Coast Guard

[80drvr]

Here's what I am hearing.

Pilot slots are far and few between in the CG right now. You don't find out until the final weeks of OCS, but if you have PVT, INST, etc you should be in. I do believe you can apply for aviation after commission. Don't quote me on that.

My recommendation. As mudcow(BTW the selections are within the districts, sorry mudcow) I will tell you they are strict on age. If you're applying from within it is MUCH easier and you only need 32 semester hrs to apply. Any outsiders need a BA, and probably be under 26. If you don't meet the requirements just go reserve. The active CG is cake (I work a whopping 8 days a month), can you imagine how easy the reserves will be? He!! When I am at work I am bored most of the time thank god for flightinfo. For me just being an officer is all I want, and that will come. Even as enlisted E-5 you make good cash. Don't believe those internet base pay charts. The CG is expanding, while everyone else seems to be downsizing.

http://www.gocoastguard.com/officerindex.html

Not that I would do it, but have you thought about flying Army?

I'd be interested in finding out what you do that you're only working 8 days a month. Most in the CG are working they're ass off right now. Sounds like your billet needs to be reprogrammed to a unit that needs it.

 

[qmaster3]

8 days, and because I work for guy that's been in 25/yrs and doesn't take any shiaat. In the Military it's all about the Master Chiefs, if you have a good one you are loving life. We're like ATC for the marine traffic in the restricted navigation area. My point is that the military is a great route. They have a lot of Officer Slots, unfortunately only a few pilot slots. It's been that way for awhile

 

[qmaster3]

I'd be interested in finding out what you do that you're only working 8 days a month. Most in the CG are working they're ass off right now. Sounds like your billet needs to be reprogrammed to a unit that needs it.

Try telling Master Chief that. I keep telling him I am bored and need to work more. He just tells me to shut up. All the OS's I know in the CG, don't work as hard as the Navy OS's.

Seriously it’s too bad the government isn’t more efficient. Commands don’t like giving up personal. Just the way it is, and I am benefiting from it. Our job is very important, and I do not surf the internet all day. The CG keeps close track of that. We do protect the borders, and I am very proud to work with the CG, and be a part of the team. If you're a pilot, I would love to trade places.

 

[psysicx]

What are the chances of getting a pilot slot threw OCS.If you do good on the entry test and pass the physical and have a private do you have a chance.

 

[qmaster3]

From the Officers I talk too, it's real good if you're in already. Can't tell you for sure about booter OCS. IF YOU HAVE FLIGHT TIME. It just might not happen right away. I am not a CG pilot, and am Navy working for the CG. I will be a coastie in June. Just apply. You have to stay on the CG recruiters though, they won't hassle you like the other services. They look at it like you need the CG, they don't need you. So you have to KEEP CALLING them, once they know you are serious they work with you more.

 

[soarby007]

Well, I don't know much, but my son is a pilot in the Coast Guard. He started out enlisted though and was able to get to be a rescue swimmer, which is in aviation. Jumping out of helicopters. He finished college and got a few medals along the way and was asked why he didn't apply for OCS. There was no guarantee he could get a pilot slot because it's a boat outfit primarily. I think he got preference however, as he was already in aviation, and also the selection admiral was his former CO. Second he had to get a couple of waivers, one medical and another on age. He got in though, I think four out of his OCS class got it and one flunked out of flight school.

He asked for and got fixed wing, as most of his flight school class wanted helos. He actually wanted C-130's, but missed the cut there. He flies 50 hours a month and deploys every 3 months out of country to patrol the waters. Right now he flies Falcons. You don't just fly, that's actually considered an auxiliary duty believe it or not. As far as quality of life, some days you win and some days you lose. He pulls duty every week to answer emergency phone calls for 24 hours straight, no flying. He gets to write reports on how many trash cans we need, etc.

If you want to fly, that's where I'd go as a young man. They have treated him great, most of the time.

 

[ck130]

PSYSICX,

I'm a CG Herc driver and hopefully I can help you out with a little insight. Getting into Coast Guard OCS is competitive just like any other military officer program. If you have a degree with decent grades you should have as good a chance as anyone else so put in an app and see what happens.

As for a flying slot there are 2 ways to go. Some get it right out of OCS. Class sizes used to be about 60 people and 3-6 people from each class would get flight school. If you don't get flight school you go to any number of other jobs after graduation as an ensign. Once you get to your new job you can start applying right away for flight school. We hold selection boards about every 6 months. I haven't checked lately, but the numbers used to be about 40-50 applicants for 15-20 slots. Not terrible odds. Are you guaranteed flight school, no, but I have never known anyone to not get it eventually unless they got too old or was just a total POS. It can take a couple years though.

Flight school is at P-Cola with the Navy and I'm sure many guys here can fill you in on what that's all about. I had a blast but others thought it sucked. To each there own I guess. After flight school you go to an Air Station. We have 26 of them from Puerto Rico to Kodiak Alaska, Barbers Point Hawaii and everywhere in between.

We are a relatively small community with about 600 flying pilots. Airframes are HH-60s,MH-60s,HH-65s,MH-68s,HU-25s (Falcon 20) and of course the mighty HC-130. About 80 percent of our pilots are helo bubbas. As a line pilot you will stand about 8 (24hr) ready crew duties a month. When you're not on duty you're flying training flights, studying your flight manual or working on your ground job, which usually isn't anything exciting for a first tour guy (or second tour for that matter). Oh yea, if you fly HH-65s or MH-68s you will spend a fair amount of time flying off the back of a boat (another reason to go hercs).

Finally...yes, after your first tour you can go back to P-Cola or Corpus Christi and do the IP thing. Sorry for the long post, hope it helps.

Fly Safe,
CK130

 

[sardaddy]

I'll put my two cents in as well

I'll pass the perspective from rotary wing side. I agree with CK130 on mostly everything but this one item is completely wrong.

"Oh yea, if you fly HH-65s or MH-68s you will spend a fair amount of time flying off the back of a boat (another reason to go hercs)."

There are no good reasons to go hercs. Just remember SAR means two different things to the fixed and rotary community. In rotary wing it means Search And Rescue. In fixed wing it means Search And Report "yep, they're sinking alright". All kidding aside, both sides of the house have a great mission and a great job.

The CG is short pilots and there are almost always pilot slots available in OCS. There are not a lot but there are some. About 3-5 per class. Not because there are less slots available, just because that is the general ratio between pilots and other officers in the CG. We are sending pilots through the system at a record rate and show no sign of slowing in the near future. As CK130 said if you don't get it in OCS you can try later. Pilot selection from officers who have already gone through OCS is made up of a CG wide selection board not by districts. I have personally trained many pilots who wanted to be pilots but did not get selected in OCS but got picked up later. I have even trained a lawyer who decided he wanted to be a pilot and got selected.

You cannot be a flying pilot in the reserves. There is no such animal. So if you want to be a pilot do not plan to do it in the reserves.

That should clear up qmaster3's not quite accurate info. Additionally, expect to work more than his 8 days a month. Nobody I know in the Coast Guard works that little. If he does and his boss lets him then shame on them both. The average pilot works 5 days a week with at least one of those days being a 24 hour duty at the air station. And we work less than most Coasties.

As far as being an IP goes, just like CK130 said you can go back to Pensacola and teach plus you can go to Mobile AL and teach at that level. Which is what I currently do. We teach all pilots (except C130 pilots, as they are special) how to fly Coast Guard aircraft or to maintain their proficiency in their aircraft. We also visit all air stations and evaluate the units for standardization CG wide. Plus, you can also be an instructor at an air station. So there are a lot of opportunites to become an instructor during your career.

And MUDKOW60, we wouldn't steal your SAR if you were able to launch in less than 6 hours!!

 

[qmaster3]

That should clear up qmaster3's not quite accurate info. Additionally, expect to work more than his 8 days a month. Nobody I know in the Coast Guard works that little. If he does and his boss lets him then shame on them both.

Sardaddy's right on. Most of the other SAR controllers/watch standers work 12/days. It's also gonna feel good having a homecoming after a 45/day cruise. CAN'T WAIT!

 

[psysicx]

Thanks for the help.What is the current obligation if you get a pilot slot.Also how hard is it to get a certain location?And do you guys enjoy flying in the CG?When is the HU-25 suppose to be replaced?