Posted on Apr 30, 2016
If I join the Coast Guard as prior service Army, do I have to go to Recruit Training?
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I'm planning to leave the Army and join Active Duty Coast Guard, since I am considered prior service do I have to attend Coast Guard Recruit Training?
Coast Guard
Training
Prior Service
Inter-Service
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 28
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Why the hell would you worry about CG boot camp if you successfully completed Army boot? As a run-of-the-mill high school athlete in 88, (when they were allowed to be a LOT tougher than they are now), even Naval boot was a joke, physically. I can't imagine the CG is any harder.
But, just to help you understand, here are things you'll have to learn that you almost certainly don't know yet: fire fighting (the hot kind, not the gun kind), water survival, damage control...just to start.
But, just to help you understand, here are things you'll have to learn that you almost certainly don't know yet: fire fighting (the hot kind, not the gun kind), water survival, damage control...just to start.
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PO3 Harry Bruning
Are you kidding me Navy boot camp is a joke compared to the CG boot camp!! CG boot camp is as hard if not harder than Marine boot camp! Well I should say back in 84 when I went through it was! We actually had to swim every day!
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PO3 (Join to see)
PO3 Harry Bruning - Exactly...In 91' Coast Guard Basic was considered the 2nd hardest boot camp of all branches of service behind the USMC. It had the HIGHEST drop out rate by percentage, of any branch... The swim Quals alone were a mother. In my company of 50 at the start of boot camp, about half failed swim Quals the first time. Of those only about half of those passed the second time, and only a few the third and final try.... My company graduation was only like 37 recruits, That's like 25% of my company that got booted on a performance in training discharge..... And our sister company fared even worse with only 34 out of 50 making graduation.. That's a hell of a washout rate.... That doesn't even touch on the 4am PT in the quad in -10 to 25 degree weather in Cape May NJ in February, running at high port carrying 20lb M-1 Legrand lead filled rifles used for drill, Or 5 mile runs on the beach.... If any boot camp is considered a joke... it AIN'T the Coast Guard.....!!!
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PO2 Alvin Dimalanta
I went to Cape May in Oct 91 and to me it was a joke, I kept hearing how it was the 2nd hardest boot camp of all the services, I was sorely disappointed, it wasn't even physically challenging, mainly classroom stuff and that was easy too.
I was fed all this BS on how the 2nd test was going to be difficult, it was a joke, so I didn't bother studying after that and went through the motions to graduate.
I went to Army basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in the summer and that was miserable at times but it still wasn't that difficult.
I was fed all this BS on how the 2nd test was going to be difficult, it was a joke, so I didn't bother studying after that and went through the motions to graduate.
I went to Army basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in the summer and that was miserable at times but it still wasn't that difficult.
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PO1 Felix Rivera
I did CG Basic in the summer of 91 also and it was pure cake walk when not marching around spent it in the barracks because of black flag days (temp. reaches a certain point certain activities are curtailed). or in the class room learning seamanship, history, etc. Had a blast. My first smoke taken on off base liberty was the best.
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yes you will. The two branches are different enough in culture that you will need to have some sort of basic level training to be assimilated. I'm sure that there is some sort of reduced training for prior service cross-overs like yourself though
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Once you been through basic in any service you can change and not do basic over again
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I believe it's now mandatory to attend BCT when joining the naval svc, including Navy or Marine.; not so sure about new MOS/ RATE (AIT)...
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I did and I was lucky to get in. This was in the 90's and I got out of the Army as a SGT went to college and then joined the CG just before I was too old to re-up. I was also told I was "too army" for the remainder of my 17 years in the CG so you'll have to be more flexible than my thick skull. I think however things may have changed and your best answers will come from the local recruiter. Depending on your time between services however it may be mandatory to do basic again.
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Yes you do. I was prior ARMY 95B(MP) and switched to USCG in 1997. USCG boot camp is required and I was there with prior Navy and Marines.
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Unfortunately, SPC Voye... You would have to attend Basic training again, as well as, either go to "A" school for a specific a Rating, or OJT a Rating (Called "Striking") in order to be made a Petty Officer 3rd Class (E-4). The Coast Guard does not have an E-4 pay grade for Non-rated MOS. Furthermore, Coast Guard Basic is more focused on skills used by sailors on small boats and Cutters, with an emphasis on water skills and ship life, and not so much on combat. So it is an entirely different skill set. A crappy situation to lose rank, I know, but it is just the nature of the Coast Guard. As the smallest branch, there is a tendency to be stingy in the application of standards that may apply to other branches. Interestingly enough, several years back, I contemplated re-enlistment in the NG. The recruiter told me I would keep my rate/rank, and would not be required to go to basic, but would have to go to combat training.... So what's good for the goose was not necessarily good for the gander..
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I don't know if things have changed or not, the answer used to be yes, but not the. Same as someone who has never been in. You'd go to classes to learn some history, seamanship, laws and treaties, different rates (what is available to do such as in aviation, engineering, admin, operations, etc, essentially your specialty), times in grade and vehicles for promotion, etc. Significantly better than new recruits who they are trying to teach how to work together as a team and not a group of individuals going their own way.
Best to go talk to a recruiter and get the latest skinny.....
Best to go talk to a recruiter and get the latest skinny.....
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I was prior AF and had to go through Recruit Training at Cape May for the Coast Guard. However, it was more orientation than what a new recruit goes through. Civvies after the workday, allowed to go off-base on the weekends, and stayed in the permanent party barracks. Pretty easy going. Of course, that was 1984. May have changed since
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PO1 Felix Rivera
Yes, it did. I heard stories from some old salts how some guys just took advantage. From some of the stories I heard, evening in the barracks sounded like a frat party. I wonder if that is why the program was disbanded?
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