Hi everyone,

I'm currently a junior in college but seriously considering joining the Coast Guard. I would hope to someday become an AST but reading about all the training is a bit intimidating. I was just wondering, after you make it through boot camp and manage to get put on the A school waiting list, what do you do? Do they just send you on a boat somewhere to wash dishes?

I'm also curious, being a girl, I read somewhere that there are only 3 female rescue swimmers enlisted. Is it because it's that much more tough for women to get through the program because of a lack in upper-body strength? Do you think that someone with my body type (5'9" and 115 pounds) could ever pass all the PT that is required? Thanks for your input!

After you get your name on the list you'll wait for orders to an airstation. Wait time depends on how many people are on the list, right now its about 6 months. While you wait you'll be a non-rate at some cg unit. It could be a ship, station, sector, or any other unit the cg operates.
You are corect, right now there are 3 female swimmers. However, quiters don't make it because of thier sex, they don't make it because they're quiters. School is extremely physically demanding, but its more mental than anything. Your body type has nothing to do with it, if you can meet the PT standards you and are mentally strong you have a shot. The females in the rate have the same body types, so good luck.

Now I know some females may get offended by this, but Biologically we do not have the same instincts, and chemical make up. Women genetically are predisposed to have more of a non conflictual additude and demeanor. this does not mean the back down, or are whimpy. They just have a different thought process. for good reason to. In the scheme of things, we need very few men to carry on the human race. we need lots of women. 1 man could father 1000 of children, but a women could have maybe 5-10 kids in her life. So we need the women, and women instinctualy try to keep themselves alive, away from conflict.

ON the other hand we can lose the men, like I said we only need a few to survive. So they are more likely to risk taking behavior, and aggression to the point of stupidity.

So that being said I think a lot of women, are not fighting the PT or a lesser upper body. I went to school with 3 females. one made it. The 2 that failed. they did not quit. They did not get hurt. they really failed. They worked hard. But I noticed something. when the girls were doing well, and there was not much pressure placed upon them individually they did well. But when they did poor at something, something was different. They would approach the event in the exact same manner they did the first time. They would fail again. looking bewildered, one individually I talk to before she failed the run for her last time. I tried to pep her up. Give her some ideas on how to squeeze a little more out of herself. it was as though I was talking to a wall. She remained emotionless. it did not inspire her to be braveheart, she then approached the run, with same plan as the first 2 times...and was absolutley astonished when she failed.

Now the girl that passed...She did something that the other girls did not. she could muster a competetive nature from within herself. I saw her shake and shiver on the dip bar, literally crying...screaming I AM A RESCUE SWIMMER!!!! I would not have blamed a man for quitting that day. We thought we were going to die.

But do you see the difference. the idea of being competetive, getting rowdy, fighting, running into the fire instead of away was almost impossible for the first girl to bring forth in her mind with sufficient force to motivate herself to run just a little faster...she missed the run under 15 seconds each time. once under 5.

The girl, was able to do it. At first I thought maybe she wanted to quit, maybe she did it on purpose.

But then I was with a friend whom coaches a girls BB team. He brought it up as we were driving passing a girls soccer game. most of the girls were laughing, and one girl had a clean shot and hesitated and then the ball was taken from her, and she laughed. My friend on his own terms brought it up. he said, "for some females it almost impossible for them to conquer thier matenal instincts" I inquired and he explained pro creation and the importance of the females. And he said some of these women have so much self preservation instinct that they will do things that spite themsleves to avoid conflict.

just a thought

That was a really interesting post Dog Show! I'm not offended at all- I think that what you are saying makes a lot of sense actually, so thanks for the insight. I've always been competitve ever since I was little; and I think most of my motivation comes from my fear of failing, or sometimes, just coming in second to someone. I mean besides public speaking I can't think of anything worse than being told "You're not good enough." Honestly, I'm not really sure if I could get through A school...but I think I would just suck up my fears and try it anyway, because I've never wanted anything more badly.

I realize I'm just kind of letting my thoughts run, but if anyone has any comments they would be greatly appreciated!

Jim you got smarter since we were on the boat.

Thanks Lake.

Here's some examples to help motivate you if you end up at AST school;

Venus and Serena Williams in tennis.

Lalia Ali, Mahamed Ali's daughter who is a pro boxer.

Those three females that made it to be AST's before you.

There's a video of a famous Coast Guard rescue up near Alaska you may have seen. The captain and a crewman were waiting to be picked up by the USCG H-3 Pelican helicopter when a wave slams the ship tossing them into the icy water. The pilot in charge (PIC) was a female, Commander, I think.

Do NOT follow the examples of Hugh Heffner's " The Girls (Bimbos) Next Door"

Good luck in your career pursuit.

Don

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 21yrsUSCGUSCS,

quote:

Originally posted by 21yrsUSCGUSCS:
Here's some examples to help motivate you if you end up at AST school;

Venus and Serena Williams in tennis.

Lalia Ali, Mahamed Ali's daughter who is a pro boxer.

Those three females that made it to be AST's before you.

There's a video of a famous Coast Guard rescue up near Alaska you may have seen. The captain and a crewman were waiting to be picked up by the USCG H-3 Pelican helicopter when a wave slams the ship tossing them into the icy water. The pilot in charge (PIC) was a female, Commander, I think.

Do NOT follow the examples of Hugh Heffner's " The Girls (Bimbos) Next Door"

Good luck in your career pursuit.

Don

If thier is one man on this earth I would rather be it is hugh heffner....Bimbo's or not, I would not ask them to leave!!!!

I think if you really want it and are willing to do whatever it takes, you can be successful. It all has to do with your mindset.

Just last week, my ortho surgeon cleared me for snowboarding this winter and put me in a pre-season training program. It's a pain in the a**, but I'll do anything if it gets me to where I've always wanted to be, doing what I've always wanted to do. I look at it as my job. I'm not working right now so my training is my job. I block everything out and do it. I don't let people who don't believe I can do it get in the way. "Left leg, zero one, zero two... ten. One set down. Right leg, zero one, zero two...ten. One set done. Crunches zero one..." and so on.
Today marks full week number one of training and I have done things in the last 7 days that I never thought I'd be able to do- was told I couldn't/shouldn't do. But I did it and I feel great and I really look forward to the end of week 12 to see how far I've come.

If I would be able to get into the Coast Guard I would use this same mindset to get through all of the training.

Just for us girls: When you go to A school and get stronger and eventually catch up to the guys, remember that even if you just barely appear as strong Mr. Macho (no offense boys) you're actually stronger because you've had to overcome so much more to get to that point. Psych yourself up with an "OORAH!!!" at the end of every set- I'm not a Coastie and it helps me... whoever thought that motto up had the right idea.

good grief.....how should i put this, its a mans job pure and simple......a raging sea, a rock cliff or whatever is no place for a 115lb female or male. the females in this rate are merely tokens of a PC society gone apeshit......i bet these are the sentiments of alot of active duty ASTs. Ya know what i mean?

quote:

Originally posted by sbayer:
a raging sea, a rock cliff or whatever is no place for a 115lb female or male.

Sr. Chief, you obviously realize you are setting yourself up for a PC backlash but I will have to agree with the above statement and join you on the whipping stand.

Don

I never had a problem working with chicks, there just weren't any in the field or the cockpit when I was in Alaska. I am working with a great chick raising 5 holligans now!
We all know they are the stronger and smarter of the sex, you might not get them to jump out of a perfectly good aircraft.
You only have one more year of college, why not go OCS and become a pilot?

I don't want it to sound like I have a problem with women in the Coast Guard...I simply agreed with the Sr. Chief's post about man or woman, sometimes there should be a lot of consideration on if your body is up for the demands of the job, especially when lives are at stake.

Anyone who's 115 lbs has to ask themselves, "Can I be lowered onto a tossing boat and carry a 250 lb unconcious captain from the cabin out onto the deck for a hoist?"

Don

I am sure these are some pretty butchy chicks along the same lines as the ones playing rugby and college softball. It is a service full of standards. I know some ladies I played a little Hippie Hockey with that I would bet get through the program. I would imagine if you can graduate the program you will be ok just like all the pilots aren't the same, or fly at the same level, I am sure the AST aren't all the same or performing at the same level.
I ski with a lady who was a college swimmer, 6'2" - 160# of incredible muscle, beauty and speed. Now Don, wouldn't you rather be hiding in the reeds with her when you were in customs?

ah, a PC backlash......something like a badge of honor....or maybe just distinction or extinction.

quote:

ah, a PC backlash......something like a badge of honor....or maybe just distinction or extinction.

hey scott, didn't you get that badge tattooed on your backside in a seedy little parlor in new orleans? right next to the roy orbison tattoo....

Someone suggested becoming a pilot...I think that would be an awesome job as well, but the problem is that my degree isn't in any kind of engineering or technical/scientific field, it's be a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance. I can't see how I would get accepted to OSC competing against graduates with degrees that are actually applicable to the Coast Guard, is that a correct assumption? Also, when someone graduates OCS do they get to pick what they want to do, or will the CG just assign them?

And just as a side-note I really do appreciate everyone's comments, even the not-so-positive ones. I'm not one to ask questions and then get mad when people respond with their own answers. I just think it's neat to be able to ask for advice from real AST's!

quote:

Originally posted by asm3driscoll:
I am sure the AST aren't all the same or performing at the same level.

No there are no exact cloned duplication of equal performance in all performance areas, but hopefully they are all performing at or above the minimum mission ready performance level.

When discussing human performance needed to do the work tasks some consideration must be given to tasks that are performed with the aid of technology don’t require the same strength standards of those tasks that are not assisted with technology.

The number of the typical male or female gender having the ability to drive a car increased with each new improvement of technology such as power assist breaking, power assist steering, automatic transmission. Flying an aircraft benefited from trim surfaces, auto pilot, hydraulic power assisted steering, and high performance military aircraft are just about impossible to fly without computer assistance.

The bottomline is the mission duties expected to be done by the rescue swimmer disfavor successful accomplishment by a 115 pound person of either gender. It can in fact be shown that 115 pound person successfully doing all the physical fitness standards is an impairment to their own safety and increases risk of death and injuries of themselves and others because doing the job is not how far and fast you can swim, or how far or fast you can run but what else can you do while doing this running and swimming or how much more you can do after you run or swim to get there and still run and swim back.

So yes--you can get anybody through the program but the purpose is not the getting of anybody and everybody through the program, but rather to get those through the program that have the capability and ability to accomplish the expected typical mission on unexpected notice at any time and at anyplace and be able to replicate doing the typical mission everyday should such situations and circumstances become a daily operational event.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: johca,

nicely put JOCHA (did we meet in Kodiak or Anchorage?)

Mario, the tat was actually of you and our buds in my office in Kodiak....unforgetable.

How was your vaca in WA? I was in Sturgis at the time i think......

a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance.......i know of a job you can get with that! Good Luck