Coast Guard Basic Training Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answer: It depends on a few factors. Generally speaking though, Coast Guard Boot Camp is not a walk in the park. Even for recruits who prepare, it can still be quite challenging.

Quick Answer: It depends on who you ask and more importantly, what the person being asked is looking for in regards to criteria. A case could be made for either / or.

Quick Answer: 10 years ago, less than 4 percent of applicants were selected for enlisted service in the United States Coast Guard. That number probably hasn’t drastically changed.

Apart from the Specials Forces and Officer Candidate Schools, the USCG Basic Training Program is arguably the most competitive to get into from all of the branches of the military.

Quick Answer: Standard Coast Guard Basic Training for enlisted recruits lasts for 8 weeks. This can vary though.

Quick Answer: Despite some misinformation floating around in pockets of the internet, the real answer is that you absolutely have to be in great physical shape to make it through Coast Guard Basic Training. Since you need to be able to pass basic training in order to join the Coast Guard, the answer to the question is “yes”.

Quick Answer: To get into the USCG, you need to meet the pre-boot-camp criteria to even be allowed to attend basic training. Then from there you need to make it through Coast Guard Boot Camp successfully, which has its own set of requirements.

Therefore, the answer to this is really a two-part answer. First you need to meet the applicant requirements to become a recruit, and then you need to meet the recruit requirements to join the Coast Guard and become “a member of the fleet”.

Quick Answer: For all enlisted USCG personnel, their journey begins at TRACEN Cape May in Cape May, New Jersey.

Quick Answer: This is a bit more complicated than you might first think because it’s not just what you should bring, but also about what you are allowed to bring. There are items that are allowed and recommended, but there are also items that are not recommended but allowed. Then there are items that will be issued to you when you are there. In addition, there are items that you will be forced to put into storage until you leave Cape May, but they are allowed in the sense that they won’t be completely confiscated from you. That leaves the last category, which is strictly forbidden items that are not only not allowed, but will probably get you into trouble if you bring them.

Quick Answer: There are 5 knots you should learn prior to going to Coast Guard Basic Training.

Quick Answer: Reveille in USCG Boot Camp is at 0530 or 5:30 AM.

Quick Answer: Any personal cell phones are confiscated and put in storage until you leave TRACEN Cape May. Limited phone use is conditionally allowed in later weeks.

Quick Answer: Technically, yes, but it’s not exactly an easy process.

Quick Answer: You graduate and then you serve as a non-rate until you go to A-School to be trained to do your job. Once you finish A-School, then you work in your actual rate (job function). Wait lists for A-School vary depending on the popularity of the rate and the needs of the service.

Quick Answer: Yes, you do get paid while in Coast Guard Basic Training.

Quick Answer: This is completely dependent upon that individual’s rank and years of service, plus a multitude of other factors. You have to remember that in the USCG, there is “base pay” but then there are all sorts of other “allowances” for housing and other things. Plus there are bonuses for knowing a foreign language or if you are serving in a combat zone. Simply put, the answer to this question is high specific to the individual. With that said, two helpful pages to at least get an idea, would be this one, which shows the base pay rates, and this one, which dives deep into the various allowances like housing, etc.