What is the general perception throughout the fleet of non-rates showing up at stations and going AST? How differently do you think of them than if they were to say they are going BM, CS, ME, AMT, HS, YN, etc.? Does that opinion change if they become an AST?

I am I leave for training in about 5 months and want to go ME but I was told it is about a year long wait for A school right now and my runnerup is BM. I was curious how BM life is as well as how well it can transition into civilian life if I do end up leaving after my first enlistment? I hear all over that BMs work with MEs and can also go the special divisions as well. What is the QOL for BMs on average?

So in the Army, we have a fuel spout/nozzle that everybody calls the “donkey dick” because, well… the thing lowkey looks like a HUGE HOG lmao.

Recently I ran into a few Navy veterans and found out they also had something they called a “donkey dick,” except theirs apparently wasn’t a fuel spout it was some kind of machinery/equipment part on the ship.

That got me wondering:

Does every branch have its own “donkey dick”?

So far I’ve got:

- Army: fuel spout/nozzle

- Navy: machinery/ship equipment part

- Air Force: ???

- Marines: ???

- Coast Guard: ???

- Space Force: ???

Veterans/current service members from every branch, what did your “donkey dick” refer to?

I need to know if this is somehow a universal piece of U.S. military terminology 😂

I know other branches have intramurals and all army/ Air Force teams . I’m wondering if coast guard has the same thing given its small size .

I like to play sports for my hobbies but don’t know if coast guard has that kind of culture or time .

I know you guys are constantly doing the mission which is cool but sport events with your fellow members would be cool too.

Edit : I’m not high level at any sport. I just play multiple for fun and I enjoy playing with people I work with .

What are some unwritten rules of the Coast Guard? During my underway days it was "you never sit in the Captain's Chair."

CSPI Applications are not being accepted for this year other than those who were already previously at an MSI per my recruiter.

Hey guys! I qualified for DC which was initially what I was interested in as it aligns closely with interests and civilian career. (I’m a plumber and volunteer fire fighter)

As reservists DC’s what do your drills look like? What are your responsibilities/ duties while working? Do you have any regrets choosing DC over something else? You guys tell me anything and everything I should know or you wish you knew before becoming a DC!

Thanks!

Does anybody have an idea when the 01-27 OCS-R selections will be released or if it has already been released?

I was talking to the Chief at my local office about how BAH works and he was telling me that most Coast Guard duty stations dont have on base housing and so that I would automatically get BAH and that the majority of duty stations dont have on base housing. How true is this and if so how can I look into which stations do and dont have this housing. I really would prefer to get BAH due personal preference. But if not its no biggie.

What are some questions that got you in trouble at boot because you didn’t expect/was not ready for it

EX. They ask a recruit how to spell his name in the phonetic alphabet.

(Not a recruiting question I’m trying to hear funny stories none of these question relates to boot camp preparation please don’t delete because you can’t read the question correctly)

Current BM pipeline: Vested Crewmember, BM-RAP, Coxswain Core — what's actually happening in the fleet?

My son is planning to enlist after HS next summer and is strongly leaning BM. He should be coming in as an E-3 based on Sea Cadets, and we're trying to understand what the current BM pipeline actually looks like in practice, especially from anyone who's gone through it recently or is at a station/training command now.

I've been reading the official CG material, but some of the public information on Vested/RAP is a couple years old, so I'd appreciate a reality check from current Coasties.

My understanding is that there are/were potentially a few different routes:

Traditional:
Boot → nonrate/unit → BM A-school → BM3 → unit quals

Vested Crewmember:
Boot → report as an E-3 to the unit that will eventually be your BM3 billet → qualify/work there → attend BM school TDY → return to the same unit as a BM3

Vested + RAP, potentially:
Boot → future BM3 unit → earn Boat Crewmember → BM-RAP (6 weeks) → Coxswain Core (3 weeks) → return to unit as BM3 and finish platform/local Coxswain qualification

A few questions for anyone who knows the current system:

1. Is the Vested Crewmember Program still actually being used for new BMs in 2026/27?
2. Is BM-RAP still active and regularly used for Boat Crewmember-qualified nonrates?
3. For Vested BMs, is earning BCM and then going through RAP instead of the full BM A-school something that actually happens in practice?
4. Are RAP graduates still going directly into the Coxswain Core Course afterward?
5. How quickly are motivated new BMs realistically getting BCM and Coxswain at a busy small-boat station?
6. Can a guaranteed BM/Vested contract be combined with any kind of guaranteed district or first-assignment area, or are those generally mutually exclusive?
7. Are there any other current BM accession/training programs or shortcuts I'm missing?

Longer term he's attracted to the operational side of BM — small boats/SAR, Coxswain, potentially Heavy Weather/Surfman or pursuit work. I'm less interested in trying to plan his whole career at 17 than in understanding which first-accession path gives a motivated new BM the most opportunity to qualify and operate early.

Especially interested in hearing from recent BM-RAP/A-school grads, current BMs, station crews, XPO/OICs, or recruiters who know what is actually happening now rather than what the program looked like a few years ago.

Thanks.

The Coast Guard on paper is called the "lead federal maritime law enforcement agency" and has a ton of missions relating to enforcing federal law. However as a layman, I don't fully understand what the Coast Guard identity is. Are they law enforcement?

- I have never seen Coast Guard personnel wearing "POLICE" uniforms or badges

- Unlike nearly every (if not all) local/state/and federal law enforcement officers, Coast Guardsmen don't seem to routinely carry firearms. I believe every other DHS LEO simply carries their firearms routinely instead of the more military style "We'll give you one if we think you need it"

- Unlike nearly every other local/state/federal law enforcement officer, Coast Guardsmen don't appear to have regular police powers. Federal law seems to only allow arrests on the high seas, and Coast Guard policy seems to be highly restrictive on who/what/when that authority can be used

- The only Coast Guard personnel with regular statutory police powers seems to be CGIS, which is ironically the "internal affairs" department of the Coast Guard

- The Coast Guard doesn't seem eligible for the TSA FLEO Fly Armed program

- Also unlike nearly every other Fed LEO, USCG personnel appear to have absolutely no off-duty arrest powers. So if a drug dealer pulled out a kilo of cocaine in front of a Coastie and a local cop, the local cop would be the only one who could arrest

Hey everyone I'm trying to figure out where to find the Glock MRC's. I've looked in the disc under my units opfac but I've found all the other ones but the Glock. I was hoping some that someone would have experience in this and could help me out. Thank you!

Hello, I am currently stationed in Kodiak. No dependents. I have some questions about how I will be moving my stuff from the Kodiak barracks to my new unit after A-school.
I have a lot of stuff currently. Do I move it and take it all with me to A-school? Or can I ship from somewhere to my new unit after I graduate?

What are some questions that got you in trouble at boot because you didn’t expect/was not ready for it

EX. They ask a recruit how to spell his name in the phonetic alphabet.

Hey everyone. Currently looking into DC and just want to verify some information I have been told. Do DC rates receive Fire Certifications that are transferable to the outside world?