Good Afternoon,

I am currently a federal leo with approx. 3 years experience. I currently reside in the midwest on Lake Erie and have also graduated from a state sponsored police academy. However, I have no prior service. Based on my LEO experience, would I qualify for the DEPOT program.

Thank You

I have prio LEO experience on thestate level andwas accepted. I see no reason you wouldn't. You just have to be able to sell yourself to the powers thatbe. You  get the opportunity to write an essay and include everything you can thik og that will impress them. Also, include every training you have done. Not sure if you wanted some advice, but if you do that, than you will have a good chance of getting it.

Did you have prior service in the millitary?

No prior service. I have a graduate degree, so that may have helped. I put every certificate, training, re-qual, etc. I had in my packet for them to review.

Blawson. Thank you for the reply! I have a graduate degree as well so I will make sure to add that into my application package. Was it difficult to adjust to the USCG Reserve with no prior millitary service? Were you treated any differently?etc....

I haven't joined yet. Iam meeting with my recruiter wednesday to finalize everything. I leave for DEPOT in January 2011. I hope it will be easy, but we will see I guess. I was assigned to TACLET South as a reserve and that unit is AD (Active Duty) alot. I'm not sure how the reserves fill in but I'm excited for it.

Just so you know DEPOT is 3 weeks of the boot camp experince. No leave, no cell phones (but bring it cause they will just stow it for you), no TV, and not much free time. I say that because we had recruiter's tell people in my company they woudl have weekends off and could call home every night on their cell phones. You got to love recruiters! Needless to say none of that happened but it did give the Company Commanders something to laugh at. Although the 8-weekers do get more attention then you do based on the amount of time their at the Cape your going to get your fair share of fun. Be ready for the experince, physically and mentally. They make it clear in the first seconds your life is not your own anymore. That said, it does get easier as the weeks progress.

Good Luck

BLawson -
I am prior service with a tactical background and am looking to join the USCG as a reserve. I had my appt today and requested information on joining TACLET, unfortunately they did not have much info to give. I was wondering what it took to get a spot at TACLET South(i live in southern california) and what rate you chose, as well as your process in obtaining it. She recommended the ME rating but again, she sounded unsure. Any info from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Callsigncali,

I believe having the ability to join TACLET as a reserve has changed and they have became more strict. I was originllyapprovedfor TACLET South and recently found out tjhey denied me and afew others that were reserved for a opening. From what I understand they were accepting alot of E-3 and they had to leave to go to A school which is slowing them down. The only problem is I will be coming in at an E-4, which means I will not have to go to A school and will come out of DEPOT a sworn federal offIcer. So long story short I did not get the TACLET spot, but I am stillgoing to DEPOT in January as an ME-3 (E-4), SO i am still excited.

Originally when I was granted the TACLET sport my recruiter felt I was qualified based on my training and submitted a request which they granted. I have sense got a new recruiter and he had to put a second request in which was denied. I am unsure if it is because there are no new positions being that it is the beginning of the FY11. Originally when I got it , it was in June 2010 which was the end of the FY10. I also spoke to my recruiter about possibly putting in for TACLET once I graduate DEPOT and begin drilling and he advised he would look into that for me.

The problem is, from my experience most of the recruiters do not know enough on TACLET or DEPOT. I am the first DEPOT being approved for the South Florida recruting office. Hope this helps, let me know if any other info. is needed.

Anyone else going DEPOT in January 2011?

BLawson5:  Are you attending the 9 January DEPOT?  I'm from North Carolina and will be attending that DEPOT.

Yes I am attending that DEPOT as well. I'm from South Florida and wll be out of Sector Miami. What rate did you get?

I will go in as an MST3.  I don't have any prior service either.  Just a four year degree with a few years of job experience.  I am going to go to "A" school this summer.

I am going in as a ME3 with no "A" school. I have a Masters with a few years Law enforcement. How long did the process /approval take for you? I started this in February and recieved my acceptance in July. I was unable to go right away due to work obligations, but I'm very excited hopefully we have a good squad/unit in the training.

I started talking to a recruiter in Feb. or April.  I had a lot of hang ups trying to get through medical (I hadn't been to a doctor in several years and they had shreded my files), and my rate determination package got lost a couple of times.... but I got my ship dates in Oct. or early Nov.  I'm pretty excited too, starting to get a little nervous not knowing completely what to expect.

cbarfield

what kind of job experience do you have for the MST rating?

southern118

I have a 4 year degree in the Environmental Sciences, and a couple of years working for the National Guard in their environmental section. We handle all environmental issues for the NC national guard.

Are you a current MST? (and where?)

I am at school and will be going to houston.

It isnt so much about science as knowing 29,33,40,49, and a few other CFR and then a whole another set of books. When i leave here im probably shipping around 10 or so books. They have another 30 or 40 that i have used for test. I dont know what you do for the NG but good luck

Chief Eppright is now the lead CC for the DEPOT class - he is awesome - pick his brain for any and all questions. Be ready for your PFT!!!! NO excuses!!!! I graduated Nov 5th of this yr - no prior military experience no law enforecement - just 8 yrs emt. Good luck and have fun - when it's over you will wonder where the time went.

sinji
What day do you take the PFT? Do you have any other last minute pointers?

If I remember correctly, we didn't take our PT until Thursday of week 01 (if you don't pass, you have to be there at 515 the following morning for IT). We did the situps/pushups/run in the morning and the swim in the afternoon. We came in on Sunday the 11th and PT'd Thursday the 15th. I was Depot 05-10 so they may have changed things around for the next couple classes.

Oh, and we had MK1 Bailey and Rosas as our CC's. I guess it was Rosas' last Depot and we had a poster that we presented him on his last day.

I think we had our PT on a Thursday as well - the full schedule is online for anyone to view. I too had Chief Bailey along with Levit. We lucked out of the IT - due to the fact that only one recruit failed.

Does anyone know about how long DEPOT graduation lasts? I know it depends on the class size but i'm trying to get an idea to tell my wife.

I would assume it is about the same as a regular graduation... about an hour, give or take a few minutes.

My understanding we will be completly done by noon and free to leave. That is what I told my wife. I know she wants to see Cape May a little duringthe day.

Ours took the whole morning (not with family) because we had uniform inspections and other things to prepare before the actual graduation ceremony. The ceremony finished around noon and you will be done in time for the bus that goes to the airport or you can leave with your family.

Sorry CT, I guess I misunderstood the question because I counted all the other stuff for inspection instead of just the ceremony itself. I stand by the getting there early though because we did have a few parents miss it from being stuck in traffic.