I am considering applying for the USCG Academy. What are the oppurtunities that graduates have, as officers? What is it exactly that the officers do? Are there schools similar to "A" schools, but for officers that you attend? Thanks!

Since you are asking questions everywhere if you are interested in applying to the CGA check their web site.

http://www.uscga.edu/display.aspx?id=2910

Thank you. I have already visited their site extensively, but I still don't understand what USCG officers do after the academy. All they ever say is that you will be an officer in the USCG for 5 years or more after graduating. I don't understand what exactly you do. Like, what are the different career paths? I understand there are oppurtunities to continue education and their is flight school, but are there other specialized options? Or is it just a general officer assignment? And if it is a sort of basic officer assignment, what do they usually do?

The CG usually requires those planning to attend the Academy to be able to correctly spell the word "opportunities" and understand the correct usage and difference between the words "their", "there" and "they're".

Once you master those skills you might be ready to think about the Academy.

My apologies, I didn't realize I had that "their" where there should've been a "there," and I was wondering if I was spelling "opportunities" wrong; it didn't look right.

I think I found something. The programs that one can attend to further education, is that where you go to specialize in a certain field? I saw a thread where someone said something about majoring in Marine Search and Rescue. Are there a variety of programs like this? Thanks again.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 21393282,

Since you're not getting any help from the two posters above I'll recommend this: Go to a USCG base and talk to the Officers, specifically the Junior Officers (JOs). I'm sure they would love to talk with a prospective "O". The XO might even WANT to sit down with you, but you should call first and request that.

Sorry Mate I'm just a BM, not a zero,,,,,,,yet. When I cross over I'll be sure to put some info on the net. Your right, there's not much out their!!!!!LOL

sharrison gave you good advice. Bottom line is the enlisted folks have true "specialties", the officer corp doesn't really have the same thing to any extent. Aviation is an obvious exception. As an officer you can count on spending some amount of time afloat and most likely a lot more time ashore. Clearest parallel is to think of officers as "managers" rather than those with the the "hands on" jobs.

Ah I think I get it more now. I think I'd rather be doing the hands on stuff than the managing. Well maybe I'll go visit the base in South Portland if I get a chance. Thanks sharrison and ex_cg_gm!

Your question is hard to answer because it really depends on the officer's career path. Immediately after graduation from the Academy, most Ensigns will be assigned to a Coast Guard cutter. It used to be every CGA Ensign, but recently some graduates have been sent directly to flight school or to Coast Guard Sectors throughout the country. If assigned to a cutter, you will usually manage a division of around 2-5 people and stand a watch either on the bridge of the ship as an Officer of the Deck (responsible for maneuvering the cutter) or in the Engine Room as an Engineer of the Watch (responsible for the Engineering plant). Some Ensigns manage a department of around 10-20 people during their second year.

In addition to leading your department/division, some of the other duties you may be assigned include areas such as training, morale, property, public affairs, and classified material along with other administrative duties. Your first assignment is also an opportunity for you to learn. You will develop skills here that will help you succeed in your next assignment.

All officers in the Coast Guard lead people and manage resources. Officers provide leadership for their individual divisions, departments, or units. They should provide a voice for their people amongst the other officers in the wardroom. At the most senior levels, officers provide leadership and direction for the organization.

My background is primarily in operations afloat, but there are numerous specialties that an officer can have. As a very junior officer I had the opportunity to do law enforcement boardings as a boarding officer and direct helicopters on the cutter's flight deck as a Landing Signal Officer. More recently I had the privilege of commanding Coast Guard cutters in the Middle East and Hawaii. Right now the Coast Guard is paying for me to attend school to get my Master's Degree.

For some officers, their specialty may be flying helicopters or planes. For others it may be inspecting commercial vessels. Still others may be Engineers or lawyers. An officer's career path is usually determined by the individual officer.

During your second and third tour, you usually determine your career path by choosing a specialty (see below).

Here is some info that you may find helpful:

http://www.uscg.mil/psc/opm/Op...a%20CG%20Officer.pdf

Here are the types of specialties that officers can have:

(I pulled the list of specialties from this document: http://www.uscg.mil/opm/Opm4/o.../OSMS%20Brochure.pdf )

Aviation:
Aviation Safety
Aviation Operations

C4IT:
Information Systems Management
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Communications Management

Engineering:
Ocean Engineering
Naval Engineering
Civil Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering
Logistics

Finance

Human Resources:
HR Management
Recruiting
Training

Intelligence

Legal

Management:
Command and Staff
Civil Rights
Public Affairs
International Affairs
Planning
Resource Management
Acquisition Project Management

Chaplains (our Chaplains usually come from the Navy's Chaplain corps)

Medical:
Medical Administration
Physician Assistant

Operations Afloat:
Aids to Navigation
Ice Operations

Operations Ashore - Prevention:
Vessel Inspections
Marine Investigations
Waterways Operations and Management
Port and Facility Safety and Security
Auxiliary Operations Coordination

Operations Ashore - Response:
Defense Operations/Readiness
Boat Forces Operations
Maritime Law Enforcement/Ports,
Waterways and Coastal Security Operations
Search and Rescue Coordination
Marine Environmental Response
Incident Management and Preparedness

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

now THAT is some good info, BZ LT.

Thanks a lot mmchong! If I do become an officer in the USCG, I would like to follow the path of security operations and such. Thanks again all that replied

WOW, I have followed this forum as well as 2 others for a while now and you mmchong have been the most helpful and resourceful post! Awesome info

quote:

Originally posted by 21393282:
My apologies, I didn't realize I had that "their" where there should've been a "there," and I was wondering if I was spelling "opportunities" wrong; it didn't look right.

I think I found something. The programs that one can attend to further education, is that where you go to specialize in a certain field? I saw a thread where someone said something about majoring in Marine Search and Rescue. Are there a variety of programs like this? Thanks again.

For some officer specialties you learn primarily by attending Coast Guard/Navy schools and on the job training. Most of the specialties in Operations Afloat, Operations Ashore Prevention, and Operations Ashore Response fall under this category. In other specialties, most of the officers have formal advanced training (Master's Degrees or a PhD) and professional certifications. These include most of the Engineering, Legal, and C4IT specialties. For example many Coast Guard Engineers have their Master's Degree or PhD and Professional Engineering License. Still other specialties have a mix of officers with formal training and officers that don't. Most of the Aviation, Finance, Human Resources, Intelligence, and Management specialties fall under this category. These are just generalizations and there are definitely exceptions in nearly every specialty.

Some Coast Guard Officers actually have more than one specialty. For example, you may have engineers or lawyers that also have a background in the Operations Afloat specialty. You may have someone with a background in Operations Ashore-Response who also has a Master's Degree in Financial Management, Strategic Intelligence, or International Affairs. These officers alternate assignments between specialties and maintain their knowledge and skills in both areas.

The Coast Guard does have an Advanced Education program that annually sends selected officers to get their Master's degree or advanced training in a specialized area. That's how the Coast Guard gets many of their lawyers, engineers, financial specialists, etc. For more information on Advanced Education opportunities, see here:

http://www.uscg.mil/PSC/OPM/OP...Ed_Process_Guide.pdf

or here:

http://www.uscg.mil/PSC/OPM/OPM1/OPM-1PG.ASP

SOME of the Advanced Education programs the Coast Guard offers are:

Academy Company Officer
Academy Instructor
Acquisition Project Management
Aviation Engineering Administration
Avionics Engineering
Aeronautical Engineering
Aviation Safety Management
Chemical Engineering-HAZMAT
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering (MBA)
Communications, Computer, and Electrical Engineering
Environmental Management
Financial Management
Fire Protection Engineering
Health Care Administration
Industrial Hygiene-HAZMAT
Industrial Management
Information Technology Management
International Affairs
Law
Systems Design Management
Marine Affairs/Living Marine Resources
Marine Engineering
Marine Science
Naval Engineering
Naval War College
Ocean Engineering
Operations Research
Organizational Leadership
Performance Technology
Public Administration
Public Affairs
Sloan Fellowship
Strategic Intelligence
Transportation Management

quote:

Originally posted by 21393282:
Thanks a lot mmchong! If I do become an officer in the USCG, I would like to follow the path of security operations and such. Thanks again all that replied

That's a wide spectrum of missions in the Coast Guard. My classmate LT Chong did a great job of outlining all the major mission areas and the corresponding areas of advanced education. Bottom line- if you were to land at a Sector in either the Prevention OR Response arenas, you'd be involved in security operations of some sort. Best of luck to you!

LT O

quote:

That's a wide spectrum of missions in the Coast Guard. My classmate LT Chong did a great job of outlining all the major mission areas and the corresponding areas of advanced education. Bottom line- if you were to land at a Sector in either the Prevention OR Response arenas, you'd be involved in security operations of some sort. Best of luck to you!

LT O

I would add that many cutters, Deployable Operations Group units (MSSTs, MSRT, TACLETs, PSUs, Strike Teams), and Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) regularly perform "security operations".

quote:

Originally posted by mmchong:
I would add that many cutters, Deployable Operations Group units (MSSTs, MSRT, TACLETs, PSUs, Strike Teams), and Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA) regularly perform "security operations".

All true as well!