My Fiance really wants to make his career being a GM and I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with that? Where are they needed most? What is their job like? Any good/bad things about it? Are they gone a lot of the time?<!-- Edit -->

Last Edited : 12/11/2009 5:16:09 PM GMT

I'm not an expert so I can't give you a complete answer. However, there are really (sorta) two kinds of GM's. The first you would find mostly ashore at places like district and sector headquarters where they spend their time acting as armorers and small arms instructors. The second serves mostly in larger cutters where they maintain and operate the weapons systems on board (CIWS, SRBOC, 76mm, 25mm, etc.).

What I don't know is how much movement there is back and forth between one type and the other. For example, if a GM goes to the 'C' school for the CIWS, does that mean they are pretty much limited to that system forever? For a while? Just one tour? No idea.

Wish I could help more.<!-- Edit -->

Last Edited : 12/11/2009 5:40:11 PM GMT

How would you be able to work in one of the land units versus the cutters and on sea?

if GM school does it like this-he would need to do really well in A school...the better he does in his class, the more of a pick he gets. then he would just pick one of the land billets if there is one.

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Is there a pretty good chance he'll get stationed on a cutter after bootcamp? How would I be able to live with him if he was on a cutter?

About 50/50, as 'boatforces' said in a different thread. If he's assigned to a medium or large cutter, he'll be living aboard the cutter for quite a while.

So how would that work if you were married?

Are there any main land stations for a GM?

The USCG is sea going service. Most Coast Guardsman will serve a part of their career at sea. I know from experience that sea duty is the best the CG has to offer. I wouldn't trade my experiences underway for any desk job.

If the idea of your fiance being deployed at sea for 6 weeks to 6 months bothers you, maybe the two of you should sit down and consider an alternative career.

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"When you fall on your face you are still moving forward."

if you are married then you get to live with your spouse. my husband is on a big cutter but he lives with me. on his cutter, the non married people have to live on the boat for a few months (i think it's 6) before they are allowed to live on the economy. but if you are married you aren't required to do that; you can live with your spouse from the get go.

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It's different for everyone. My son lived on the cutter for about four or five weeks and then was given a military owned apartment.

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Well that is comforting :)
My fiance also told me that there are some where you are out all day on a boat and then you come back in for the night. Is there such thing?

yeah, there are some smaller boats that are out in the day like that like some buoy tenders. even if he does have to live on the boat for a certain about of time (it probably varies from cutter to cutter-Josh's is really big, 378 feet, so the requirements for living there are longer), he will still be able to hang out with you when his work day is over (on the days he doesn't have watch duty). my husand works from 7-3:00, then they are given liberty. everyone can go do what they want and then come back to sleep on the boat if they are required to. every third day my husband has to stay on the boat for a full 32 hours because of watch duty but other than that (and when the cutter is out at sea) i see him everyday. so you guys will manage :)

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Now that sounds much better! I would like that :)

but remember it changes every 2-4 years on where you are and what your work schedule will be. he might be on a small boat go out for a couple days then 2 years later might go somewhere that he could be gone for 6 months without being home