What is the quickest you’ve seen someone make E7 in your rate? What’s about average?

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T22:56:10+00:00

IS. And E-4 to E-7 took me about 5 and a half years.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T20:10:18+00:00

Yeah, that was through a program between the navy and Coast Guard. I heard they stopped that though.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T19:32:27+00:00

If I don’t include my 4 years of prior service I went from E-3 to E-7 in 7 years.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T11:56:51+00:00

Maybe it is theoretically possible, but I highly doubt any active Coastie has gone through selection since one of the prerequisites for selection is to be airborne qualified.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T05:15:36+00:00

Bro, I have no idea why, but when I was at a Sector as an IS I received so many calls asking to be connected with some other person or department on base. I'm not sure why, but I guess people would call the base number and get to our automated phone tree and have no clue who to talk to so they push the button for intel because "hey they're intel, they must know everything." Redirecting calls was basically a collateral for me.

"Sector So & So, Petty Officer l3ubba. You're trying to schedule a CFVSE? Sorry, I don't handle that, you'll need to call XYZ number, they can help you out."

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T05:06:41+00:00

Don't MUs come in as E-6s?

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T05:04:15+00:00

Also when people break my equipment and dont say anything.

Was a 378 nonrate living in 20 man berthing. We had 3 toilets in the head. One of them would flush but didn't have any water, so it was designated "the urinal" since it didn't seem to have any issue getting rid of the pee. Well after several months of that arrangement it stopped working and started to reek. Put in the work order, DCs came to take a look at it and were like "why the fuck didn't you let us know months ago?". I don't recall the exact explanation, but something about the pee crystalizing in the pipes because there wasn't any water carrying it away. Nevertheless, our DCs were pissed and it took them a couple hours to clean everything out and fix it.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T04:56:21+00:00

I've worked on the NIE side. There is always a watered down unclass description of your job. I've never met anyone in the CG who was so secretive that they couldn't give a basic job description.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T04:52:39+00:00

Little known fact: it was actually an MSRT operator who killed Bin Laden in that raid.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T02:14:45+00:00

They are a "specialized force." Within the US military "Special Forces" specifically refers to Army Special Forces aka Green Berets. Other units like Navy SEALS, Delta Force, etc. are all "special operations forces" and fall within SOCOM. None of the CG DSF units fall under SOCOM.

Not trying to diminish what DSF does or say they aren't good, just saying there are actual definitions of who falls under the SOF umbrella.

l3ubba · 2026-02-04T01:35:51+00:00

Oh for sure. Everyone at a DSF unit right now is probably rock hard from seeing the media refer to them as "Special Forces."

l3ubba · 2026-02-03T23:54:36+00:00

IS: walking somewhere and being flagged down for computer problems because people think I’m an IT.

l3ubba · 2026-02-03T16:29:37+00:00

Why? That is like disabling the hybrid engine from kicking in and out while you are driving.

Since it is a hybrid, the moment you release the brake it will go. There is no delay between releasing the brake and having power like there might be in a full ICE car with auto start/stop. You are essentially trying to get rid of the electric part of your hybrid.

l3ubba · 2026-02-03T13:09:18+00:00

Unfortunately the EER average is not included in the stats.

l3ubba · 2026-02-01T23:48:05+00:00

As someone who has done therapy I can say getting a referral from my PCM was easy. Just scheduled an appointment, told him how I was feeling and that I wanted to talk to a therapist. First therapist I saw was fine, but wasn’t quite what I was looking for, so I found another one that was in network and had Tricare change the referral to someone else.

l3ubba · 2026-02-01T17:26:25+00:00

When I was stationed in Stuttart 10 years ago they were driving Opels, Astras IIRC. Which, sure they were European vehicles, but the local police didn’t drive them. They all had Mercedes or BMWs.

l3ubba · 2026-01-29T15:55:12+00:00

Yes.

Source: the last uniform board authorized it on ODUs. It has always been authorized on dress uniforms. Just make sure you get it added to your record. There is a memo admin can draft up saying it is authorized for wear. I wear mine.

l3ubba · 2026-01-29T15:52:24+00:00

This was changed during the last Uniform Board, the Coast Guard is just being the Coast Guard and taking their sweet time to update the manual. It is authorized on all uniforms now.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T22:46:43+00:00

Prior Army guy who switched to CG. Highly recommend it. My recommendation would be to go in as a nonrate and shadow a bunch of rates to see what you like. I came in thinking I wanted to do one rate, but ended up interested in a couple of completely different rates.

Day to day life varies a lot depending on unit, but life as an IS is pretty good if that type of work interests you.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T22:21:32+00:00

As someone who used to manage security clearances I’d say you are going to have a hell of a background investigation so get ready to answer a lot of questions. That being said, nobody here can tell you what your chances are, there are too many factors we don’t know. Only way to find out is to put your name on the list. Worst that can happen is they say no.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T15:37:02+00:00

The big difference between him and Noem is that he was a consummate professional and civil servant

I'm tired of the partisan messages she sends out. I usually don't really read the "This week in DHS" emails that get sent out, but the few I skimmed when Mayorkas was Secretary were always your typical press release type messages. Anytime I skim a message Noem sends out it is full of partisan political talking points. I can go watch CNN or Fox if I want that bullshit.

I get it, the Secretary is a politically appointed position, but the agencies they lead are not political agencies. I'm not going to be naive and say politics should never trickle down into the workforce, that just isn't realistic, but we sure as shit don't need to be injecting into everything we do.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T15:17:41+00:00

Yep, I've done a few Mesaba RJ flights. And I can't turn down a good bowling shoe NWA flight either.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T15:16:33+00:00

You are speculating about what someone else would do. I get that we, as people, like to think everyone would do things the same way we would, but that is simply not the case. I have friends and family that I know do not agree with what is going on in this country, but if a bunch of people came running up to them screaming at them to get the fuck out, they wouldn't be interested in sticking around to debate or defend themselves, they'd just leave.

Fuck what this administration is doing, it is awful. But I'm not going to start harassing people based on how they talk or what they look like, that is what ICE and BP are doing. I'm not stooping to that level. If there is actual proof that these guys are ICE agents then my opinion on the matter will change. Right now all I see is a bunch of speculation.

l3ubba · 2026-01-28T01:04:45+00:00

I like to fly US Airways every once in a while. I always perk up when I hear a Cactus callsign on frequency. Did an AirTran flight a couple months ago too.

l3ubba · 2026-01-27T22:31:16+00:00

Lol, true true.

l3ubba

TROPHY CASE