Need help deciding between Air Force and Coast Guard!?
So after graduating college a little over a year ago, I've decided that I need to do more with my life rather than the usual "just get a job". I've decided to take the GRE towards the end of the summer and hopefully go to grad school soon. However, money is definitely an issue and I was considering joining a branch of the military. Just to clarify, I am not considering joining the military just to pay for school, it's just one of the many reasons.
I've always heard from people in the military and people who are ex-military that you need to choose which branch is right for you. Let's face it, some people are better fit for Marines other for Navy, Army, etc.
I've narrowed down my choices to Air Force and Coast Guard. I've known quite a few people who have been in the Air Force or have been but not too many in the Coast Guard. The past few months I have been researching more into the Air Force but just recently I have been considering Coast Guard more.
I was wondering if anyone could help by giving me some good info about the Coast Guard. I know there are websites and everything, but you sometimes can't get the straight info there.
My main questions were about going in as an officer. I've heard being accepted into OTS for the Air Force is extremely competitive. Is the Coast Guard officer training just as competitive to get in to? More so, less so? Also, if anyone had a link to jobs or knew a lot about the jobs offered in the CG that would be great to. I have a BA degree in Studio Art/Graphic Design, so I know there really isn't a whole lot I could do with that in any military branch, but if you have any advice please help.
Finally, what are the living conditions like in the Coast Guard? How long are assignment/deployments usually?
Really any advice that anyone could give would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, I've researched a lot about the Air Force, talked to recruiters, all that, but haven't done much research regarding the Coast Guard. I do plan to talk to a recruiter soon though.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Just look at the raw numbers and figure out who's more competitive. Regardless of what the other posters say, it is not the Air Force. Our total active duty officer corps consists of roughly 8,000 people. That's it. Trust me, we can be as selective as we want, and there is never a shortage of OCS applicants.
If you want to be competitive in any way, you should probably thing about getting a STEM degree, as Studio Art/Graphic Design might not do to well at the selection board. Whatever you do, talk to a recruiter to get the current info, including career paths, assignmets, quality of life issues, etc.
Good luck.
Having many worries about the possible near future?
Dude…the AF can provided excellent careers than the Coast Guard. Since you're doing for the money as well as other reasons, they will definitely help pay for grad school. If you join the Marines for 4 years, you'll forget everything that you studied…same with Coast Guard. The AF however, is a career branch rather than a combat branch. Go AF. Dude, you'll have a great future ahead of you =)
You'll have to score really high on the ASVAB than any other branch b/c they only take the best. But you can do it.
Well, score high enough on the line scores.
References :
Thank You for thinking of serving! I am going to join the Marines as soon as I can get out of college. I want to be a pilot.
As for you, you just have to look at what you want. If you go AF, you will might be deployed around the world. Good if you want travel. If you go CG, I think you stay mostly around the coasts. The pay is the same either way. AF is what everyone is doing these days, but that's okay. I know that the Coast Guard people get a lot of trash from the other servic becauseuse they are different. But, it doesn't matter what they think!
You can pretty much have any degree you want and still get a good job in the military. For example, I could get a degree in P.E. and still be a pilot, so it doesn't really matter. As for OCS, CG is probably less competitive. The living conditions shouldn't be a problem. The military has the best for its' own. They give you an allowance for a house, or you can live on base.
The military is a great way to go. Good Luck!
References :
Future member usmc
Just look at the raw numbers and figure out who's more competitive. Regardless of what the other posters say, it is not the Air Force. Our total active duty officer corps consists of roughly 8,000 people. That's it. Trust me, we can be as selective as we want, and there is never a shortage of OCS applicants.
If you want to be competitive in any way, you should probably thing about getting a STEM degree, as Studio Art/Graphic Design might not do to well at the selection board. Whatever you do, talk to a recruiter to get the current info, including career paths, assignmets, quality of life issues, etc.
Good luck.
References :
30+ years CG Officer