I would like anyone's opinion on the pros and cons of being a non-rate out of Cape May compared to going straight to an A-school out of Cape May.

I left Cape May as a nonrate and went straight to a unit. I am going to ET School so I could have probably got a gaurunteed A-school...or at least have been at this unit less than a year, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Pros:
-You learn how the real Coast Guard works...at least for a nonrate or young member
-Job is easy. Nonrates have the easiest jobs...we clean ****, along with getting the simple quals. (crew, watchstander, btm, ice rescue..if necessary at your unit)
-You learn "how it is" to be a nonrate, whereas, if you go straight to PO status, you have no idea.

Cons:
-Get payed less.

SN Franklin,
If you think being a non-rate is "easy" and being a crewman, watchstander, btm or doing ice rescues is "simple", have your supervisor give me a call. I'd like to speak with him/her.
Being in the Coast Guard is anything but easy. It's demanding and rewarding at all levels.

That being said, I think most in the Coast Guard would recommend not going straight to "A" school unless you have no doubt at ALL about what you want to do. Generally, it will give you a better base of knowledge and allow you to make the best decision as to which rate you would like to be involved in.

Going to a unit as a non-rate gives you the chance to see what the different ratings ACTUALLY do, as opposed to chosing a guaranteed school and discovering you made the wrong choice.

Get out in the field and see what the different rates do, them make up your mind. The job you like now may not be what you really want later. Take a larger ship and see the world while checking out every rate. Good Luck

MK1,

When I said it was "Easy", I wasn't speaking as a whole, I was comparing it to being a PO of the Coast Guard. In other words, Petty officers have greater responsibilities then a nonrate, thus making it harder then a nonrates job. I guess my wording was bad when I called it easy. I apologize if I made it sound demeaning, it wasn't my intentions...I am, afterall, a nonrate

Some of the hardest work I've ever done in my life was as a Deckie on a Construction Tender.

quote:

Originally posted by dimcow:
Some of the hardest work I've ever done in my life was as a Deckie on a Construction Tender.

PO Porter, very well said! Two years as an SA/SN on WLB-406 was some of the hardest work I ever did in my life as well. After graduation from HS A school I went to the Academy, BIG difference between wiping a cadets nose and wiping a seasons worth of bouy critters off an 8X36! -Jeff

The hardest but most rewarding job I've done in the CG was being a non-rate. I wouldn't of changed it for the world. Go out into the fleet and see what you want to do. The CG has so much to offer and it can't be seen by going directly to A school.
//OS1 Sends

quote:

BIG difference between wiping a cadets nose and wiping a seasons worth of bouy critters off an 8X36!

.......and probably a lot of similarities! Especially when the staff starting droping in!


I have 60-70 letters in my file drawer mostly from folks who took a guaranteed A-School and figured they were in the wrong job. Not a lot of their requests were approved. If they were, it was at least 2 1/2 years into their time in rating. By the time they get back to another A-School, their first four years are pretty much shot and they get to start over.

quote:

Originally posted by rxjeff:
BIG difference between wiping a cadets nose and wiping a seasons worth of bouy critters off an 8X36! -Jeff

I think you mean 8x26 or maybe 9x32 or 9x35 or 9x38.

Old BDS sends......

I'll echo the go to the fleet and see what everyone does. When I joined, there were no guarenteed schools. I requested Corpsman and only Corpsman in boot camp but was told there was a 1-2 year wait. So I went to the Bibb. After seeing what QMs did, I requested that school and got it right away. Even though I didn't make the Coast Guard a career, it was the best decision I ever made. That is besides becoming an Air Traffic Controller. No offense to any HS today, but I would have been bored as an HM.

quote:

I think you mean 8x26 or maybe 9x32 or 9x35 or 9x38.

Old BDS sends......

Just to update you since your BDS days, the aids are Red and Green now.

quote:

Originally posted by Mightyz90_93:

quote:

I think you mean 8x26 or maybe 9x32 or 9x35 or 9x38.

Old BDS sends......

Just to update you since your BDS days, the aids are Red and Green now.

And I guess we did away with all the fun vinyl paint too....sorry for the "older" guard flashback.