scott@h-three.UUCP (scott) (08/05/90)
From: 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 ? Thanks. -- Scott H. Crenshaw uunet!h-three!scott h-three Systems Corporation AppleLink: H.THREE POB 12557/ 100 Park Dr. Ste. 204 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (919) 549-8334
geoffm@EBay.Sun.COM (Geoff Miller) (08/08/90)
From: geoffm@EBay.Sun.COM (Geoff Miller) In article <1990Aug5.042336.27897@cbnews.att.com> scott@h-three.UUCP (scott) writes: >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 ? ----- I went to boot camp at Alameda, California, in 1978. All USCG enlisted basic training has since been consolidated at Cape May, New Jersey. Once you've been through the initial procedures involving your medical exam- ination and uniform issue, you'll settle into a routine that'll last for most of your nine-week stay. Up at 5:30, calisthenics, then breakfast and back to the barracks for a shower. Most of the rest of the day is spent in classes. You'll be learning a variety of things including the history of the Coast Guard, basic fire and damage control at sea, marlinspike seaman- ship (tying knots), types of USCG vessels and aircraft, an introduction to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, etc. There is also a daily physical education class, part of which consists of swimming/lifesaving lessons and testing. There'll be trips to the firing range, where you'll qualify on the M16 and .45-caliber pistol. (Boy, is *that* a loud SOB! :-) Also, you'll have to go through firefighting school. I don't know where the Cape May people go for that, but at Alameda they took us to the Navy base at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. There was a two-story simulated ship- board engine room, in which a fire was started with chunks of 2x4 and diesel fuel; you'll get to fight the fire -- from inside. You won't be able to see or breathe. Not fun. Finally, you'll make several boat trips during which you'll practice helmsmanship, towing another vessel, etc. You'll march everywhere you go, and you'll be subjected to the usual boot camp head trips, but the head games are no problem for anyone who's reason- ably mature. Most, if not all, of the boot pushers (drill instructors) will be "blackshoes" (non-aviation people), who are, ah, somewhat prejudiced against anyone who expresses a desire to go into aviation, as I did. Most of these people are boatswain's mates, with some quartermasters (shipboard navigators) and gunner's mates thrown in for variety. There'll be weekly inspections, and you'll be asked to recite various bits of information from your studies at random times. I've heard that Coast Guard boot camp is the most academically challenging, but I found it pretty easy, and actually quite interesting for the most part. Attention to detail is the key to success. Once you've finished your academics, your next-to-last week will be spent as slave labor in the galley (dining hall.) It's fortunate that it's only a week, because you'll be exhausted from getting up at some ungodly hour every morning and working late each night. At the conclusion of Galley Week, you'll be allowed to wear undress blues instead of the dark blue working uni- form. That's a signal to the boot pushers of your advanced standing, and you'll be treated better as a result. At this point you'll be given a list of available billets. Billets are chosen in the order of academic standing in your company. Of course, if you're a reservist or you've already made arrangements with your recruiter to attend a school, that'll vary somewhat. ("I'm going to the cutter Morgenthau? What kind of C-130 is *that?* :-) Geoff -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Geoff Miller + + + + + + + + Sun Microsystems geoffm@purplehaze.sun.com + + + + + + + + Milpitas, California -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg) (08/08/90)
From: budden@trout.nosc.mil (Rex A. Buddenberg) The Coast Guard's boot camp is located at Cape May, NJ -- southern tip, about one bridge after you run out of Garden State Parkway. Last I looked, boot camp was 8 weeks. It's not all that different from the boot camps of other services...physical training, learn how to wear the uniform, ... a sea service slat -- learn to swim (or prove that you can), some bos'n mate things, small arms training. Since the late 70s (fairly radical policy change about 79 or 80), all boot camp graduates go to some unit, most of them operational. Give you some taste of at least part of the Coast Guard before you commit to an A school. Nobody goes directly from boot camp to A school any more. It's been years since I was actually in the gate at Cape May so my data is not terribly complete...most of the time when I get down in that neighborhood its to visit our lab across the channel at Wildwood...But EECEN's CO is a commander and she currently works at the training center.... Rex Buddenberg, Lcdr USCG
cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold) (08/09/90)
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