If I wrong I am sure someone will correct me but in my experence there is very very little machine work in the Coast Guard any more. they took it out of A school in the 80s. There is some equipment on 378 and I assume the other large cutters but for the most part no one left who knows how to use them. Most of the time we use civilian machine shops. If your interested in this type of work I would haft to recommend talking to the Navy I believe they have an actual rate that does this type work. If your still interested in being a Coast Guard MK try to visit a local unit and talk to the Engineers. Good Luck
The Machinery Technician these days or in the past is not a machinist, per say. One who machines metal, now it is one who can master machinery, IE outboards, diesels, turbines, gearboxes, hydraulics. One who understands all and is master of none, we MKs can fix anything, and yes need to no how to weld or machine metal. It takes more now than ever to just RELAX and try to make it simple not hard to fix something. Hell it could just be an adjustment???????????????????????
There are actually units within the Coast Guard that still machine and fabricate parts. I myself am one of a few machinist at my NESU. We operate a full machine shop with two lathes, versamill attachments, broaching kits and a mill. Your absolutely right in that machining in the Coast Guard is a dying skill, but there are quit a few units out there that have the resources. If your interested in machining and fabrication, I would take a look at trying to get into a NESU billet. Not only is NESU a great opportunity for general mechanical knowledge and experience, but it is also a great billet to acquire specialty skills such as machining. The Navy actually has an awesome three week training course called "Machine Operator course" that is very detailed and definately worth the effort to try to get...(very easy to justify if your at a NESU or afloat unit that has a lathe). Good Luck!
If your looking to be a professional machinist (fabricating parts) the CG is not the right fit. There are a few!! units left where lathe's and milling equipment are utilized i.e. NESU'S, WMEC's and WHEC's but even those units seldomly use this unique skill set. As stated above the CG removed this compotency from our "A" school 20 years ago because the need for a full time machinist has diminished significantly. I would strongly agree with PBMKC; if your looking machine metal the Navy has a rate dedicated to this, MM (machinist Mate)
As for the Navy rate for Machining, it is a dieing rate there to. My dad was a MR (Machinery Repairman) back in the 60's but after talking to a couple of MR's that are left out there, they said the rate is dead and you can not advance, this was coming from a MR who had 19 years in and was only a 2nd class. I am sure some will both agree with me and disagree with me, but when it comes to being an MK in the Coast Guard you will work on everything known to man that is breakable by a someone else (BM's) and you are expected to either fix it or replace it. Said thing is now days we do more replacement that fixing, trouble shooting is a slow dieing thing.
I agree 100% Josh, I deal with the Navy 1st hand and you would not beleave how much they do not know. I am not talking smack but we get a lot of EN1's and even ENC's that have never set valves before. By the way how are my dogs doing Josh.
PBMKC we still have the machining equipment down at Cat Outbouard Paxman, It is hidden away in a room. Its crazy, that machine is 50 years old and still works great( if you know how to use it).
Wes the dogs are good, by the way your bike was laying on ground, but I stood it up for you, you can hardly notice the scratches in it, Just Kidding. They are fine no problems!!!! when you get back stop by for a
and by the way you are on leave get off Freds Place.
