My OS1 and I have a THEORY the SRB will be coming back after the IS stuff is done with. I know, a OS3 thinking is pretty dangerous! But... I think the SRB left so the OS's going IS wont get a bonus. This alone saved the CG a lot of money. I understand we are losing some billets along with the IS guys.
Another question, how did the OS rating lock up so fast? was it guarenting A school from boot, having OS a critical rate for such a long time?

Any thoughts on my theory? and question?

I had posted a long (possibly diatribe material) post about why the SRB wouldn't be coming back and why the rate locked up... But it didn't work right so here's what's left of it:

SRB coming back? No - I don't expect it anytime soon... My bid is that the Coast Guard should take the money they've saved and sink it into a better internet infrastructure for us....

Why's the rate locked up? IMO 3 reasons: 9/11, JRR and "Sectorization" - since 2005 we've had around 150 billets open up and we've had to advance, quickly, into them so that we could fill these slots... Now - they're filled... And because they're filled (and we have a slight surplus of junior people to fill any holes at the top) is one of the prime reasons I wouldn't expect the SRB to come back...

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

Once all those 1st enlistment OS3's and OS2's RELAD because there is no bonus, it will come back. These things come in cycles. I don't expect this down cycle to last that long.

OS1 Ski

You'll know if the SRB is coming back when the rating isn't as "locked" up. Anyway, the rating really isn't locked up by any means. There are people advancing off of the last servicewide. I think the SRB was taken because retention was good. I'm sure the good SRB had something to do with retention. In your case, you'll probably have to decide whether or not you want to stay in without the added temptation of an SRB.

Well, you folks can speculate all you want, but who do you think is the person that the primary input for the SRB for the OS rating?

If it were me, and I was asked whether or not I could support our rating taking a very limited pool of SRB money that get's spread across the entire CG, I would have probably said something to the effect "Current rentention rates w/i the OS rating do not support the need to bribe people to stay in the CG. We have grown the people needed to fill the significant growth of the rating (about 33% growth in less than 2 years). We have no significant gaps. We expect to advancing only the best qualified at all paygrades vs EVERY QUALIFIED person. No currently planned programs are expected to have any significant impact on our overall numbers, including the IS rating standup." If the board members of the SRB board heard that as well as hearing from other ratings that they did have many of the negative issues refered to above, they probably would have made the thoughful decision that the CG money is best spent on retaining other people.

Anyways, that's what I would have done, if it happened to be my job.

If you are waiting for orders on weather to stay in or get out is that a bad thing? Have any of you ever done that?

It can go either way. In one way, it demonstrates a less than 100% commitment to the CG. If other things are equal, the better job may go to the person who we believe may hang around longer. I have seen people go as far as try to extort the AO by appearing demanding. (ie - I will only stay in if I get XXX job.) I have seen some really entertaining responses to those people. Everything from the don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you, to getting orders to one of those jobs, which enticed the person to actualy re-enlist, then seeing the orders changed to someplace else. Since enlistment is not based upon specific orders, not a thing the member could do about it. Unless the enlistment would expire prior to the orders date, the member can be ordered to move anyways.

Honestly, if a set of orders would have a huge impact on a re-enlisment decision, I would suggest that a military career is probably not for you.

I would like to stay in but I only want to do 3 more years. I want to be in a place where I can go to school while I am in. I'm not willing to re-enlist unless I got something I would feel comfortable doing. I don't want them to sent me somewhere I would not be happy. But I think I don't want to go to another unit where they say don't base your opion of the coast guard on this place. I've been to 3 of those so far. Who's to say that the next one isn't the same. I just want to like going to work. Not waking up going god I have to go to work... I don't know if you have ever been to a place you don't like. I really don't know just looking for some advice... Thanks for the help.

Yes I have been there before. At that time, I was already past 8 years in and about to make Chief. I sucked it up and muddled through. The issue there had nothing to do with the unit type, the location or anything that I could control. It was a wonderful place to live and a great type of unit to be on. Very rewarding work too. Some folks above me had some personall issues that affected their leadership and my life!

Other than that, Every place was fun. You are in a rating that presents an aweful lot of challanges to going to school. It can be done, but it is tough.

lardman421....."I want to be in a place where I can go to school while I am in"....Have your heard of CLEP, on line colleges, or a junior/community college???? You don't need to be stationed in your dream location to go to college. I bet no matter where you get stationed, there is a college near by. It's up to you to make it work.

By the way, I used that line in my comments section when I transferred as a 3rd. It didn't work, and instead I got my best unit ever, NMC.

Well I have some advice to you. I call it my two cents so you can take it and spend it how you want.

Ok first off, if your waking up in the morning and saying god I have to go to work, maybe your in the wrong rate. If you are one of those few people that when asked why you choose your rate and your answer is a fat bonus, then I say suck it up and deal. If not, there's always options, advance, change rate, OCS are just a few to pick from. If it's people that make you feel that way, talk to them about it and let them know how you feel, then maybe things that are happening might change. Remember that working with people can be the same outside of the Coast Guard also. Sometimes you aren't going to be best friends with everyone you work with, but that doesn't mean you can't be civil and have working relationships with those people. Also if everywhere you go ends up being the worst place on Earth, take a long look at yourself and make sure your not the cause of it. Have you ever seen the person with the worst attitude in the world, who refuses to pull their own weight, walking around saying the Coast Guard is to blame for everything that happens to them???? Make sure your not that person. You know what I am talking abour right, the person who if you gave he/she a million dollars, would turn around and complain about having to pay the taxes on it. There's usually one at every unit!!
Next my advice about not getting the next worst unit in the Coast Guard. When people complain about that I always ask them, did you do any research?? I usually get the deer in the headlights look from them, then I explain. What ever job you want, look at the people tansfering on people soft and call/email them and ask... How's your job, what do you do, how do you like it, how's the command, what's the work load like, duty rotation, etc. Then guess what follows that... how's the area, how's the housing market, how's the schools, daycares, etc.. I can't believe people don't due this ahead of filling out their dream sheets.

Remember... Just my two cents!!

thank you for the help maybe the coast guard is better off with out me.I've done my 7 years time to say good-bye!!

quote:

Originally posted by lardman421:
thank you for the help maybe the coast guard is better off with out me.I've done my 7 years time to say good-bye!!

Well then, if you say so, buh bye to you