I am looking into transferring into active duty Coast Guard from the ARNG. Should I stick to my current mos type or do something new?

2017-08-13T19:18:48-04:00

I am currently a 15U CH47 repair with the ARNG. I'm considering going active duty coast guard and was looking into Gunners Mate. My buddy said I should stick to being an Aviation Mech since I'm pretty good at it. If I had a good chance at flying again I might do it, but I would like some advice from some current coast guard guys about the two rates.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 13 at 2017 9:12 PM

2017-08-13T21:12:03-04:00

The CG is a vastly different experience, so there must be some reason you're wanting to switch. As such, why keep the same type of job? Expand your horizons I say. But, there's nothing wrong with loving your job, either. So I've been a lot of help, I know! lol. Edit: you might expand your question to Navy guys too, as the rates are nearly identical in both services.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2017 12:05 AM

2017-08-14T00:05:53-04:00

Hey Colin. I was also a 15U (actually a 67U, I was in before the mos code changed) and made the switch to the Coast Guard. I had no interest in being on a boat so I went straight to aviation. My plan was to be an AMT but the CG doesn't let you lateral over anymore so I had to go back to school. I figured I might as well do something different so I went AET instead. All the aviation jobs in the CG are also aircrew. Jobs are not airframe specific either. I started on the HU25 Falcon and stayed on it till 2014 when it was retired. I did two years on the H60 and now I'm on the C144 Casa. I can tell you active duty life in the CG aviation is much better quality than the Army. A deployment means two weeks in Puerto Rico.

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 14 at 2017 5:43 PM

2017-08-14T17:43:31-04:00

Both rates are great. As a gunners Maté you wouldn't get any flying in, very very slim chance of that. So if you want to fly I'd recommend AMT. If you became an AMT you would definitely have the chance to fly again because you would be part of a flight crew. That's an AMT, AET, Pilot and Co-Pilot. They always have one of each when they go up. A CG recruiter would probably be able to give you more info or even be able to put you in touch with someone who knows each rate very well.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 15 at 2017 8:49 PM

2017-08-15T20:49:46-04:00

Okay, I'll be the one.

A "Rate" is the same thing as "Rank" in the Army. Coastie enlisted members don't have rank - we have rate... only our officers have rank. A career field (MOS) is a "Rating." AET (Avionics Electrician's Technician) is a rating. PO3 (Petty Officer Third Class) is a rate. When I came over from the Army, it was confusing all to hell, especially when Coasties use the wrong terminology.
Also, Enlistees are "Advanced" in rate, we aren't "promoted" (again, only officers get promoted).

Your rating depends all on you. Can you imagine yourself in 15 years, nearing retirement age, cleaning weapons and/or running range qualifications with almost no budget and 10 sub-units screaming at you that they all need to get qualified? Can you imagine working on airframes and being part of the air crew? Which appeals to you more?

Keep in mind that as you advance in rate, your hands-on time gets cut more and more, and if/when you make Chief (E-7), you are damned near a paper-pushing, desk-riding, manager... and that happens no matter what rating you choose.

To start with, live as a non-rate, E-2/3, can suck, and you have almost no say in where you get stationed. Once you are advanced to E-3, you can put your name on any A-school waiting list for career field training for which you are qualified. You might wanna grow up to be a Gunner's Mate right now, but once you are in, you may fall in love with the Yeomen, or spark-chasers, or any of the other ratings we have (we only have about 20!!). When you go to A-School, you'll be ranked according to how "rough" your last billet was, folks on cutters getting higher priority than sand-peeps, and then you get a list of available billets for PO3s in your rating... the people with the highest priority get the first picks, the folks on the bottom getting last choice. You may wanna stay on the Left Coast, and end up in Maine... or Guam... or Miami.

After that, things work GREAT for assignments - it's just when you are at the bottom of the totem pole is when it sucks - and for a new family, it can be rough. We're also quite isolated, so there aren't the big support networks that the Army has.

There are loads of differences. Holler if you want me to continue. Good luck!!

Response by PO1 Scott Brogdon made Aug 19 at 2017 7:12 AM

2017-08-19T07:12:31-04:00

All aviation rates fly in the Coast Guard. I was an AET and retired this summer. Great career.