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I recently inquired about joining the Coast Guard (Reserves). I like their mission, I like that they help domestically especially with things like disaster reli

I recently inquired about joining the Coast Guard (Reserves). I like their mission, I like that they help domestically especially with things like disaster relief and environmental issues, and sea-worthy things are in my wheelhouse. I reached out in THREE ways online and never got a callback. I called my local office. The recruiter I talked to seemed to generally not care at all, I drove 90% of the conversation. Couldn't tell me what "rates" (jobs) the CG has and what would be applicable to my background. I'm stunned, I'm thinking this is literally your job to know this kind of a thing. The recruiter told me that I should go look at the jobs/rates on their website. Yep - go look at their website - which was offline for about at least week (or maybe still offline - I stopped checking). This recruiter didn't offer to follow up, which would have been difficult because they also didn't bother to get any of my contact information, or even ask my name. My military friends absolutely could not believe this. Of course, it could have been this particular military recruiter. Although I was also ignored in other channels, too. I'm thinking - 1 - Your branch is in DIRE need of people, both active and reserve. TEN cutters are being pulled from service, and nearly 30 boat stations are being closed. 2 - If you're this incompetent during the recruiting processes, what would service in your branch actually look like? Not a great experience/impression. I may try again later (find a different recruiting office), but if this is how recruiting is being done, it's no wonder why they can't find warm bodies.

ryandvm 3y ago
My understanding is that the Coast Guard is pretty selective and it's not easy to get into. Something like 15% acceptance rate. I don't think they're having the same recruiting difficulties as the larger branches.
- warner25 3y ago
  They're having fewer difficulties than the Navy and Army, but recruiting has been a struggle for the Coast Guard too. Here's an article from earlier this month: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/17/coast-guard-announces-new-talent-acquisition-rating-address-recruiting-crisis.html https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/17/coast-guard-a... > The Coast Guard has struggled to bring in recruits, failing to meet its enlisted goals for the past four years. In mid-2023, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan told Congress that the service was short 3,500 members, while the service's fiscal 2024 budget request reported a shortfall of 4,800, or nearly 10% of its force. I don't cross paths with a lot of Coast Guard folks, but I was talking to one a few months ago who painted an ugly picture of what this looks like at the ground level. People from his station are getting pulled as individual augmentees for operational deployments in other places while everybody else works a number of double shifts to cover the duties at their own station. With that said, I'm not shocked by webworker's story. Part of the recruiting crisis is due to the recruiting apparatus being pretty dysfunctional. Hence the article about the Coast Guard announcing reforms to who does recruiting and how they'll be trained. The Army also announced similar reforms last year.

ryandvm 3y ago

My understanding is that the Coast Guard is pretty selective and it's not easy to get into. Something like 15% acceptance rate. I don't think they're having the same recruiting difficulties as the larger branches.

warner25 3y ago
They're having fewer difficulties than the Navy and Army, but recruiting has been a struggle for the Coast Guard too. Here's an article from earlier this month: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/17/coast-guard-announces-new-talent-acquisition-rating-address-recruiting-crisis.html https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/17/coast-guard-a... > The Coast Guard has struggled to bring in recruits, failing to meet its enlisted goals for the past four years. In mid-2023, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan told Congress that the service was short 3,500 members, while the service's fiscal 2024 budget request reported a shortfall of 4,800, or nearly 10% of its force. I don't cross paths with a lot of Coast Guard folks, but I was talking to one a few months ago who painted an ugly picture of what this looks like at the ground level. People from his station are getting pulled as individual augmentees for operational deployments in other places while everybody else works a number of double shifts to cover the duties at their own station. With that said, I'm not shocked by webworker's story. Part of the recruiting crisis is due to the recruiting apparatus being pretty dysfunctional. Hence the article about the Coast Guard announcing reforms to who does recruiting and how they'll be trained. The Army also announced similar reforms last year.