<p>For the record, almost nothing in the Coast Guard can be compared to other services. The coast guard is in a totally different department: Homeland Security. A good example is how you don’t need a congressman nomination. Similar to these differences, the pilot quals are very different, including heights and eyesight. To answer your questions on how long you must serve, I believe it’s 13 years. You must serve 5 years after graduating from the academy. If you do flight school, that will add another 8 years. 8 + 5 = 13 total. The time you are in flight training I BELIEVE counts towards your initial 5 years (in case you don’t finish flight school or you get medically disqualified, like an injury).</p>
<p>Other academies it’s 8 years I think, but I know Coast Guard is 13. Also, keep in mind that the other academies require you to serve 4 years after graduation; CG required 5. I’m not sure how OCS works. But that’s how you get pilot’s with odd majors, because they did at least 2 years of college before OCS, and thus have a major/degree from a college.</p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>