 752) 418 ALAMEDA CA STUDENT ENG TAB
SYCAMORE (WLB 209) 225 CORDOVA AK DECK OFFICER
TAHOMA (WMEC 908) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
TAHOMA (WMEC 908) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
TAHOMA (WMEC 908) 270 PORTSMOUTH NH DECK OFFICER
TAMPA (WMEC 902) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
TAMPA (WMEC 902) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
TAMPA (WMEC 902) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
TAMPA (WMEC 902) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA DECK OFFICER
TAMPA (WMEC 902) 270 PORTSMOUTH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
THETIS (WMEC 910) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
THETIS (WMEC 910) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
THETIS (WMEC 910) 270 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
THETIS (WMEC 910) 270 KEY WEST FL STUDENT ENG TAB
VALIANT (WMEC 621) 210 MAYPORT FL DECK OFFICER
VALIANT (WMEC 621) 210 MAYPORT FL DECK OFFICER
VALIANT (WMEC 621) 210 MAYPORT FL DECK OFFICER
VALIANT (WMEC 621) 210 MAYPORT FL STUDENT ENG TAB
VENTUROUS (WMEC-625) 210 ST PETERSBURG FL DECK OFFICER
VENTUROUS (WMEC-625) 210 ST PETERSBURG FL DECK OFFICER
VENTUROUS (WMEC-625) 210 ST PETERSBURG FL STUDENT ENG TAB
VIGILANT (WMEC 617) 210 PATRICK AFB FL DECK OFFICER
VIGILANT (WMEC 617) 210 PATRICK AFB FL STUDENT ENG TAB
VIGOROUS (WMEC 627) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA DECK OFFICER
VIGOROUS (WMEC 627) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA DECK OFFICER
VIGOROUS (WMEC 627) 210 VIRGINIA BEACH VA STUDENT ENG TAB
WAESCHE (WMSL 751) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
WAESCHE (WMSL 751) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
WAESCHE (WMSL 751) 418 ALAMEDA CA DECK OFFICER
WAESCHE (WMSL 751) 418 ALAMEDA CA STUDENT ENG TAB
WALNUT (WLB 205) 225 HONOLULU HI DECK OFFICER
WILLIAM FLORES (WPC 1103) 154 MIAMI FL DECK OFFICER
WILLIAM TRUMP (WPC 1111) 154 KEY WEST FL DECK OFFICER
WILLOW (WLB 202) 225 NEWPORT RI DECK OFFICER
WILLOW (WLB 202) 225 NEWPORT RI DECK OFFICER
WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116) 154 SAN JUAN PR DECK OFFICER
 
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