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Coast Guard DCA
- Thread starter a99collectible
- Start date
Once a Marine, always a Mar.....er...ah....Coastie?
"There weren't as many folks applying (it is not the same jump in pay as prior CWO Army pilots that the vast majority of DCAs are)"
Whose pay charts are you looking at? A CW2 with 10 years earns $3622 and a CW3 with 10 years earns $3921 while an O-1E with 10 years earns $3565. I took a pay cut when I came in.
It isn't the $1000+ cut from O-3 to O-2 but it isn't a large jump in pay either. The reason there are more Army Warrant DCAs, is because they are the ones being crapped on more than any other pilots in any other service and the CG has a good program that drew Army warrants to it.
Plus, we are way better pilots.
Whose pay charts are you looking at? A CW2 with 10 years earns $3622 and a CW3 with 10 years earns $3921 while an O-1E with 10 years earns $3565. I took a pay cut when I came in.
It isn't the $1000+ cut from O-3 to O-2 but it isn't a large jump in pay either. The reason there are more Army Warrant DCAs, is because they are the ones being crapped on more than any other pilots in any other service and the CG has a good program that drew Army warrants to it.
Plus, we are way better pilots.
I'm talking the pay jump from the warrant scale to the other commissions scale...which is significant. Sure, there is a pay cut from warrant to O-1E, but it is temporary and merely 18 mos later (unless you've killed someone, and even then you may make LTJG) you get a jump above the warrant pay scale (O2E @12 is $4437.00/W3 @12 12 $4129.20) and don't look back.
The thing that amazed me was that he said one of the main reasons we don't have fixed wing boards was the number of applicants...but with the other services throwing big bonuses (an Air Farce Cpt I know is just starting to get his $125,000 bonus), I shouldn't be surprised. I would have thought it was more because of service need, but he indicated differently. Of course you can take what he says with a grain of salt...all that time flying the Tupperwolf can do crazy things to yer brain.
And I was just there to hear about the proposal for a fixed wing bonus, so I didn't ask too many questions.
The thing that amazed me was that he said one of the main reasons we don't have fixed wing boards was the number of applicants...but with the other services throwing big bonuses (an Air Farce Cpt I know is just starting to get his $125,000 bonus), I shouldn't be surprised. I would have thought it was more because of service need, but he indicated differently. Of course you can take what he says with a grain of salt...all that time flying the Tupperwolf can do crazy things to yer brain.
And I was just there to hear about the proposal for a fixed wing bonus, so I didn't ask too many questions.
Direct Commision Aviation
Looking into a possible move from the Hornet community to the fixed wing community in the Coast Guard via the DCA. Anyone have any info?
Any scoop on the typical length of orders, locations, platforms, collateral duties, deployments, etc would be greatly appreciated considering I know very little about Coast Guard aviation or the DCA program!
Thanks
Looking into a possible move from the Hornet community to the fixed wing community in the Coast Guard via the DCA. Anyone have any info?
Any scoop on the typical length of orders, locations, platforms, collateral duties, deployments, etc would be greatly appreciated considering I know very little about Coast Guard aviation or the DCA program!
Thanks
There used to be several posts and a thread or two about DCA CG. I don't see them but I haven't searched. Try a search if you haven't. In any case, there are a few Coasties on board and at least one is a transfer type. They should check in shortly.
DCA is a great program. If you are an O-3 or higher you will have to come over as an O-2 but it is worth the hit in pay.
Generally aviators get orders for four year tours. There are some exceptions but the only exception I can think of for fixed wing is Kodiak, AK which is three years.
We have five major airframes. The C-130, the HU-25 Falcon, HC-235 (CASA),the HH-65, and the HH-60. We also have one G-5. The G-5 is not going to happen on your first tour, so C-130s, CASA's, and Falcons will be the platforms you would have the opportunity to fly.
The CASA is brand new so it is only at the training center in Mobile, AL currently. It will filter out to the fleet slowly but I don't know the projected locations. For the Falcon, they are in Mobile, AL, Miami, FL, and Cape Cod, MA. C-130s are in Barber's Point, HI, Kodiak, AK, Sacramento, CA, Clearwater, FL, and Elizabeth City, NC.
Collateral duties are relatively comparable to what you do in any other service.
Deployments for fixed wing folks are usually only a couple of weeks in length but you could do a lot in one year. It all depends on the unit and the missions they support.
Good luck.
Falcons in Miami I think is where a USMC Hornet guy who was a VT-2 IP got. Catch is, you get demoted to LTJG
Falcons in Miami I think is where a USMC Hornet guy who was a VT-2 IP got. Catch is, you get demoted to LTJG
Yea, I was one of his IP's during his Falcon course.....he was a really nice guy. If you PM me your info, I can get you in touch with him to get more info.
What kind of flight time/experience/fitreps would the competitive applicant bring to the table? Does the CG view this as a way to increase it's overall number of aviators, or to thicken the ranks with more seasoned aviators?
Well, it helped to check the uscg website:
"Rotary-wing applicants must present evidence of being a military-rated pilot with a minimum of 500 rotary wing flight hours (not including flight training hours). Fixed-wing applicants must possess evidence of being a military-rated pilot with a minimum of 1,000 hours in a fixed-wing aircraft. Waivers are not authorized for minimum flight hours requirement."
Well, it helped to check the uscg website:
"Rotary-wing applicants must present evidence of being a military-rated pilot with a minimum of 500 rotary wing flight hours (not including flight training hours). Fixed-wing applicants must possess evidence of being a military-rated pilot with a minimum of 1,000 hours in a fixed-wing aircraft. Waivers are not authorized for minimum flight hours requirement."
I'd say the Coast Guard views the program as a successful way of drawing in experienced pilots without the incurred costs of flight training.
Highly likely, but the LTJG part of it really takes advantage of those desiring to fly USCG. There have been many Interservice transfers between USAF, USN and USMC with individuals retaining rank (Only know one guy who went from USMC to Army to fly with 160th and gave up O-4 Oak leaves and pinned on WO bars).
"Highly likely, but the LTJG part of it really takes advantage of those desiring to fly USCG."
Only those who have higher rank. Warrant Officers and junior O's aren't losing much. It actually helps you in the long run. If you came over as a senior O-3 and tried to compete on an O-4 board with 1 or 2 OERs, your career would be over very quickly. Besides, it isn't like the CG is hurting for applicants. They can be choosy.
Only those who have higher rank. Warrant Officers and junior O's aren't losing much. It actually helps you in the long run. If you came over as a senior O-3 and tried to compete on an O-4 board with 1 or 2 OERs, your career would be over very quickly. Besides, it isn't like the CG is hurting for applicants. They can be choosy.