US Coast Guard Reviews

Former Employee – worked at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – I’m very proud of my decision to join the military. Not only did I make lifelong friends, but my experiences provided the atmosphere and opportunities which allowed me to mature and learn valuable life skills. I believe this experience helped shape me into the diligent and determined artist I am today.

Cons – There are policies in place that hinder the ability to properly manage money.

Advice to Senior Management – The Budgeting policy that is in place induces wasteful spending habits in order to maintain the allotted dollar amount. The fear of losing funds to a unit’s budget cause wasteful behavior that instead could be rolled over to the next year encouraging popper money management. This may not be the case nationwide, never the less it was in my unit.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – great benefits, retirement after 20 years, Montgomery GI Bill

Cons – Moving every 3-4 years, leaving your family behind when in a boat for several weeks or months.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Upward mobility is encouraged. Travel the world. Best people to wrok with anywhere.

Cons – You are working for the government and sometimes that means doing things you may not internally agree with or at a cost to your family.

Advice to Senior Management – Have the courage to tell Congress no or no more before too many more Coasties die trying to save lives or operate with aged equipment, not enough training, or too many hours on the watch.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Former Employee – worked at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – The missions of the USCG are rewarding. Its a humanitarian service with a military bent ... or a military service with a humanitarian bent. Either way, the best enlisted, officer, and civilian personnel make up this tiny service that gets A LOT done with few resources. Those who like a narrow job description need not apply ... you should be ready to step out of your comfort zone but you will likely never find a more rewarding occupation.

Cons – The other military services look down their noses at the Coast Guard ("is it REALLY a military service?" ) ... that is until they learn a bit more about the quality of the service and the people that serve. So .. don't enlist thinking that people will think you're tough for being a Coastie.

Advice to Senior Management – Cut the officer corps in half. Focus on retaining and recruiting the best enlisted talent that you can and promoting them to Chiefs and sending them to OCS. I believe that there is a lot more "bang for the buck" in small boats and patrol boats than National Security Cutters. Stop trying to compete with the US Navy and be proud of your surfboat heritage.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Great chance to learn leadership and management, not to mention the skills from the actual job you do while in the service.

Cons – You may feel overworked, under paid, and under appreciated. The time spent away from family and friends can be long.

Advice to Senior Management – Remember to treat the people that work for you the same way you would have wanted to be treated when you were in there positions.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – -Small organization
-Humanitarian Mission
-Exceptional people
-Exactly the same career opportunities as DOD, but better

Cons – -Small organization
-Lackey-mentality
-Tends to get bullied by states and other federal agancies

Advice to Senior Management – Join DoD's union

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 3 years

Pros – The ability to contribute to the global marketpace by managing and producting the professional credentials of more than 212,000 commercial mariners that contribute to 1 trillion dollors of our nations commerce. Regulatory inputs from working with Coast Guard have national impact.

Cons – Frequent moves every 3-4 years required for professional development and operation needs of the agency. Time spent cultivating professional relationships are damaged by transfer.

Advice to Senior Management – Investigate ways to grown and develop talent from within for the sake of continuity with regards to senior leadership. Invest in diversity (not just culturaly) but in technology, competency, and tradecraft.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Feeling of knowing you are a part of an organization that saves and defends lives
Excellent Pay
Opportunity to live in desirable locations
Opportunity to retire and receive a nice pension after 20 years of service
Excellent training programs available at free or low cost

Cons – Possibility of deployment resulting in separation from family
On call 24/7
Military Guidelines
Low budget results in slower advancement
Top-heavy organization due to senior employees refusing to retire

Advice to Senior Management – Start forcing stagnant personnel to either shape up or ship out.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – College, guaranteed paycheck, opportunities to help people

Cons – Impossible to rank up if enlisted, disgruntled leadership, the good leaders get out

Advice to Senior Management – Make HYT more aggressive as there are way to many people in the Coast Guard who are far past their time. They provide nothing but hostile work environments with their bitter attitudes and dinosaur leadership techniques. Most Officers I have worked with care more about their OERs than they do about their people. Chiefs Mess unfortunaltey has shown the same symptoms although not near as bad. Leadership classes need to be more in depth and MUCH longer than the current 5 days. Suggest looking at DOD for a base model of true leadership classes.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at US Coast Guard full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – The only positives about working in this environment is the pay and benefits, especially the retirement, education, and health benefits.

Cons – Leadership at the mid levels is poor, many supervisors belittle lower ranked individuals, waste by individual employees is rampant and no discipline is handed out in most cases. Alcohol abuse is only dealt with after the fact and too many incidents are covered up by supervisors. Poor living conditions aboard most of the vessels. Plenty more negatives but you get the point. Depending on your given rate much of what you learn with your time in the military will do you a disservice in your transition into the civilian world. Little if any active career advancement at this time, and what there is of career advancement is based on tests that have little to nothing to do with your actual function in the service.

Advice to Senior Management – There needs to be a better approach to determining leaders and superiors than just testing there book knowledge. When issues arise from the lower ranks about poor supervisors, the top leadership needs to take a closer look. More actual oversight on what money is spent on at the unit level, less redundant paperwork that provides no additional information. To admiral Papp, if he is about what he claims he is then kudos, I would look forward to a shipmate oriented boss instead of one who is only about greasing the wheels to his own fulfillment.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company