CG aviation

BravoHotel

BravoHotel

Well-Known Member
Just out of curiosity I called the CG recruiter to entertain an idea. It turns out I am not too old to fly for the CG. I am 29, you have to be no older than 31 for the Blue 21 flight iniative. Also according to the CG recruiter, ERAU qualifies for the Blue 21 flight initiative. I have 3 classes to go, plus 2 clep tests and I am done with the BSPA degree. I am barely over the minimum GPA, but I am over it! I have 611 total time, with four years active duty USMC from 99-03.

Any commentary would be greatly appreciated in this matter.
 
In many ways, the Coast Guard is the toughest service to be part of. The small size of the service can make creature comforts and support services more sparse.

However, and I know this sounds crazy, but the worst thing to be in is a peace time military. Driving around in circles pretending to play war is pretty unfulfilling. Having a real world mission is a whole different thing. The Coast Guard has the only full time real world mission and it isn't always combat. They are "at war" with smuggler, pirates, polluters, and Mother Nature herself. Along they way they save the bacon of a lot of people. When it comes to combat, the Coast Guard is there too, right in the thick of it. The highest casualty rate in WW II per service member was in the Marine Corp. The second highest was in the Coast Guard. I've seen the Coast Guard perform in combat and they were excellent.

If I had it to do over again, the Coast Guard would be at the top of my wish list.

I wish you the best of luck, whatever path you choose.
 
Guy, when have you seen the Coast Guard in combat? Are you talking border patrol, human/drug smuggling?

To the OP: I read an article awhile back about USCG C-130 flying up in Kodiak, AK. The article followed the crew through an 8 hour day. I forget what the particulars of the mission were, but they flew something like 7 hours of solid IMC, did 4 missed approaches, and completed 3 approaches that all involved breaking out at minimums.

Just to think about the flying; are boaters in more trouble on crappy weather days or good weather days? Are smugglers trying to come in at night, under darkness, or during the day? The flying is pretty sharp, I'd imagine.
 
Hawks, feel free to PM me with any questions that you have about the CG. I've been in about 6 years and am a 130 driver. I'm not real familiar with the Blue 21 program but if you've got some general questions I can probably help you out. I can say that the CG is a great organization to work for and the job is very rewarding. As mentioned before as a CG pilot you are performing the mission on a daily basis whether it be SAR, Law Enforcement or whatever else pops up. Are you interested in flying helos or fixed wing?
 
Hawks said:
Just out of curiosity I called the CG recruiter to entertain an idea. It turns out I am not too old to fly for the CG. I am 29, you have to be no older than 31 for the Blue 21 flight iniative. Also according to the CG recruiter, ERAU qualifies for the Blue 21 flight initiative. I have 3 classes to go, plus 2 clep tests and I am done with the BSPA degree. I am barely over the minimum GPA, but I am over it! I have 611 total time, with four years active duty USMC from 99-03.

Any commentary would be greatly appreciated in this matter.
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When I flew in Kodiak, I saw what the Coasties were really capable of- holy crap. Those guys fly in crap that grounds the cargo guys.
 
MikeD said:
Yup. CG has been there nearly everywhere a Navy combat prescence has been.
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Wow, I was really ignorant of this. Is it mainly just western/northern hemisphere or are they going beyond North, Central, and South America?

Please educate me. :insane:
 
...and I have a couple friends over in Bahrain right now while I got stuck working a desk in D.C. :panic:
 
CGFlyer said:
Hawks, feel free to PM me with any questions that you have about the CG. I've been in about 6 years and am a 130 driver. I'm not real familiar with the Blue 21 program but if you've got some general questions I can probably help you out. I can say that the CG is a great organization to work for and the job is very rewarding. As mentioned before as a CG pilot you are performing the mission on a daily basis whether it be SAR, Law Enforcement or whatever else pops up. Are you interested in flying helos or fixed wing?
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If you start flying fixed can you switch over to helos in the Blue 21 program...since its a 12 year commitment???
 
Cowboyav8tor said:
If you start flying fixed can you switch over to helos in the Blue 21 program...since its a 12 year commitment???
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The Blue 21 program is basically a recruitment program that guarantees you OCS and flight school. Once you get to flight school there is no difference between a guy from the Blue 21 program or any other commissioning source.

To answer your question about pilots switching airframes, generally speaking it's not that common but it does happen. Once you are qualified as either a rotor wing or fixed wing pilot you will usually keep that designation.
 
For the greater part of the last decade the CG has been deployed to work the waters of the Persian Gulf as well as the Horn of Africa, helping out with maritime security and counter-terrorism operations.
 
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