Tough question. Technically speaking, I think you can opt for boot if you want, but a lot of it depends on where you are in life and what you want to do in the CGR.
REBI was specifically designed for those with prior service OR those who were coming in with a specific skill to offer the USCG. It was meant for adult professionals who were coming in later in life than most boot campers.
I had a really mixed reaction to REBI. I had no prior service, so I had a pretty sharp learning curve with some of it. Marching, customs and courtesies, and some other things really took a lot of work on my part to get down, whereas some of the prior service guys, or folks with LE experience, fell right in. I had to put in extra time to get it right. It was hard. I think that I have something of an attitude about it now, in that I don't want to embarrass the program in any way, that leads me to really pay close attention to the little things, i.e. uniform maintenance, showing proper respect to those higher in rank, and just general attention to detail. I feel that I could have gone to boot camp and it would have been good for me, but I was where my recruiter sent me, and PO Hatch and GMSC Clayton both felt that I would be just fine. Turns out they were right, and I have been fine, but I think a lot of that has to do with attitude.
Personally I think that either way you go you will be fine if you go in with the attitude that you are joining a military service, and you may have to work harder than others to catch up if you go to REBI. I will say that I enjoyed my time in REBI immensely, and it was really cool to be around other professional adults who could help me out with the little stuff.
I'm a reservist that went through the 8-week boot camp and I first reported to my drill unit the same day a non-prior service, non-LE, REBI graduate first reported. The difference between us showed.
In my opinion, if you are non-prior service you owe it to yourself, your future shipmates, and the Coast Guard to tough it out and go to the 8 week boot camp. I was an older recruit and I was fine going through boot with 17 and 18 year olds. The older recruits can serve as a role model for the younger more immature recruits, thus strengthening the whole company. I've heard of people not wanting to do the 8 weeks because of civilian life issues (bills, family, civy job, etc.), but what happens if you get recalled to active duty? My 8 weeks was an extremely valuable experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. Its an experience that you can't get out of 11 days.
Bottom line... Prior service or LE should have the option of going to REBI. Non-prior service with no LE go should have to go to 8 week boot camp regardless of age or college degrees.
I was fine going through boot with 17 and 18 year olds
The average age of people enlisting and going to the 8 weeks is 20-21.
Age plays a factor in whether the person goes for 2 or 8 weeks. Best person to answer the question is the recruiter the person is working with. CPO Kalbach
