objee or luigi

navy18 · 02-04-2009, 05:42 PM

please enlighten as to where some of 2008 grads were assigned to serve after graduating from UScgA. Do they stay there for 3 years? If not, what is the schedule for where and when they go to their assignments.

Luigi59 · 02-04-2009, 06:55 PM

As far as geographic locations go, the USCG has stations all over the American coastline, Atlantic and Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes. The USCG has cutters in the Middle East as well, and occasionally a cutter will turn up near Africa or South America. (Next summer, the USCGC Eagle, America's Tall Ship, will cross the Atlantic to visit the Mediterranean Sea and a few European countries).

From ice-breaking operations in the Arctic (or Antarctic), fisheries enforcement in Hawaii, migrant interdiction on Puerto Rico or Key West, drug interdiction in San Diego, buoy-tending in the Great Lakes, search and rescue in Alaska, to port/terminal security in the Persian Gulf, a newly commissioned USCG Ensign might be assigned as a Deck Watch Officer on a cutter at any one of them.

1st class cadets (seniors) will learn their initial assignments at Billet Night on March 5.

The first tour lasts 2 years, and after that you may apply for any one of many advanced degree programs, paid for by the USCG.

navy18 · 02-04-2009, 07:32 PM

How do the 1st Class cadets get to choose their initial assignments? Is it based on class rank? How many openings each year are there really in Hawaii or the Middle East?

Eagle's travels this summer sound great! It it 3rd class that go on Eagle?

Luigi59 · 02-05-2009, 12:34 PM

The assignment process starts in February, when firsties are given a list of available billets from which to choose.

A number of factors are taken into account during the assignment process: the needs of the service, their major, their overall military precedence average, and what they put on their dream sheet.

A majority of them will most likely receive one of their top 3 choices.

During their 3rd class summer, yes, they will spend 5 weeks on Eagle, in two phases.

2013 Swabs (4th class entering June 29 2009) will pick up Eagle in late July/Early August, in Maine or New Hampshire. They spend 1 week aboard.

Luigi59 · 02-05-2009, 01:23 PM

Perhaps Boss51 will chime in (he's got a Firstie who will be at Billet Night in less than 30 days) with more details?

Wake up, Boss!

Bossf51 · 02-05-2009, 02:36 PM

Ha ha some of us have to work for a living...

Anyway, not much to add other than the cadets have to list a specific cutter or sector as well as a specific type of assignment(deck, engineer). They were given a list of available billets by cutter. Some have two slots, some as many as four or five. The rest of your info is pretty much as I understand it.

In some cases cadets "co-locate," or ask to be assigned near each other. This happens in the case of engaged couples, etc. or sometimes just friends who wish to serve near each other. In this case, the lower-ranked cadet will prevail as far as handing out the assigment. In other words let's say a female is ranked 10th in her class and her fiancee is ranked 156th, and they choose to co-locate, the assignment will be given out based on the lower-ranked cadet. So forget co-locating in Haw'aii for example.

hawaiiboy15 · 02-07-2009, 03:26 PM

So, Flight school and I'm guessing Hawaii are on a lot of people's dream lists, usually high up?

j Collins · 02-10-2009, 01:19 AM

is Ice breaking in Antartica/Artic usally a popular duty request??

Bossf51 · 02-10-2009, 08:04 AM

Believe it or not, yes. The whole issue of global warming and the reduced ice flow contribute to that fact. The icebreakers also carry scientists who do a lot of experiments and research. It sounds like interesting duty.

Luigi59 · 02-10-2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCollins

is Ice breaking in Antartica/Artic usally a popular duty request??

The limited amount of billets is also a direct result of having only 3 Polar-class icebreakers:

USCGC Healy
USCGC Polar Sea
USCGC Polar Star

j Collins · 02-10-2009, 07:23 PM

We saw two of those while we were at the CG Station in Seattle.. My daughter was so excited.. She said " I want to go on one of those" She didn't know at the time what they were, but she was in love... Then all she can talk about is going to do research in Antartica!.. When she found out the ships at Seattle were the ice breakers she said she knew.. LOL but I knew she didn't really.

Thanks for your responses Luigi and Bossf. You guys are such an awesome source of info!!

ILHunter92 · 02-11-2009, 01:02 AM

You guys talked about the two years right after the academy. If you are on a cutter what is the cycle of duty? On for all of the two years or how many breaks do you get? Thanks! Or cycle of duty for any matter!

Bossf51 · 02-11-2009, 10:05 AM

Not sure of your question but they are assigned to the cutters for two years; of course they get leave and liberty etc if that's what you mean.

dqm54 · 02-11-2009, 06:57 PM

The Polar Star is out of service at the moment. The Polar Sea and the Healy are the 2 active icebreakers. The Healy spent 4 months in the Arctic area this summer with scientists on board. The Polar Sea spent 6 weeks north of Alaska, Nome, Kodiak this fall training new crew members. My Ensign is on the Polar Sea for 2 years.

The class of 2008 are all over the country.
17 are in flight school.
8 went to sectors
and the other 193 are on cutters
From Boston MA to Hawaii. You just never know what will be available.

petermcd123 · 02-11-2009, 07:26 PM

Whats sectors?