Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: nirvana on July 24, 2007, 11:12:48 PM
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Well I've thought long and hard about it, and I've made up my mind to join the Coast Guard. I got an 87 on the ASVAB which qualifies me for any job in that aspect. However, I still need to go through MEPS and enlist in the DEP. I haven't heard very much about either so I was wondering if you guys have any stories about MEPS and/or any information on the DEP.
You can also through in your worst boot camp stories too if you'd like.
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I've DEP'ed into the Marines. Going through MEPS is not a fun thing, I had to do it twice to finally get DEP'ed in. Most of the people working there are civilians are military people placed there that don't want to do that job. They hate and seem to take it out on the people shoved through there.
Best way to handle it is mind your business, do what they tell you. Get the stuff done you need done and nothing more.
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You're asking the wrong questions. You need to be asking "How do I get stationed in Hawaii or Florida". Else you might get stuck in Alaska or on a Coast Guard cutter.
If you get stationed in Florida, you get to blow up refugee rafts with 50 cal machine guns.
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:lol I don't think I'd mind being stationed in Alaska, I really enjoy the cold. Eskimo has made it sound like a fantastic place too. Being on a cutter though....I guess it'd be an experience.
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Originally posted by nirvana
:lol I don't think I'd mind being stationed in Alaska, I really enjoy the cold. Eskimo has made it sound like a fantastic place too. Being on a cutter though....I guess it'd be an experience.
I was stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. It wasn't as bad as folks make it out to be in regards to the cold. Being on a Coast Guard cutter would be a lot different I think.
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I'm from Alaska too. It's awesome up there: especially being in the coast guard where you are only up there for the duration of your tour.
I don't remember much about my MEPS or DEP. Seemed like every other thing with the military ~ stand in line forever to get a rubber stamp. Then stand in the next line forever.
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Good luck in the Guard!!!! MEPs is a pain in the butt. You'll spend allot of time sitting around waiting for the next exam....mostly medical stuff.
When you get to Cape May you'll do in processing for the first couple of 3 days before you get assigned your company commanders.
Basic is 8 weeks and it's not to bad but you will do some very stupid stuff. You'll have allot of classroom time for the first several weeks, just be sure to stay awake. If you start falling asleep stand up and move to the back of the class before an instructor sees you sleeping....vey bad.
AVOID Hawaii, California, and Florida at all cost for your first duty station. Too damn expensive and you aren't going to be making that much money.
Going to a cutter out of basic is actually not a bad thing if you can get a small one. Buoy Tenders are AWSOME!!!!!!! If you get the chance to go to one take it. River Tenders are even better as a non rate. Patrol Boats are good. Try and avoid the big white ones until you are at least a petty officer.
Any ideas on what rate you want to go yet???
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What he said (points up). Had 2 big white ones out of boot, both in Hawaii. Best part of the tour was the Alaska Patrols! I'd give anything to get back to Alaska.
Also did 2 River Tenders as a BM3. Actually spent MORE total days per year underway on them then I did on the 378's ;)
For 20 years I never had a job I didn't love, hope the Guard turns out the same for you.
Sorry about no MEPS/DEPS answer....never did that.
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What river tenders where you on??? I got the Scioto (WLR-65504) out of Keokuk Iowa out of boot in 1992. Was onboard from December 92 to November 94. Man that was an awsome tour other than the floods in the spring and summer of 93. That was a mess. Group Upper had to evacuate and ended up with around 5ft of water in the building and our dock came within about 3 inches of floating off the moorings.
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My first trip through MEPS involved Pharyngitis -- "a painful infection and inflammation of the pharynx…" with a "white spotted" tonsil swollen to the size of my little finger and a temp of about 103 or so. I spent the night in some 4th rate hotel room with a big mound in the center of the mattress and yellow street lights streaming in with my mouth open drooling on a towel since I couldn't swallow. I spent the next morning moving like a diseased zombie through the maze of prodding and poking and paperwork until the final doctor said -- hey, you're sick, come back in two weeks. The doctor I went to afterward to get the antibiotics said it was the worst he had seen.
YMMV and likely will (except for the prodding, poking and paperwork). Welcome to the bureaucratic machine my friend. Hurry up and wait, common sense need not apply, etc.
Charon
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CGC Kanawha (Memphis TN) from 1981-83, then I did a mutual exchange of station to the CGC Cimmarron (Paris TN) from 83-86. Paris is where I met my hillbilly ex-wife #1. What a place :rolleyes:
You was up there where the river actually freezes huh? The lower Miss didn't get much ice, but the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers did (especially the Cumberland).
Nice thing about the Cumberland was visitng the country stars homes :cool: We had a commercial electric light that was attached to the power pole suppling electricity to Johnny Cash's tennis courts. We always knew when he was on tour becuase the light would be reported out. He'd turn off non-essential power, then we'd have to go out to his house and hot pack the light until he came back.
Had a line of 6th class buoys we used to set into the Mandrels dock so that Barbara and her other sister (Not the blonde drummer, the other one) could get their boat in and out without running aground. Fame has it's advantages.
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Hornet:
Machinery technician since I already have a background in that field to a certain extent and the ability to go back into my current civilian occupation if necessary. However, depending on the way things go the next few months I may decide to go non-rate and look around for awhile. I was reading about MEPS on about.com and they had me more worried about those several hours then 8 weeks of boot camp.
I'd personally prefer to be on a smaller boat but just being enlisted would be good enough for me right now.
Thanks for your input everyone .
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The CG is a great outfit. If you line up your job right, you'll have time as an LEO when you get out, you'll have a lot of great job opportunities.
When I run across younger guys looking to serve these days, unless they already know what they want to do (i.e. "Unghhhh, grenades, charge, kill...Marine Infantry") I tell them to check out the CG first.
Also, the CG...being smaller, can be and is a little more selective - so your idiot/good teammate ratio is low by default.
And there are plenty of chicks who dig Coasties.
Any idea regarding what you want to do?
More later-
Mike/wulfie
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Originally posted by nirvana
I may decide to go non-rate and look around for awhile
Do not do this. I'll explain more as to 'why' later, but I am literally closing the laptop in 5 seconds.
Mike/wulfie
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I'd discussed it with Hornet several months ago but I'm looking at Machinery technician or Boatswain's Mate.
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I bet 90% of the Navy guys you meet at MEPS will tell you they are applying for BUDS. If you can, try and get your recruiter to drive you the morning of, rather than staying over night.
Goodluck.
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Nirvana, like I told you awhile back, pick a rate that will serve you AFTER the Guard. I know you mentioned to me you'd like to make a career out of it and that is AWSOME!!!!! Think of your future first though. I went Electronics Technician. I have an interview at 10AM this morning with an outfit here in Virginia Beach and they are offering $42000 a year starting for what I know.
The cool thing about this job is I'd be working as a civilian at the same command I retired from if I get it.
Kepp your fingers crossed for me:D
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Originally posted by nirvana
I'd discussed it with Hornet several months ago but I'm looking at Machinery technician or Boatswain's Mate.
Ok a disclaimer here - I'm not exactly 'current' when it comes to recruiting issues (I went to MEPS a couple of decades ago...I now officially feel like lazs - F*CKING OLD - :) heya lazs :)), and the last time I worked at/near an RTC was a long while back as well. Also, I'm not USCG, but I have worked with them and have a lot of buddies that are Coasties.
1. Figure out what you want to do, and have it in writing before you swear in at MEPS/ship off to boot. If you have an idea of what you think you want to do, get your recruiter to hook you up with some AD Coasties and ask them about the day-to-day of the job you are interested in. You want to know what your daily life is going to be like, right?
2. Under no circumstances would I say you should be at boot with an undeclared rate/MOS/etc. As an E-Dog, this puts you completely at the mercy of the system. If you don't want to be a radiological straw-suck testing tech, and that's what they need, and you are undeclared, welcome to sucking radioactive sludge with a straw. Get the picture? :)
Machinery tech. - if you like doing mechanic stuff, sounds like a decent fit.
BM - these guys are the last of the 'real' Sailors. You do the actual Sailor Stuff on the boat/ship/etc., and you do all the little unlisted things and all the major non-specialized technical things that need to be done to keep the boat/ship/etc. afloat, ready to fight, etc. LOTS OF HARD WORK. LOTS OF DIRTY, THANKLESS, NEVER IN A RECRUITING COMMERCIAL WORK. That being said, ask a CG BM how fast advancement is for BMs, in the USN it's pretty damn fast - I have a couple of buddies who went BM because they wanted to make rank faster. If you want to be a Real Sailor (TM), you love boats, ships, boating and Sailor-type stuff, and it's a career for you...maybe BM is a good call. But be ready to work your bellybutton off, and the only respect you are going to get is from your fellow Apes and people who really know how the big machine works. But, if you are a BM, and on the job - everyone else will endeavor to get the f*ck out of your way. Admirals included. :)
As for MEPS, my recruiter took me in in the morning. It's no big deal. Remember that almost everyone at MEPS with you will talk a lot (because they are nervous), and they have no idea what they are talking about. Anyone with you who is quiet and bored is most likely prior service from a different branch. :) Don't screw off, pay attention, etc.
As for boot, the biggest threat is boredom. You're going to be bored. Don't let it affect your paying attention (ATTENTION TO DETAIL...you're going to get that a lot), and young guys who are bored tend to do stupid *****. Avoid the stupid bored guys. Help out your buddies, they'll remember it and if you're helping your buddies you don't have any time to worry about yourself. A lot of guys freak out at sometime during the first 2 weeks of boot - first time away from home and having to listen to what strangers tell them to do, and realizing they HAVE to listen...a little culture shock is the norm. At the beginning of week 4 you'll look back at whatever had you all worked up in week 2 and laugh about it. I'll bet that every guy here who has been to boot will have a similar opinion. Boot is actually fairly wussy, the top exception being USMC boot followed by USA boot. You'll make some of your best friends ever there, and some of your funniest stories will be from boot and early on. Just don't f*ck up and enjoy the ride.
Good luck dude.
Mike/wulfie
p.s. One last thing, check out how many units of college you need to come in as an E-3. It used to be 30 (I think). If you can get some college under your belt before you show up at boot, it will pay off way more than you think it will. And get your degree A.S.A.P. There will be all kinds of programs for you to hack away at your degree while OTJ.