I have a 4 year degree and am leaving to boot camp november 17th as an E3---I have a lot of things to consider--when if ever i will be putting in an officer packet--does the rate I choose as enlisted affect when I can put in my packet at all? Also--what percent of the AMT rate would you say is assigned to a sea going assignment? I have done my reading on the AMT rate but would love candid infomration about the rate anyone has to offer--thanks in advance
I don't know if any AMT has a sea going assignment. Some AMT's at Aviation units deploy on cutters, but are not attached to them. If your 4 year degree is in a engineering field, you could apply for Direct Commission Engineer (DCE). More info can be found at www.gocoastguard.com under officer careers. The site lists all the degrees that the program accepts. Good Luck!
Glad to have you. I have to say though based on your first post I would hope you did a little research concerning the career path you have chosen. Your recruiter should have explained the rates to you. AMT's do not fill a sea going billet. bucfan4life is correct. AMT's/AET's/AST's do deploy for a short period of time on a cutter out to sea. That also depends on your unit and airframe. bucfan4life does have some good advice concerning the DCE. Make sure you do your homework before making any decision. Good luck.
As a former AMT gone officer I have a few thoughts for you.
1. All above are correct about the sea-going. It can happen with a deployment but it depends on the airframe that you end up on after A School. What determines where you get sent after A School changes from time to time so I would not get too worried about that process until you are in the Airman Program at an Air Station. If you want to deploy, try to go to a 65 unit.
2. With a 4 year degree, you should be able to apply for OCS now (or the Direct Commission as mentioned above.) Any civilian or Enlisted member with a 4 year degree can apply at anytime for OCS. There is no time requirment. I know quite a few people that have enlisted in the CG and gone ahead and submitted the OCS package at the same time. A few were even picked up as short as 3 months after completing Boot Camp. That being said.....there is something to say for the time you spend Enlisted helping you in your career as an officer. Not saying all officers need to be Enlisted first, but you will defiantly have a leg up on the CG as an organization if you spend some time Enlisted.
3. Your rate that you choose will not have an effect on your chances at being selected for OCS. You are selected for OCS based on your performance while Enlisted in whatever job (rate) you are doing, your current leadership abilities and potential to continue as a leader, and your drive to carry the responsibilities that come with being an officer. These people come from every rate in the CG. They also look at what type of involvement you have with your community outside the CG.
4. If you are thinking about becoming a Pilot in the CG then going Enlisted aviation is a great start. That being said, being an AMT, AET, or AST is not a pre-requisite for being selected for flight school out of OCS or during your first two tours as an officer. It goes back to your performance again. The selection panel for flight school at OCS looks at your OCS performance and your potential. If you don’t get it out of OCS you will compete with other officers from the field. The selection panel there looks at your Officer Evaluation Reports to again select those with the best performance and potential. Being a prior Enlisted Aviator will defiantly help if you get selected when it comes to learning A/C systems and procedures but, it usually does little to get you in the door.
