Air,land or sea?

burnerafter16

5-Year Member
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Mar 31, 2012
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Understandably at USCGA, there's plenty of time aboard different types of sea-faring vessels as part of training and hands-on experience. If a cadet decides that they would prefer not to be at sea, what career paths/majors should one be focussing on?
Of the graduates, what's the breakdown? percentage-wise of who gets to fly, who gets shore duty and who ends up being at sea?
 
Your phrasing "ends up at sea" seems to indicate a belief that those there did not choose that path, and just "ended up there."

On the contrary, the best long-term career moves you can make involve early sea duty. Advancing to a command position (the fastest track to command in the military btw) as an O-2, in charge of an 87ft cutter with 10 crew members is not uncommon.

For the USCG, the sea is your office. Not many Coast Guard jobs in Nebraska & Oklahoma.

Last year, there were 233 graduates commissioned as USCG officers. Less than 4% (9 Ensigns) were assigned Sector (land-based) billets.

197 were assigned to cutters
24 were assigned to flight school

If a cadet "decides they would prefer not to be at sea," they probably shouldn't consider a job with the USCG.

And since the USCG hires 100% of the graduates (n/i foreigners) of the USCGA, probably shouldn't consider it either.
 
Was not presuming that some did not" choose a path but ended up there".
Of course, there's a system in place to have a wish list but in the end, you go where you're needed.
Merely inquiring on the probabilities and past statistics of which you have provided. Thank you for your viewpoint.
 
Was not presuming that some did not" choose a path but ended up there".

I understand, but the phrase "end up" doesn't connotate a positive outcome.

end up
vb (adverb)

1. (copula) to become eventually; turn out to be. he ended up a thief
2. (intr) to arrive, esp by a circuitous or lengthy route or process. to end up in prison

burnerafter16 said:
Of course, there's a system in place to have a wish list but in the end, you go where you're needed.

The nice part of a CGA afloat or sector billet assignment coming out of the academy - you are there for 2 years, after which you may then go to flight (if that was your initial desire).

burnerafter16 said:
Merely inquiring on the probabilities and past statistics of which you have provided. Thank you for your viewpoint.

You are welcome.
 
Your phrasing "ends up at sea" seems to indicate a belief that those there did not choose that path, and just "ended up there."

There are quite a few grads who would agree with that...
 
A follow-up on Burnafter's question. I am very well aware that around 85% of every class goes to a cutter for their first two years. After the first two years, what are the sector positions that would open and how difficult is it to move into a sector position at that time? Also, is moving to a sector job a poor career move? Thanks.
 
There are a lot of ashore jobs that open up starting your second tour. One thing to note, ashore does not imply Sector. Sectors are just the only ashore jobs that new grads can take but after that you can get a job at a District, Area, Headquarters, etc (Sector<District<Area<HQ). There's a pretty big variety of things to do within those commands.

Afloat jobs actually become harder to come by the more senior you get because you can only take the few higher command positions on each cutter.
 
There are a lot of ashore jobs that open up starting your second tour. One thing to note, ashore does not imply Sector. Sectors are just the only ashore jobs that new grads can take but after that you can get a job at a District, Area, Headquarters, etc (Sector<District<Area<HQ). There's a pretty big variety of things to do within those commands.

Afloat jobs actually become harder to come by the more senior you get because you can only take the few higher command positions on each cutter.

Thanks.
 
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