How to Join the U.S. Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard, under the jurisdiction of Homeland Security, offers unique services in protecting the waterways surrounding the United States. It is responsible for protecting the borders of the United States by preventing illegal goods, drugs and immigrants from entering the U.S. In addition, it monitors the safety of marine life by preventing illegal fishing and hunting or the dumping of illegal chemicals in the waters surrounding the United States.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Join the U.S. Coast Guard

1. Meet the stringent requirements for enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard. Only residents of the United States between the ages of 17 and 27 are eligible. A high school diploma is required, and you must pass a physical exam as part of the eligibility criteria. In addition, passing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) evaluation test is a major part of the enrollment criteria for all recruits.

2. Apply online through the website of the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut (see Resources below). The Academy is the only place for training with higher education to become a member of the Coast Guard.

3. Plan for 8 weeks of boot camp at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey, when you join the U.S. Coast Guard. This is a time for rigorous physical endurance training with emphasis on patrol and rescue missions in and on the water.

4. Exercise the option to continue into graduate work with the expense paid by the Coast Guard. While this is a very rigorous training time, the result is a career with opportunities to work in the air, on land and sea or in space.

5. Expect to have law enforcement responsibilities on international waters and as far away as 200 miles from shores when you join the US Coast Guard. This law enforcement authority is greater in scope than the U.S. Navy. A court order is not required for a Coast Guard captain to seize a vessel.

6. Receive the same benefits as the members of any U.S. military service when you join the Coast Guard. This includes health insurance, low-interest mortgage loans and life insurance. Retirees receive a host of benefits, depending on the status of discharge.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are afraid of being in or on the water, the U.S. Coast Guard is not the branch of service you should consider.

Resources

• Apply through the United States Coast Guard Academy website