Hello all, My name is Joshua. I am new to this forum but have done alot of reading before becoming a member. I have a few questions that I am looking for some of your guy's insight. I hope to get a few perspectives on these things, which would help alot. My dream since I was 12 years old was to join a SAR program. I want to save lifes. I have always felt its what I was meant to do in life. I know its not an easy task and its relatively exclusive group of elite individuals. Ultimately I would like to be in aviation, to pilot those helicopters, and brave the brutal elements to save those who are in extreme danger. I am 21 years old, physically in good shape, i run a 11 minute mile and a half, so on and so fourth. I am currently a service writter for a large dealership and about 6 months away from graduating with a two year associates degree in sales and marketing. Also just recently engaged to a wonderful woman whom i have been with for almost 5 years, and I have had alot of voulenteer hours as well. But this is my dream and I want to follow it. Now to my questions:

1.) Will me having an associates degree benefit me rank wise when joining the coast guard or navy? I keep only hearing things about bachelors degrees...and thats kind of saddening to me...as i feel like my degree is just a waste

2.) If I am currently still enrolled in college will they accept me in but have me finish college, have me finish college then join, or would I be able to enroll right into OCS? What are the requirements to enlist as an officer as I cant seem to find a very clear cut route to becoming one with the info provided online

3.) With wanting to join an SAR program would being CPR/AED Professional Rescuer & First Aid training certification benefit me or advance me further with rank due to knowledge and skill level or would I be wasting my money to be certified for something Ill already be trained to do...Or would this certification help my chances to even get into an SAR program?

4.) This is kind of the same as question 3, but How about if I get my private and commercial helicopter liscense before joining, would that allow me to get in to aviation school much easier or isnt it worth shelling out the $15,000 to do it in order to secure the certification. Like would it even matter to the navy/coast guard? In my mind i was thinking it would because i would have prior flight expirience and actually know somewhat what i was doing?

5.) I have a cumulative gpa of 2.87 I work full time and college was secondary to supporting my fiance and I through college, but I am a very intelligent person, and a great leader and have excelled to management positions almost everywhere I have worked. My question here is what area's in the asvab are directly related to aeronotics and SAR, and what did you guys do in order to enter into these programs? and how much will my gpa affect my entrance into these programs or will the asvab supercede that?

6.) I am having trouble finding a coast guard recruitor, and when I got contacted by one he sounded like coasties arent in demand...was I getting the wrong impression?

I already have my application filled out to a T and ready to enlist....anyone know any recruitors who could help me around the minnesota area? Seems like alot of the numbers I call are old and disconnected I really appreciate all of your guys time and would appreciate all and any insight you all are willing to give!!!! Grateful Coastie/naval Helo hopeful -Joshua ps. The coast guard will be my fulltime career.

Mod edit to make it easier to read.

Welcome Joshua...

I will have to defer your list of questions to others, but I did want to wish you all the best!

Hi Joshua,

Welcome aboard to our humble little home. First, you don't enlist as an officer. You are either enlisted or an officer, not both. An Associates Degree will not get you into OCS, for that you will need a Bachelor's. No degree of any level is a wasted piece of paper, you earned it, be proud of it, keep going, get the next one. Even if it is while you are active duty, we have plenty on here that are doing that right now and plenty who have done it. Education is never a waste. OCS is highly competitive, numbers have been mentioned before and it was a phenomonally low number of people selected off the street, per se. It is far more beneficial to enlist, work your way up in those ranks and then go to OCS. You will find you stand a better chance.

You say a CG recruiter contacted you but made it sound like Coasties aren't in demand. Quite the opposite, the CG is a very high demand job right now. Offices are turning away qualified recruits because they have so many. Now that is not to discourage you but to point out when you get in touch with a recruiter, leave an impression. Make him think, "Hey, that kid Josh, I spoke to him a couple of days ago & now he is emailing me wanting to set up an appointment. Let me respond to him & get him in here, he is a good kid!" If you don't leave an impression, you will have just been another phone call. We have a few resident recruiters and all of them say "We don't hire the first 10, we hire the BEST 10!" Make yourself one of those BEST.

As for the training you mention, it won't really matter a lot. It won't get you advanced any faster or truly looked at any closer. You don't want to go into that sort of debt and it doesn't count. I won't say it wouldn't at all peak an interest in you, but to the tune of $15,000... I'm not sure it would peak that much interest. Save your money, if you are selected for OCS and eventually flight training, the CG will teach you!

Congratulations on your engagement. Is your fiancee supportive of this decision? I can almost wager my paycheck she has a million questions bouncing through her head... please tell her to join us. This forum isn't only for active duty members or those trying to become active duty. There are some great spouses, moms, dads, friends, active duty members of varying ranks & rates... have her sign in and ask questions about things that might be on her mind. For you it is career questions, for her it might be life & home questions.

You asked some other stuff that I will leave to people more in the know, like I said we have a wide variety! Try gocoastguard.com to find a recruiter near you and start calling or emailing. It isn't that they aren't interested in you, there is just a lot of interest in them (recruiters) and they have lots of calls to return. They will call you, just remember be a stand out among their phone calls.

Best of luck & again Welcome Aboard!
Macie

I really appreciate your insight on things guys. I will encourage her to join this websaite so she can express some of her things and get awnsers as well.
 
so question, your stating I will have better odds of getting into OCS to become a pilot if I enlist with my associates degree then work my way up versus going and getting a four year degree and trying to get admitted right off the streets into ocs? can anyone shed some light on this subject?

In recent OCS class selections, people chosen "off the street" meaning no military background, just a degree... was somewhere in the range of 10 for the last 2 or 3 classes out of close to 700 applying. Yes, that is what I was saying. You have a better shot at OCS being enlisted first, ascending the ranks and applying while enlisted.

what benefit would my associates degree in marketing help towards rank when enlisting? or would i still be an e-1

Everyone in boot camp is an E-1. I believe an Associates has enough credit hours to get you advanced to E-3 (Seaman) upon graduation. If not you can get the E-3 rank by enlisting for 6 years.

what would a bachelors degree earn me after graduating boot camp

E-3 I believe.

Yep, E-3. That is for sure... I think Associates is enough credit hours for E-3 but Bachelors absolutely.

60+ credits will get you E-3.. that is all. Advancing from E-2 to E-3 isn't especially difficult, the level of responsibility doesn't change, and the pay increase is nominal. So, don't sweat it.

what are the reqs to go from e2-e3? and how about e3->e4?

You need 4 months at your first unit, and you need to perform some competencies to make E-3. You have to wait 6 months between E-3 and E-4 and you have to successfully complete a Striker Program or "A" School.