It is hard to believe our son graduated CG Basic Training Three years ago this past Dec. 5th! I was on this site countless time searching for how I was going to make it through all the first holidays and the birthdays without him being at home. The first Christmas was a heart breaker for my husband and I. However, I had friends on this site that coached me through the days and we made it. Our son has worked his tail off on his cruiser, loves his crew, paid his dues, and should have lost his life twice aboard his ship in unforeseen accidents. He has been chomping at the bits to get into his A-School. We have preached patience to him. I have heard to many of my retired CG friends say they wished they had stayed in longer or they wished they had waited longer to see if they could get into the school they really wanted. He was getting so anxious these last two or three months. Patience has paid off --- !!!! Our son received his A-School commission papers at the end of last week. He is STOKED and we are very proud of him. All the three mile daily swims, cycling, running, repelling, studying anything the Chief could get him to study, taking every test he was allowed to take, and in general doing what is expected of all hard working Coasties--carrying his weight and any extra weight that needs to be carried. In his words "I'm doing the same dirty work that all Coasties should be willing to do. I'm paying my dues." "There is nothing special about me except when I am at home." Our son is special to us. Your Coasties are special to you. We all want to see them go as far as they are meant to go. Once again, thank all of you for your words of encouragement to him. Please, continue to keep him in your prayers as he goes through this ME School. They expect him to graduate top 5. We expect him to simply love what he does and do his best. God bless all of my friends on the USCG Forum and may each of you have a blessed Christmas. Pressing Toward the Mark, kyuscgmom

tell him congrats and dont mess up while he is there. The best advice i can tell anyone is drink very very little while at a school maybe 2 or 3 times on base that should be about it. You arent goign to party you are there to learn

southern-118

You are right on. Listen up potential A-Schoolers. Southern-118 is correct. One reason our son made it up the list so quickly was some guys/gals on the list were messing around with not only drugs, but alcohol. Duh! Go figure. Why would the USCG want personnel on Enforcement teams that dabble in drugs. Drinkers tend to be risky, too. These units are not playing tough boy games. This is real life. People are counting on quality, control, and clarity. As a parent of a CG, I want his peers to be equally as serious abut their responsibility.

My son is anti-alcohol or anything that will bring his body down. Its not been worth it to him to put his health or record at risk. He has had the best Capt. and Chief guiding him to his goals. By the way, kudos to the men who have taught our son well. Thank you for helping grow from boy to man.

Sadly, my son has already witnessed guys booted out of the CG for their lack of control. Focus, focus, focus.

Thanks for the congrats southern-118. I'll pass the good words on when I talk to him next.

kyuscgmom

We are STOKED as well for your son (our Coastie by proxy)...please let him know we are stoked and are wishing him the very best! May his journey be just awesome...God Speed!

Thanks so much Captkyguy!!! I feel so bad about not getting on the site to check in with folks these last several months. I myself have a new student that requires me to stay on my toes. In fact, I will be taking some new physical defense and safe restraint training soon. Can you believe it? Micah is thrilled. He is in fantastic physical and mental condition for this school. He is finishing up a couple of to do list items that are not required, but he feels like he will be ahead of the game a bit if he has them behind him before school starts in mid-Feb. We know now that absolute joy you had when your son got to move on to his school and then graduate out. I hope your Coastie is doing very well! I truly want to thank you, oldguy, and pepperdoggie for being the best advisers and comforters to Joey and I. We finally feel like we have this CG parent thing down now.

OOOPS!! Old Guard--please forgive me for calling you old guy. OMGOSH, you are probably younger than I am and certainly a lot wiser.

I doubt I'm younger than you, we are probably right there pretty close together. I have been called a whole lot worse than old guy. I'm not worried about that one.

Well, 48 is nowhere near old. So we are alright! Take care young man.

Well I will be 45 in April. I always say whatever Superbowl it is, that's how old I will be in April. My son still can't remember how old I am!

Question. When waiting on A-school. Are you chosen based upon performance and qualifications or time spent? A lot of people I've talked to seem to be under the impression it is the latter.

You get your qualifications done at your first unit. You put in your chit requesting A School, if command thinks you are ready they will submit; if not, they will hold off but will explain why with your marks. Once you are on the list you start at the end of the line. As one school convenes, names drop off the list and you move up.

So yes... quals first, performance for recommendation second, just waiting for your name to get to the top of the list third.