Quick QuestionS

petermcd123

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IS there anyway you an be in the coRps or cadets at norwich or vmi, but go into the coast guard?


AND




Are Norwitch and VMI the best military colleges?
 
Cal Maritime has a cool program, and Texas A&M @ Galveston (Texas Maritime Acaemy)

(both are maritime programs)
 
IS there anyway you an be in the coRps or cadets at norwich or vmi, but go into the coast guard?


AND




Are Norwitch and VMI the best military colleges?

Kind of depends on who you ask doesn't it? Personally- as a VMI alum I am certain that VMI is the best military college- (highest academic ranking, lowest student/teacher ratio; most physically demanding system; most Rhodes scholarships, greatest number of flag Officer's etc...) but any Citadel or Norwich alum (and don't get an Aggie started!) worth his salt will dispute that with their own stats!:thumb:
As for Commissioning in the USCG- I believe that you would go to OCS at Yorktown just like a graduate of any other college (other than the USMMA and the State Maritime colleges from which the USCG will direct commission graduates). I know that there are at least a couple of Coasties who have graduated from VMI in the last few years as I have seen their names in the Alumni Review- don't know how many- not a lot. Truthfully- if the USCG is your goal and you are not going to the USCGA or USMMA- I would suggest that you look strongly at the State Maritme academies. Almost all have regional agreements with multiple states- they all have regimental systems- not as rigorous as VMI to be sure but military corps of cadets none the less and all have very interesting professional programs which include 3 sea terms during your cadetship if you are pursuing a 3rd mate or 3rd engineers license. The states include NY(oldest and largest); Massachusetts (must be in the Regiment whether sitting for a license or not and must take at least one sea term); Maine ; Texas and California. There is also Great lakes- much smaller and focuses primarily on licensing officers for the laker trade.
 
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thank you i really like vmi and norwich if i cant get into an academy, not to into the citadel
 
I believe that USCGA also has a program where if you do not meet academic standards at the academy, but your leadership and athletics are good, they will you send you to prep school for a year. This gives you an almost guaranteed acceptance to the academy the next year. If being a Coastie is ur dream then this is a great option.
 
As for Commissioning in the USCG- I believe that you would go to OCS at Yorktown just like a graduate of any other college

No Yorktown OCS since 1998.

Coast Guard OCS is located at the Academy in New London.
 
I know of one cadet from the Class of '08 who commissioned Coast Guard (he was actually a Reservist for at least two years of his cadetship), and one of my classmates recently decided to go that route.

In general, these cadets take Navy ROTC, but it's totally up to you which branch you do ROTC with. We have FTXs in the fall and in the spring, which are basically weekends (spring FTX is Friday at the completion of classes 'til Tuesday... they cancel class on Monday and Tuesday) devoted to ROTC training. The guy from '08 coordinated with his Reserve unit to get a Coast Guard FTX option where they spent the weekend on cutters and learning about career opportunities in the USCG. It sounded extremely cool, but he had to take the initiative himself, and only a few cadets went each time.

For more information about commissioning in the Coast Guard from VMI, email LTC Gary Bissell at BissellGA @ vmi.edu. He coordinates with the Coast Guard recruiters.


Good luck,

Jackie M. Briski
VMI Class of '09
 
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