USCG presence Around the World

all4jmj

5-Year Member
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Jan 2, 2012
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Curiosity question. Where are there USCG posts or presence around the world? I know it is minimal but if someone going to study International Affairs at the Academy then what career positions do they work in?
Thx,
Mom of USCGA applicant 2016
 
Curiosity question. Where are there USCG posts or presence around the world? I know it is minimal but if someone going to study International Affairs at the Academy then what career positions do they work in?
Thx,
Mom of USCGA applicant 2016

Homeports are mostly in the United States....

beyond the typical U.S. ports you might expect, you will find the Coast Guard in Europe, Guam, Japan, Bahrain, liaison positions in many seafaring nations, and you will find them in the seven seas....

On a side note you don't study international affairs, you would be a government major on the international affairs track. That's probably better for a govt. major who did that... I was a government major with a public policy track.
 
on the side note... yes, yes I know its Government on the Int'l Affairs track. I just found it a mouthful to write.:wink:
But thanks for that info. I also spoke to my uncle tonight who is in the Coast Guard Auxillary in Miami and he informed me of a lot of interaction with the Countries in all of Latin America (that have a coast) and the great need for officers who speak spanish and portuguese and know the culture. :thumb: This is good news for my dd!
 
Absolutely. Had a JO friend at HQ who went TAD on cutter for a patrol to Africa because he spoke French.

Every foreign port I pulled into had a USCG liaison officer "LNO".

The nice thing... the foreign navies often identify with the Coast Guard (especially size/missions) more than with the U.S. Navy, so they speak the "same language".

I even felt a bond with the "coasties" of Colombia.
 
Do you happen to know which countries in Europe are offered for Government with the International Affairs route? I'm guessing that more cadets prefer to be sent to the countries in Europe and you get your first choice if your rank at CGA is high enough? I believe that's how West Pointers receive their location to serve after graduation.
 
You aren't "sent" anywhere because of your major.

Your first two years out of CGA... you will be on a ship, or at a sector or at flight school. As a butter bar you have nothing to add to the liaison world, no experience, nothing.... learn operational stuff.... and see where it goes from there.

Some people will find the international training team out of Yorktown. That would be the first true international experience in a career. Beyond that, you're waiting for O-4. Coast Guard Activities Europe is in the Netherlands.

Being a government major won't give you a "leg up".... doing a good job at you first units and follow-on units will.

Where did I see the most of the world? I coordinated the Coast Guard's portion of a DOD outreach program. That took me to Greece, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Colombia, Panama, Cuba (ok....GTMO), and I'm blanking on an island.... I liked each place.... but I really liked Greece and LOVED Colombia.


Being on a cutter, I only ever saw Cuba, Haiti and the Bahamas.... and mostly that was to return migrants.
 
GTMO is one of those places where it's cool to say you've been there, but not actually a very good port call. Luckily we can't get stationed there.
 
Some PSUs and MSSTs get a good long extended stay in GTMO.

I was never bother by one GTMO portcall a patrol. It was cheaper than hitting Key West 4 times in a row, but GTMO is pretty boring. Fun 100 degree Christmas day a few years ago.
 
Curiosity question. Where are there USCG posts or presence around the world? I know it is minimal but if someone going to study International Affairs at the Academy then what career positions do they work in?
Thx,
Mom of USCGA applicant 2016

As LITS says, your CGA major has little to do w/ ensign's assignments, except engineers will likely be that on their first cutters. The major may have some bearing on a subsequent PG school application at the O3-O4 level. The USCG is in a surprising number of countries, particularly in the US Embassies in Latin American, a few in Europe and the CG's Far East Section in Japan. Another overseas option is an exchange tour with the USN on a ship and some 2 year aviation exchanges. The USCG also has some forces operating in the MidEast. Some may consider Alaska, Hawaii & Guam overseas where there are large CG contingents.

An oversea assignment can be had in the USCG if desired, you're not confined to the lower 48.
 
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