SEALs now open to USCGA

Luigi59

Luigi59

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For Coast Guard Members, A Unique Opportunity

Navy SEALS unit opens door for training to interested candidates; Coast Guard will send four per year

By Jennifer Grogan Published on 8/12/2008

New London - When the school year begins at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy next week, a new and unusual career path will be open to cadets.

Coast Guardsmen - who traditionally serve on cutters, fly planes or work at Coast Guard sectors - can now train to become U.S. Navy SEALs.

”When I look down the list of requirements, there isn't a reason I can think of why most graduates here, if they were inclined to do that, wouldn't be in a good position to be able to,” Rear Adm. J. Scott Burhoe, academy superintendent, said Monday.

Cadets are physically fit, 65 percent are involved in sports at the school, and they graduate with the critical-thinking skills and confidence necessary to succeed as a SEAL (Sea, Air, Land), Burhoe said.

SEALs perform special-operations missions around the world, often working in small units to conduct military actions that are beyond the abilities of conventional military forces, according to the Navy.

”It wouldn't surprise me at all if a handful of cadets want to consider this and learn more about it,” Burhoe said.

The Coast Guard plans to send only four men to SEAL training annually. Candidates must be males younger than 29 years old who meet rigorous eligibility standards.

Coast Guardsmen who complete the training, which lasts between 18 and 24 months, will be assigned to a Navy SEAL team for five to seven years, but will still officially be members of the Coast Guard.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=ef52bac8-88a6-4e61-8457-648d3898750c
 
The only negative here is this belies the fact that women are eligible for any job in the Coast Guard. Some day...remember "GI Jane.":guns6:
 
That's awesome...and a great venture for a Coastie who needs a little more challenge in his day. :smile:
Boss, even though women aren't eligible for Seals, the sealchallenge website says "...women are encouraged to investigate the Diver and EOD fields..." interesting indeed...
I got dizzy and shin splints just reading the physical trng requirements. Hats off to them!
 
thats pretty awesome, i know a few people who would be perfect for this
 
My Boy friend who is in the Cg told me about that. Pretty neat. He'd never do it hes too chicken but its neat!
 
"The only negative here is this belies the fact that women are eligible for any job in the Coast Guard. Some day...remember "GI Jane."


Except this isn't "in" the Coast Guard, it's in the Navy.
 
But what is in this for the Coast Guard? I guess I don't see what benefit the USCG gets from having guys on detached duty to the Navy for 5 years after 18 months of BUDS and SQT etc... I can understand someone going to Navy schools and then returning to the CG- but what does this program do for the Coast Guard? 4/year with a commitment for 7 years isn't enough people and too long to devleop a nucleus of SEAL trained guys in the Coast Guard to begin some kind of special tactics underway boarding unit even if that is the plan so I don't really get it. If someone wanted to be a SEAL why wouldn't they just join the Navy to begin with? :confused:
 
The knowledge of that training brought back to the Coast Guard would be a benefit. Also, this only assists in the cooperation in the National Fleet.
 
I guess that's the theory- but 7 years from now? And-at that point if they come back to the CG- what will they know about it? Guy will go as a new ensign and comeback as a LT looking forward to an O4 board without ever having been in a Coast Guard billet? Odd career progression there at best. Again you could understand it if they were going to come back to form the nucleus of a Coast Guard spec missions unit but then you probably also would be putting a big squeeze on getting interservice transfers from the SEALS and and you would be running more than 4 guys thru at a time. This just seems kind of strange to me from the organizational point of view.
 
Talked to some SEALs last week at SOCEUR (Special Operations Command Europe), about Coast Guardsmen being included in the SEALS training, and they were very positive about it. Same questions came up eventually, "what will they do after SEALS".

I guess we'll wait and see, I'm sure someone out there has an answer for that question.
 
A follow up on USCG in the SEAL programs from Army Times last Friday:

12 Coasties being considered for SEAL training

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/cg_SEALs_103008/

I'm still somewhat puzzled about how this will be a benefit to the Coast Guard- especially since: "Those who successfully complete the service commitment are not required to return to the Coast Guard," and what's a little more puzzling is that the area where the USCG should be the hands down experts- special warfare boat crews- is where they are still not able to apply. It's an interesting evolution though.
 
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