Advantages of going to the Coast Guard Academy versus the Navy Academy? difficult choice.

I don't want to stray too far from the real point of the thread. Life after the Academy and the missions of the service are really what needs to be considered. The Coast Guard isn't entirely about Search and Rescue, and there are billets that can be less than exciting. Generally speaking Coasties can have a decent home life, but the NSCs and Polar Rollers can be underway for months at a time. The four big services are about dropping ordinance on the enemies of our country. But when I am representing USCGA at events I tell people if you're the type of person who would rush into a burning building to save someone, then we want to talk to you.
 
AuxNoob said:
I don't want to stray too far from the real point of the thread. Life after the Academy and the missions of the service are really what needs to be considered. The Coast Guard isn't entirely about Search and Rescue, and there are billets that can be less than exciting. Generally speaking Coasties can have a decent home life, but the NSCs and Polar Rollers can be underway for months at a time. The four big services are about dropping ordinance on the enemies of our country. But when I am representing USCGA at events I tell people if you're the type of person who would rush into a burning building to save someone, then we want to talk to you.
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My DS picked USCGA because of the humanitarian aspect of the Coast Guards mission. He has the highest regard of all of the services and would probably have joined the army if he hadn't been accepted to USCGAS.
 
Just left active duty with Army and AF time combined over 35 years. The standard comment I get when I told my friends in uniform that we had sons at USCGA was, "You know, if I had known about the USCGA and the mission I would have gone Coast Guard." I've heard this loads of times. Having said that, I don't know any Navy folks so they might have a different take. USMA grad here and I think I made a great choice, but to be perfectly honest...if I had to do it over again...well, you know.
 
3 years ago my DD said USNA was her dream school. So she joined USNSCC ( Naval Sea Cadets Corps) to learn more about seamanship and go to great advanced trainings and "get ready" to go Navy. The more she learned about the service after USNA, I saw her looking at the other military branches. She went to summer seminar at USAFA, 2 camps and CVW at USNA and visited USMA. The mission of the Coast Guard and the diversity of jobs after being commissioned totally makes sense for my DD's future career because it aligns with her character and core values. She will major in the same degree as she would have at USNA, (NAME). Focusing on country AND humanity is what CG is all about. I hope that perspective helps you in your decision.
 
AuxNoob said:
Life after the Academy and the missions of the service are really what needs to be considered.
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Are there aspects of the academies that are important in the decision making process, sure, but it is nature on the missions that should be the focus.

In addition to points already posted, the CG offers some additional flexibility post graduation over Navy. As an example many of DS's classmates that were not selected for aviation upon graduation have had the opportunity to re-apply and are now in flight school.
 
DH is retired Navy 06. My DS1 is currently senior at CGA. My DS knows the navy life. “CGA is a hidden gem” from Navy 06 and 04 Army, WP grad.
 
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KP Eng said:
DD goes to CGA, I went to USMMA. I attended the game this year to visit her, but during it we sat on our respective sides!
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174, member: 26814"]
DD goes to CGA, I went to USMMA. I attended the game this year to visit her, but during it we sat on our respective sides!
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I know a retired Navy CDR helo pilot that just retired from his second job as commandant of a JRNROTC program. If he were able to have a 'do over' he said he would be a helo pilot in the CG.
 
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I've often read on this board and have DS's personal experience that JO's in the CG have far greater hands on responsibility than their Navy counterparts. DS is OPS officer, drives the boat and leads the boarding team for counter narcotics operations and he just turned 24.
 
"JO's in the CG have far greater hands on responsibility than their Navy counterparts" At least two of DS's classmates 2017 are XO on 154s now (don't know how many others. They just happen to be in the same town). Two more are XOs in Bharain, and are slated for command on 87s come summer while still JGs. The same happens on the enlisted side with way more responsibility at lower rank.

Separately, as a small service you run also into the same people over and over. And you will know everyone in you USCGA class, and many in the classes ahead and behind. It makes for a very tight knit service.
 
rjb said:
In addition to points already posted, the CG offers some additional flexibility post graduation over Navy. As an example many of DS's classmates that were not selected for aviation upon graduation have had the opportunity to re-apply and are now in flight school.
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Just so you know, Naval Officers can and do redesignate after they are in the fleet. I know quite a number of my USNA classmates who were SWOs, served at sea and then went to flight school and became aviators. One was my roommate at USNA and another a close teammate and friend.
 
AuxNoob said:
Separately, as a small service you run also into the same people over and over. And you will know everyone in you USCGA class, and many in the classes ahead and behind. It makes for a very tight knit service.
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Know yourself well enough to know if that's a good thing for you. If you're not the right person, small town "tight" can be a bit claustrophobic. Horses for courses and all that. There'd be one huge, homogenous service if a single way fit everyone perfectly.
 
I have sons at both academies. They are completely different experiences.

At Navy, you can fly under the radar during Plebe summer as the class is so big. Lots of majors available and ability to switch within first year. Large campus with great athletic facilities. Great town right outside of the yard if you need a break- note, however that Plebes get few opportunities to leave campus even on weekends their first year. Huge faculty, which means my son has had a number of first-year profs who have struggled connecting with students. First class, top tier athletics programs who play top tier competition. Lots of service selections from flying to cyber to intelligence to super-elite special operations. Tradition, history and great speakers who come to campus. Lots of street cred with civilians- "oooh he went to Annapolis." Poorer reputation for USNA graduates in the fleet- sometimes enlisted sailors see USNA grads as elitist / entitled when compared to NROTC officers.

Coast Guard is much smaller so it is infinitely harder to fly under the radar during swab summer. If you mess up, they will see it. Fewer majors. Smaller campus - pretty in its own NE, red brick, kinda way. Not much to do in New London and not much within walking distance to campus. Coast Guard gets MANY more free weekends swab year. (My USNA son was shocked his CGA brother has so many weekends off). Fewer service selections but overall better places where you will be stationed. Overall longevity of Coast Guard officers speaks directly to how the work/life balance of the Coast Guard is better than that of the Navy. Less street cred with civilians (lots of folks, especially not on the coasts, don't know there is a CGA). Better reputation with enlisted sailors as nearly every Coast Guard officer attends the academy.

Great education / academic support: Even
Future civilian career: slight edge to USNA only by reputation.
Future Military Career: slight edge to CGA based on officer tenure
Future work / life balance while in military: CGA
Athletics quality: USNA
Athletcis ability to play: CGA
Facility quality: USNA (apples to oranges)

My summary: if you want a top-tier education and are willing to serve 5 years to get it, you should choose USNA. If you want a top tier education and are even considering a long-term career in the military, CGA is the way to go.
 
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OldRetSWO said:
Just so you know, Naval Officers can and do redesignate after they are in the fleet. I know quite a number of my USNA classmates who were SWOs, served at sea and then went to flight school and became aviators. One was my roommate at USNA and another a close teammate and friend.
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Is the redesignation pre five years or post five years?
 
rjb said:
Is the redesignation pre five years or post five years?
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It can be either as the five year commitment has nothing to do with it.


USNA/the Navy offer a lot more career fields such as Oceanography/Meteorology, Cryptologic Warfare, Aviation Engineering Officer, etc and many of those career fields do not have direct accessions so their officers come from the various line communities.
 
DualAcademyDad said:
Poorer reputation for USNA graduates in the fleet- sometimes enlisted sailors see USNA grads as elitist / entitled when compared to NROTC officers.
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Hi Dad, were you in the USN, officer or enlisted?

I'll add from my view from two destroyers, a frigate, an oiler, and three times with the Marines in 26 years, that the reputation of USNA graduates depends on the enlisted and the officer. Some enlisted see officers in a poor light regardless of where they graduated. Some are ambivalent. I was in deck my first ship, struck out during a Med cruise and came back an HM striker. I stood bridge watches and came in contact with officers from different departments and it depended on the individual as to my opinion of them. My DIVO seemed like a nice guy but I hardly ever saw him.

My relationship with doctors and nurses was totally different than with line officers. My relationship with SWOs became different when I went to my second ship as a corpsman. Here's my opinion of the elitist and entitled reputation of officers and I don't believe it has to do with academic pedigree. Officers aboard ship live in a room and the enlisted live in a crowded compartment. Officers eat in a room with decorations and lamps and are served food on a plate that is different and more palatable. I know this to be true. As part of my food service sanitation duties I had to taste the food. Enlisted eat on the mess decks on plastic trays. The food is overall acceptable and often times good. Nobody really expects officers and enlisted to co-mingle and nobody really cares but the difference in accommodations is glaring.

Marine officers in the field get dirty and also sleep on the ground. They carry rifles and eat chow last after every enlisted has eaten or been served or has had a chance to open an MRE. The elitist reputation of Marine officers may or may not be there but again, most people do not know or really care from which college the officer graduated.
 
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