What is the toughest job in the United States Coast Guard? Why?

I'm not C.G but I figure it is probably.....

Publically admitting that you are in the Coast Guard?

9 years of shipboard duty, 7 hurricanes, 2 North Atlantic gales (perfect storm weather), four years in Gulf of Alaska. Hairiest part was SAR, always was in worst possible weather. when other ships/fishing boats/commercial crabbers were ducking into port to avoid weather, we were headed out to rescue the stragglers.

I'm glad you asked this question. The Coast Guard is almost a mystery. They save drowning victims, inspect vessels, intervene drug smuggling, but they do need to step up their advertising and PR image. They catch the brunt of jokes within the military community, but some of their vessels look like they would inflict SERIOUS pain! They have neat aviation toys as well. The guys that dive into arctic waters knowing they only have moments to say alive themselves? Forget about it!!! I wish we had more active members on RallyPoint. The 3 that are well known to us are among the best people I have ever interacted with on here. I'd actively recruit them to join, but everybody knows how busy the Coasties are in the desert of Arizona.

Before I answered, I'd have to know what the definition of "toughest" you are using.

Physically demanding? Probably AST - the Rescue Swimmers.

Emotionally demanding? How about 19-year old smallboat coxswain that has to haul the corpse of a victim back to port with the family all gathered at the dock?

Intellectually demanding? Any of the regulatory enforcement folks that have to have chapters upon chapters of Federal Code of Federal Regulations memorized.

Having career fields that are significantly more generalized than all of the other services - with a SINGLE admin rating to do what the Army splits into NINE career fields, and other fields that are MUCH worse?

How about running an entire unit as an E-7 with full UCMJ authority and all the other stress of a full command?

Staffing units with exactly what is needed - without benefit of considering the silly things like leave, qualification time, injury, or surge operations?

Flying aircraft into storms that have forced all the expert pilots of the other four services to run away to inland safe-havens?

Running Search and Rescue cases in horrible conditions for idiots reported missing - only to find out that they changed their minds and went to their buddy's house to drink and never told their family members?

Doing 24 hour duty every two to eight days with no day off afterward, just being allowed to "nap" on board a noisy work-place for four hours afterward?

Making life and death decisions in perilous situations that can impact you, your crew, and possibly dozens or hundreds of others on a daily basis.

Doing inspections on international commercial vessels that will willingly lie on documents to save money, shipping Methyl-Ethyl-Killyouquick instead of Fuzzy-Duckling slippers?

Or, my personal favorite: doing any or all of the above and never getting credit for it?

I spent over 30+ years in the coast from 1980-2010. Needless to say, but I've seen and done a lot. The toughest job in the Coast Guard is all the work required 24hrs a day, 7 days a week with a constantly small budget. I've spent hrs in a Saudi Arabian holding cell, I've run drug interdiction in the middle of the night on Rhib without close backup. Just keep in mind we aren't in DoD for a reason, but we are still one of the armed forces. If you ever get board see if you can catch a ride on a Cutter during 50 ft seas trying to go rescue people. No job is toughest or more important, from the non rates who paint to the CO who commands everyone needs to do their job for us to succeed.

SAR and LEDET (Counter Narcotics - VBSS)

The red-headed step sister may have been adopted by DHS but they are consummate professionals.

Semper Paratus

While I am not CG, but my vote is for the Rescue Swimmers up in the Kodiak

All seriousness aside, I would say the toughest would be having to put up w/ more jokes than us Air Force guys.

Those guys are awesome. Constantly patrolling & out on the water in much smaller craft. Search & Rescue is no joke at all!!!

Honestly, we "Blue Water" boys bash on the "Puddle Pirates"...but they have some pretty Bravo Alpha mission capabilities and scope. I can tell you one thing for certain-They don't consider a Navy O-3 with four years of bridge time the equal of more than a PO1 in lat-transfer ;)

My personal opinion is working on a buoy tender on a day to day basis . Remember those people are handing 7 to ten ton buoys on rough waters . The buoys are swing freely and the chance of getting hurt are extremely high . Other jobs have more danger ,but the dangers ore not every day , I was in the Guard for four years and never served on a snatcher. I was on a 327 (U.C.G.C. Duane WHEC 33) and was on the Viet Nam cruise .