Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!usc!ucsd!pacbell.com!pacbell!att!cbnews!military From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Coast Guard Boot Camp Message-ID: <1990Aug9.015833.8322@cbnews.att.com> Date: 9 Aug 90 01:58:33 GMT References: <1990Aug5.042336.27897@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 77 Approved: military@att.att.com From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold) >From article <1990Aug5.042336.27897@cbnews.att.com>, by scott@h-three.UUCP (scott): > > > I'm considering joining the USCG Reserve. Over the years I've heard > a bit about what Army and Marine Corp boot camps are like (or at least > novelists and scriptwriters' opinions), but have no idea what to expect > in the Coast Guard. Anyone care to describe it ? What's a typical day like ? > > You would probably be disappointed if you expect CG boot camp to be like the movies, inasmuch as Marine boot camp and Army boot camp are much more interesting in their physical aspects, and are usually the basis for what you see in movies. The purpose of the CG boot camp is to make sure you are physically qualified and prepared to enter advanced training in a CG rating such as Boatswain's Mate (BM), Machinery Tech (combination of EN, MM, and BT), Port Security (PS), Yeoman (YN), Storekeeper (SK), or "Subsistence Specialist" (no kidding) (SS) (used to be called a Cook). These are the basic ratings open to Reservists. Anyway, basic training is about 1/3 physical training, 1/3 classroom training, 1/3 practical training. Physical training - basic get-in-shape things, plus swimming (sorry, even if you are tall and can wade ashore, you still must swim). Basic military things like close-order drill. Self-defense. Recreational athletics. Classroom - history, customs, uniforms, seamanship, small arms, law enforcement, rules of the road, roles & missions, first aid, UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice), communications Practical - boat handling, survival, seamanship, small arms, communications, watch standing, fire fighting, NBC warfare There are others that I can't think of, but this is the major emphasis. The physical side of things has been de-emphasized considerably since the '60s, although there is still the usual hazing/stress, particularly in those "first few difficult days of military service." And there is some amount of mickey-mouse like filling out a multitude of forms, physicals, shots, inspections, formations, etc. I don't know if KP is back or not; it was eliminated at one point, but I think that this has been re-instated. I couldn't give you a typical boot camp day, since I have not seen one for (many) years. However, you should expect to rise early, and have very little free time. Saturday afternoons and Sundays are relatively free, unless you are assigned to duty, or have misbehaved and thus have attracted special attention. Boot camp is now completely co-ed, thus much of the rudeness and verbal abuse has gone (an improvement). Unlike the other services, the CG has no occupational restrictions, so the women go through all phases of training that the men do. It's not exactly a "kinder, gentler" boot camp, but it is more focused on skills training and not so much on indoctrination. By the end of basic, you will know which rate specialty you will train for, and off you will go to this next phase. The end product is an E-2 (SA) with a rating, advancing at 6 months to E-3 (SN), and six months later to E-4 (BM3, MK3, etc). If you have a 2-year or 4-year degree, and/or have some civilian experience, you may qualify for a direct Petty Officer appointment, meaning that you would start out as an E-4 or E-5 based on your education and experience. You would not be required to go to the full 6 months of boot camp, but would go to a 2-week basic indoctrination for Reservists. You might want to check in to this as an alternative. Any questions - contact you friendly CG recruiter. Pat Kauffold AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL (708) 713-4726