Criminal Justice Careers Guide - Coast Guard Academy
Conduct 109 search and rescue cases
Save 10 lives assist 192 people in distress
Protect $2,791,841 in property
Launch 396 small boat missions
Launch 164 aircraft missions, logging 324 hours
Board 144 vessels
Seize 169 pounds of marijuana and 306 pounds of cocaine worth $9,589,000
Intercept 14 illegal migrants
Board 100 large vessels for port safety checks
Respond to 20 oil or hazardous chemical spills totaling 2,800 gallons
Service 135 aids to navigation
What are the qualifications to join the Coast Guard?
Following are the basic requirements for becoming a member of the Coast Guard:
You must be a US citizen or a Resident Alien.
Be between the ages of 17-27 for Active Duty. (If you are 17, you'll need parental consent.)
Reservists must be between 17-39. Prior service personnel should contact their local recruiter for specific programs.
Have a high school diploma. GEDs are accepted in special circumstances.
Have no more than two dependents.
Pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test.
Pass a military entrance medical exam. Be the type of person who wants to serve the public on or around the water.
What are some benefits of joining?
Steady Income:
You are paid twice a month, on the 1st and 15th, every month, based on your pay grade. Salary based pay.
Advancement:
You are promoted based on your knowledge of your chosen career field, your performance, time in pay grade and service requirements.
Paid vacation:
You earn 2.5 days paid vacation per month for a total of 30 days each year.
Training:
You choose your career path based on your aptitude, physical abilities, security clearance, motivation and determination. Unlike other military services, the Coast Guard offers all specialties to both men and women equally - including combat roles.
Health Care:
While on active duty, you will receive complete medical and dental care at no cost.
Life Insurance:
As an active duty member, you are covered for $400,000 in term life insurance at a cost of less than $26 a month. You may select a lower amount of coverage.
Allowances:
You'll receive additional tax-free money for Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) if government housing is not available in the area you are stationed; Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), if government dining facilities are not available in the area you are stationed; and a uniform allowance (for enlisted personnel only) to help maintain your uniform. Tax Advantage: All existing allowances for food, housing and clothing are not subject to Federal or state income taxes.
GI Bill:
The Montgomery GI Bill will help pay for your college education or vocational technical training.
Additional Benefits:
There are exchange and commissary privileges, moving allowances, temporary lodging expenses, travel, survivor benefits, Veterans Administration home loans and more.
Do I have to join another branch of military service first?
No, there is no requirement that you join another branch of service before you join the Coast Guard.
Does the Coast Guard take people with prior military service?
The Coast Guard is hiring prior-service people. Call 1-877-NOW-USCG and speak with the recruiter nearest you to determine eligibility and pay grade upon entry.
What if I am not a US citizen?
Enlistment into the US Coast Guard, or any branch of the US Armed Forces, by citizens of other countries is limited to those foreign nationals who are legally residing in the United States and possess an Immigration and Naturalization Service Alien Registration Card, commonly known as a 'Green Card' (INS Form I-151/551). Applicants must speak, write and read English fluently.
Can the Coast Guard help me obtain US citizenship?
The US military branches cannot assist foreign nationals in obtaining admittance into the United States. Questions concerning immigration to the United States should be asked of the US Embassy. Only after immigration procedures are completed and an applicant is legally in the United States may an application for enlistment be accepted.
How long is boot camp? 8 weeks.
Where is boot camp?
Boot camp is located at the US Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey.
What is boot camp like?
Boot camp is tough, both mentally and physically! Its purpose is to prepare you for life in the Coast Guard. Much of your training will take place in a classroom where you will learn valuable skills such as first aid, fire fighting, weapons handling, practical seamanship, and general Coast Guard knowledge. You will have daily physical fitness classes and spend time at the pool learning water survival techniques. You will meet your Company Commander (CC), on the first Friday of your training. The CC has the responsibility to make a hard-working, efficient team out of 50 or 60 strangers. The CC will teach you military drill, which includes marching, handling the M-1 Garand rifle, and showing you the "ropes" of US Coast Guard life.
What are the minimum physical fitness requirements?
To meet minimum qualifications for graduation you must be able to perform the following:
PUSH-UPS: male: 29
female: 23 (in 1 minute)
SIT-UPS:
male: 38
female: 32 (in 1 minute) 1.5 MILE RUN:
male:12:51
female: 15:26 (minutes)
SIT AND REACH:
male: 16.50
female: 19.25
COMPLETE SWIM CIRCUIT: Jump off a 5 ft. platform into the pool, swim 100 meters, and tread water for 5 minutes.
Should I do anything before I go to boot camp?
Yes. After you enter the Delayed Entry Program (DEP), you will receive a copy of the "Helmsman," a recruit guidebook. Study the entire book. There is a lot of very important information in it. Pay particular attention to the list of items you cannot bring to boot camp, the 11 General Orders and the Position of Attention. Also prepare yourself for physical fitness training.
Do I have to know how to swim?
No, but you will be tested on your ability to enter a swimming pool from a 1.5 meter platform and safely swim 100 meters in 5 minutes without touching the side or the bottom of the pool and without any goggles. You'll then have to tread water for 5 minutes without a life jacket. If you fail to complete this test, you'll be required to get up earlier and attend an additional swim class in the morning before your regular classes.
This is a mandatory requirement for you to graduate from basic training. You should come prepared. The more abilities you have, the more comfortable you'll be. The training staff at Cape May will help you but time is short.
If you are afraid of being in, on or near the water you are not eligible to apply.
Where can I get more information about boot camp?
Visit Training Center Cape May's Web Site by clicking here.
Will I receive a bonus?
You will have to speak to your recruiter about bonuses.
How do I become an officer?
There are several ways to become an officer in the Coast Guard: By successfully graduating from the Coast Guard Academy, successfully completing Officer Candidate School (OCS), or through one of several Direct Commissioning Programs. You must have normal color vision for all officer programs.
What is the Coast Guard Academy? The Coast Guard Academy is one of the five federal military service academies. Located in New London, CT, the Academy's mission is to produce leaders of character for service to the nation. About 300 High School graduates enroll annually, leaving four years later with a Bachelor of Science degree and commission as an Ensign.
The Academy is one of the top ten academic experiences in America (Princeton Review 2003). Graduates experience much more than intellectual growth. The opportunity to develop physically, morally, and spiritually set the Academy apart. Two-thirds typically graduate in technical majors, which include Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Operations Research and Computer Analysis, and Marine Environmental Science. Seventy-five percent compete in Division I and III intercollegiate sports.
The Academy is tuition free. Cadets also earn a modest pay-check. Graduates are obligated to serve for five years upon graduation.
For more information on pursuing a career in the U.S. Coast Guard with your criminal justice degree visit: www.gocoastguard.com/faq.html#cga