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