Amazing visit to USCGA - Photos

We had a fantastic day at the Academy today. So much, that my son may have moved up his preferences and put USCGA first. We met the Asst Superintendent and we met with the head of the Electrical Engineering Department. What an amazing place. We were able to get our tour completed before the wind and rain hit!
Had a nice lunch at the little cafe on campus Dry Dock, food was good!

USNA also has a small cafe called Drydock. Makes a decent sandwich and pizza. Its open at night time also f0r Mids to grab things. Glad to see he enjoyed USCGA. Definitely a great school and a great mission.

It's all about where he sees himself succeeding, and then liking the obligated service career fields after graduation. Picking the right Academy for him goes hand-in-hand with whether he thinks there are things he would like to do in that service. Package deal. Gorgeously today in Annapolis, have fun!

We loved going through the Museum....so many things in a little space...just like the Academy itself! Also, DD enjoyed Cadet for a Day...she had a great day and scored well on the PFE (didn't realize she could be tested that day).

Dry Dock at USNA is a great place for parents and siblings with the great TV and a place to meet your Mid. Good luck with USCGA.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Yeah, Dry Dock was a bit of refuge for us a 4/c cadets, but we were discourage from going by our upperclass (which worked for awhile, until tales of Dry Dock glory spread). Dry Dock has REALLY improved since I was a cadet too.

CGA is a special place, but you really realize how special it is until you've graduated and been away for awhile.

We have had 2 very different experiences in our 2 Academy visits. Today was US Naval Academy. So much larger, same great leadership, same great training... all comes down to who wants him and where his heart and mind take him... decision for him to make, he loved em both... Here is hoping that one or both like him enough to offer him the opportunity...

I had to decide between USCGA, USNA and USMMA…. and it was the visit that sealed the deal for me. It's a good position to be in.

One thing to keep in mind: CGA assigns the Graduates big-time leadership roles right after they graduate...I hear that the other Academies are so big, its kind of like starting from Square One after graduation.

Also, it seems like the teachers at CGA really spend time with their students...not sure about the other large Academies.

Ah fall in New England. All the best for whatever choice he makes.

SueRI... Not necessarily true. Really depends on their service selection. Not trying to hijack the thread. If OP has questions regarding the subject definitely can add more to the discussion. Entering the fleet or operational forces as a brand new butter bars in any service is like starting over.

NavyHoops...good to know. Please add more now....DD is seriously thinking of the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering degree at CGA since she's been around boats for ions and loves to sail. Since math comes somewhat easy to her, we're encouraging her into any STEM program but we don't know about the military aspect afterwards so any thoughts/real life experiences are worth reading! Thanks in advance!

We can let this thread go anywhere you guys want, we had a great experience!!

I don't agree. Entering the Coast Guard fleet you will have more responsibility, initially, than the Navy. I didn't realize that until I went to Navy EKMS school, and we compared what we were working on.

Of course, eventually that tops out. The largest cutter you could command in the Coast Guard is 420'.

The commanding officer of my 210' cutter was the same rank as a Navy destroyer commanding officer, although that destroyer is 3x the size with a much larger crew.

LITS is right on target. Leadership opportunities abound in all the service officer ranks, but when/how soon they occur, how large, and how often they occur vary according to service and warfare specialty. Wanna be Tom Cruise, fly fighters and command a carrier with 5000+ onboard? Spend two years in flight school after commissioning and rise through the ranks until - maybe - you get squadron command at the rank of commander, nearly 15 years in. Do well at that, and maybe you have a shot at a carrier years after that and another promotion. Want to go to sea/operational right away and get small group leadership? Other services and other parts of the Navy. You figure out what things you want to do, warfare-wise, and accept the career progression that goes with that. Compare to medical school and length of residencies for various specialties. Brain surgeon or family practice? Both equally fine and valuable career choices, but different paths and timelines to get there.

SueRI said:

One thing to keep in mind: CGA assigns the Graduates big-time leadership roles right after they graduate..

Click to expand...

Maybe not right after graduation, but it's not unusual for a LTJG to get command of an 87' cutter two years after graduation.

I'm not sure if any other branch has a faster track to a CO position.

Or a frocked 1st LT Marine to get a Captains slot as a Company Commander. You get the bars but you don't get the money. Great parking spot though.

First off, not trying to start a pissing contest of what is better. Better is the service that best fits ones values, mission, personality, etc. If you hate water, don't join the Navy or Coast Guard. If you can't fathom sleeping under the stars... don't be a Soldier or Marine.

There are tons of leadership positions in all the services. They can vastly vary among different communities within the same service also. And what ones does now vs. 6 months from now can also change once out in the operational forces. My 3 room mates all went SWO at graduation. They all took on DivO jobs while working to get qualified as OOD and their SWO pin. The smallest team any of them had was 15 and the largest was 42 as a brand new Ensign. The size of a Division on a ship can vary... Destroyer vs. Oiler vs. Amphib. I am sure the same is probably true in the Coast Guard with reference to size of ship. My first job was a crew commander with a team of 15 Marines. I also had a ton of collateral billets (this happens on every ship and unit). I also had another team of 4 Marines in the admin/legal shop that all reported to me. Both of these were full time jobs. Once I deployed, I had a platoon of 52 Marines and then a crew of 8. Two completely different jobs, with different responsibilities, that kept me busy around the clock. My pilot friends had totally different experiences. For most it is to get their qualifications and then 1 or 2 collateral billets. Company command can come quickly... same in the Navy with a jump to Dept Head. Marines that is usually 120+ folks and Navy it can vary. For the Marine side this can happen at the 4-6 year mark (timing of shore tours can impact). The numbers increase pretty quickly on the Navy and Marine side of the house (I am image Army is the same). Pick the service that is best for you. That is where one will be happiest and thrive.

Also one of my closest friend's was a Naval Arch major at USNA and loved it. Boats was actually one of top 3 favorite classes at USNA and wish I had really considered that for a major. He now works for the Dept of Navy as a civilian at NSWC Carderock doing hull designs on different ships. Recommend a quick google search on NSWC Carderock if that is what her interests are.

Navyhoops is correct: DD hated ships during summer deployments, SWO was not for her. Roommate was prior Marine so they competed. She did Leatherneck and liked it. There are many avenues to leadership positions.