So, if you are e-5, 30 hrs of college, and have four years in the coast guard you can go to OCS. Since you do have to earn a degree, to become an officer, how does that work out. When do have the time to get the rest of your degree?

While you are on active duty, you take classes, on line, brick & mortar schools, whatever it takes. There are many, many people that have done it. We have 2 here now, Chukles & Gears, both working through their degrees. Chukles just finished his Bachelors and is working towards his Masters. Gears is working on his Bachelors and I'm sure he will go further with it. My ex-husband earned 2 Associates, a Bachelors and his Masters all while on active duty. He even took a 2 week trip to Russia for one of his Master's classes... it is all completely possible!

Is that as enlisted or officer though?

Thank you so much!

He did his 2 Associates while he was enlisted, went to OCS, got his Bachelors and Masters while he was an officer. So that was both! He graduated from George Washington University while he was stationed in Anchorage Alaska and then Juneau Alaska. In Juneau he was the XO of MSO Juneau, it changed to Sector Juneau while he was there. Then he transferred to D17 offices and finished his Masters while he was there. He is now currently serving a one year tour in Iraq. It is all crazy but it is all very possible! It just takes a lot of discipline and self-motivation.

Oh... and while doing all of this... he and I divorced, he met his 2nd wife, he got our son through some rough times, he had another child, he was doing marine casualty inspections (F/V Arctic Rose), he was hunting, fishing, loving life and earning degrees! So don't let anyone tell you there isn't time for it! There is!