Hi I am a potential recruit and this particular rating FS is on my top three ratings list, and I was just curious to know from yall's opinions since you are FSs; what are the best things about being an FS, and do yall get to travel alot, or are you predominantly stationed onshore?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated

travel alot - yes
shore units- not usually
If you love to cook then its the rate for you, but remeber you need to have some thick skin for critism from your crew, but make it constuctive. Cant make every one happy but if the majority likes it then your doing something right. Now being and FS isnt just cooking, Your a Coast Guardsmen first so expect to do what every one else does Damage control, maybe some law enforcement, and standing duty. All in all its a very rewarding job, but your only as good as your last meal

I am glad to hear that you might want to be a FS, jut like FS4LIFE said, you need to be able to take the criticism. Don't be an FS if you just like to cook, you need to Love to cook to have fun and enjoy it. It is a very rewarding job that takes up a lot of time at first but when you get in the swing of things, you have to keep challenging yourself to stay on you game. I love this job and this rate and in my opinion underway is the only way!

Thank you all for responding

I do love to cook; especially when I am given tasty ingredients. It is good to know that you are able to travel alot because personally that is my second love. If you don't mind I am curious to know what places you were able to travel to.

I love cooking, and I like the feeling of feeling important in knowing that a complete crew is depending on me to deliver a good meal

Are their opportunities for advancement, and like what is the usual timespan for doing so?

It is good to know that beside the duty of cooking meals, you are expected to handle other duties, *variety is a good thing*

But again thank you for taking time out to read and respond to my posts and hope to hear from you all again!

*Question* InkedCookie, what do you mean by 'underway'?

Underway = at sea, away from homeport

172-
The great thing about being an FS with regards to traveling is you'll have the opportunity to see a lot of great distant countries that many land lubbers can only dream about.

In my first enlistment alone, I went to the Samoan Islands, all over the South Pacific, had a BBQ on a deserted island that was once a WW II air base (with remnants still there), South America, all over the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada - where arguably the greatest port call on earth (Halifax, N.S.) exists. And lest we forget the too many to count stops in GTMO, Cuba.

Many have sailed to the South Pole, Europe, Asia, the list goes on. Not every trip will take you to exotic places but a good rule of thumb is the bigger the ship, the better chance of seeing the world.

I'll offer a counterpoint to having thick skin. You're crew will know if you love to cook. They will see it and even meals that aren't their cup of tea will be appreciated.

And you're right, we play a vital role in unit operations. We are the morale of the Coast Guard (along with bingo night and ice cream socials).

You'll get plenty of variety on a ship. You could be slinging hash one minute and manning a .50 cal machine gun the next.

I have been from Alaska to Maryland to the Hawaiian Islands. FS is definatly a great way to go if you love to cook and want to travel. Even though I have spent a lot of time just in Alaska (and I don't want to leave), there are plenty of opportunities for you to get your sea legs.

I was curious, lets say after my fours of required active duty is up, and I wanted to return to 'civilian life' would my skills as a food specialist transfer over to my new civilian life, or the credentials wouldn't be accounted for. Basically do through completing the "A" school are you authentically & nationally certified as a cook/chef or the training is just meant to be acknowledged in the military realm?

its just like any job its how much you know. If you dont know much you wont get paid much. I have a few part time jobs and i can say that i do pretty good, over 20 an hour. so if all you know is how to open a box then you probaly be a dish washer. Its all about knowledge and experience.

The FS rate can be the most rewarding job y you truly love
to do the job. Like CGShipmate (Hi Tom) said, the crew will know
if you love your job and appreciate you for it. I spent more than
six years on a different rate, RM/TC or what nowadays are called
OS's, and to be honest with you, I wish I had gone FS from the
beginning, although I did have a good time with the prior rate. The
travelling can be great but you also need to know that with great
and exotic places, there is a lot of sacrifice, workwise, that has
to be done and to be honest with you, it is well worth the hard work.

About the civilian side, you can score a good job but if you stay in
longer than 4 years, and take advantage of the different schools that
are offered, then you can score a great job. Chef certifications do
not come with the "A" school diploma but can be attained and the CG
will help you get these. In my personal experience, I have had the
opportunity to attend great schools such as paperwork management (when
it was in Petaluma), advanced baking and pastry, advanced culinary
skills and several civilian certifications that if you were to cost
them out of pocket, then you'd be looking at several thousand dollars.

In all, this is a great rate and very competitive with the civilian
sector since employers will see that you are able to work under
pressure and in great and unusual situations, and that gives us and
edge over college grads with no experience. I hope you go forth with
your plans of becoming an FS and as you can see, if you need any help
or recommendations, we are here to look out for one another. Take care..

Gerry

quote:

I was curious, lets say after my fours of required active duty is up, and I wanted to return to 'civilian life' would my skills as a food specialist transfer over to my new civilian life, or the credentials wouldn't be accounted for. Basically do through completing the "A" school are you authentically & nationally certified as a cook/chef or the training is just meant to be acknowledged in the military realm?

If you are looking to get into noncomercial food service the military is a great way to go. Catering and Banquet hall type food service we also do well in. Restuarants.. not so much.

Get a hospitality degree while your in and you will be very marketable.

For more info check out my site www.MilitaryChefs.com.

Hey! It is me again

I was browsing the Food Specialist "A" School website and I came across the archived photos of the already graduated classes of the school and under some of the 'coastie's pictures is the title SNFS; I already know what "FS" signifies but what does "SN" signify? Just curious

And also what requirements do you have to fulfill to be considered a 'honor graduate'?

quote:

Originally posted by 17202208:
Hey! It is me again

I was browsing the Food Specialist "A" School website and I came across the archived photos of the already graduated classes of the school and under some of the 'coastie's pictures is the title SNFS; I already know what "FS" signifies but what does "SN" signify? Just curious

SNFS signifies Seaman Food Service Specialist, those that do not have enough time in service to be advanced to Third Class Petty Officer or failed to pass the EPME test.

"And also what requirements do you have to fulfill to be considered a 'honor graduate'?"

The honor graduate is the student that has been a good shipmate, set the standard for
uniform/grooming and went above and beyond during his/her time at FS school.

Okay Thanks for the feedback

I intend to enter the USCG with more than 60 college credit hours under my belt, and I was informed by members of the discussion board that that status entitles a person to advance to E3 status right after boot camp where they are considered and E1. I hope to attend the FS "A" School as soon as possible after I graduate from boot camp; will I be able to keep my E3 status during and after my completion of the FS "A" School?

Just curious, don't know really know how the system works yet, considering the fact that right now I am just a potential recruit

If you graduate Cape May Recruit Training as an E-3 you will graduate as a SNFS from FS school. When you reach the six month mark you will advance to FS3 if you have your EPME completed and EPME E-4 passed.

Okay.

I was wondering, after a recruit graduates from the "A" School are they offered a $10,000 bonus? Or a bonus at all?

So after six months, I will advance? What will be my pay grade scale while I am a "SNFS"? an E1, E2, or E3. Just so I know I got this right I have to pass an "EPME E-4" to be able to be an E3?

The reason I asked about the bonus after FS school, is because my recruiter told me that, and I just came back from seeing him this morning, so I was just wondering if that information was current.

Again thanks for answering my questions

The bonus is from the recruiting command, they put it into your contract, when you get "A" school straight out of boot camp and you graduate you then get the bonus. FS School has nothing to do with issuing the bonus other than fulfilling yoour obligation to successfully graduate.

You do not need to pass the EPME to graduate as an E-3, you have EPQ's(enlisted performance qualifications) that need to be signed off in order to advance to E-3. All FS students will get the opportunity to get the EPQ's signed off and a chance to pass the E-4 EPME test while in the first phase of FS school.

A SNFS is an E-3 with the FS designator, so if you graduate boot camp as an E-3 and complete school you will have roughly three months or less to wait to make E-4 if you passed the EPME test for E-4.

If you have any further questions that have not been answered feel free to email me at the email address on my profile or contact me at my work email randy.a.spainhour@uscg.mil

I am in training for the next week but do check that email every evening and at lunch time.