Pilot slots and USCGA

[CessnaEnthusiast04]

I was doing some digging on pilot slots in USCGA as compared to usafa, and the only figure I could find was that about 10% of the coast guard academy gets a slot. From what I've been told, if you want to get a slot at USAFA and your grades are decent, you will get it. For reference, I have my PPL and I want to fly rotorcraft.

 

[sanman]

I was doing some digging on pilot slots in USCGA as compared to usafa, and the only figure I could find was that about 10% of the coast guard academy gets a slot. From what I've been told, if you want to get a slot at USAFA and your grades are decent, you will get it. For reference, I have my PPL and I want to fly rotorcraft.

Yes about 10% go to fight school straight from the academy. However many also go to flight school after they have spent some time deployed in the fleet or other duties. The Coast Guard has a higher percentage of pilots in their Officer Corp than the Air Force.

 

[Haveaniceday]

Fun to watch the live steam this year of all the CGA grads getting their assignments.
Without further delay, below are my unofficial counts, I could be one or two off:

Aviation = 22 - More are interested, but many chose to work a cutter as a first assignment and put in for aviation for a future assignment.
Cyber = 7 - Looks like all going to USCG HQ. Class of 2021 did not have opportunity for a cyber major yet as it is a new major, probably mostly ORCA degrees (guess).
Ashore = 9 - Prevention billets.
Afloat = 210 - The vast majority as in years past go afloat for a first assignment either as a Deck Watch Officer (DWO) or Engineer in Training (EOIT).

I think a special congratulations are in order for this years class, for excelling under the past year of Covid impacts.

For those of you in the application process, waiting to report this summer on June 28th or considering the Academy in the future it is an exciting time and best of luck in your endeavors wherever they lead.

Agree with @sanman , above is a data point from this years graduates.

 

[ekb1398]

Agree with all of the above. The basic rule of thumb is that if you want to be a pilot, as long as you are medically qualified and no major black marks (like DUI type things) on your record, you'll get picked up within a couple years after graduation.

 

[ProudMom7]

My daughter has also said that many cadets who want to go to flight school, do not put it as a top choice for billet selection so that they can get some experience out in the fleet first. As others have said, you can request flight school an assignment later on.

 

[CessnaEnthusiast04]

Agree with all of the above. The basic rule of thumb is that if you want to be a pilot, as long as you are medically qualified and no major black marks (like DUI type things) on your record, you'll get picked up within a couple years after graduation.

Does that mean that if you were to want aviation as initial assignment, you would probably not get it? I am thinking in the air force mindset where you go straight from academy to training

 

[ProudMom7]

Does that mean that if you were to want aviation as initial assignment, you would probably not get it? I am thinking in the air force mindset where you go straight from academy to training

I think it depends where you fall in the class rank and how many others above you requested flight school as their first choice. From past years it looks like ~20-25 get flight school billets right out of school (that is about 10% of the class).

 

[CessnaEnthusiast04]

I think it depends where you fall in the class rank and how many others above you requested flight school as their first choice. From past years it looks like ~20-25 get flight school billets right out of school (that is about 10% of the class).

Thanks for the clarification, makes a lot more sense now. At the end of the day I will end up going wherever I get accepted to. If I get into USAFA and fly rotorcraft that route, I can always go DCA into the coast guard later on. This forum kicks ass!

 

[ekb1398]

Does that mean that if you were to want aviation as initial assignment, you would probably not get it? I am thinking in the air force mindset where you go straight from academy to training

No, I don't think that's a fair characterization at all. You have a solid change of getting it. @ProudMom7 is partially correct - class rank matters, but it's not everything. I was almost exactly 3/4s of the way down from the top of the class, and got flight school, and friends of mine lower have gotten it in years past as well. If you are lucky enough to be accepted to both, I would strongly recommend looking at things outside of aviation. Culture of the branch, job opportunities outside aviation (in case medical or something happens), duty station locations, etc. Those should all be potential factors in your decision as well, in my opinion.