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Coast Guard DCA

You are right. It is now the HC-144. It's civilian version is the CN-235 and it was originally brought over to the CG with HC-235 as it designation. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Hello Gentlemen,

I am currently serving active duty in the Army. I have three years left on my ADSO for flight school. I have been looking into the CG DCA program for awhile now, and just have a few questions. Generally, what topics does the board discuss. I have heard that the majority of the interview focuses on IFR topics. What are some other key points of interest? Do you know how many people usually apply for these boards? What is a surefire way of getting picked up during the first board? I am stationed at HAAF in Savannah, which is obviously co-located with Air Station Savannah. Upon returning from this deployment, I am going to go across the airfield and link up with current DCA's. Also, I have looked at the CG website, and it states that you must have less than 10 years active duty. I have also looked at numerous websites that state you must have 10 years or less active duty time as a warrant or commissioned officer. Which of these holds true? Does the board usually except waivers? At the expiration of my ADSO, I will have just 11 years TIS. Thank you for any helpful information.
 
AH64Daviator said:
Hello Gentlemen,

I am currently serving active duty in the Army. I have three years left on my ADSO for flight school. I have been looking into the CG DCA program for awhile now, and just have a few questions. Generally, what topics does the board discuss. I have heard that the majority of the interview focuses on IFR topics. What are some other key points of interest? Do you know how many people usually apply for these boards? What is a surefire way of getting picked up during the first board? I am stationed at HAAF in Savannah, which is obviously co-located with Air Station Savannah. Upon returning from this deployment, I am going to go across the airfield and link up with current DCA's. Also, I have looked at the CG website, and it states that you must have less than 10 years active duty. I have also looked at numerous websites that state you must have 10 years or less active duty time as a warrant or commissioned officer. Which of these holds true? Does the board usually except waivers? At the expiration of my ADSO, I will have just 11 years TIS. Thank you for any helpful information.
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I applied and was accepted as an alternate off of a previous board. Unfortunately, I had to decline. As for what the questions are, after I returned from my interview in E-City I posted the specific questions I got here: http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showpost.php?p=309148&postcount=7

Also, check out Feeler & Poncho's Gouge (two former Marines) here: http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showpost.php?p=293419&postcount=1

As for waivers - I'm not sure, someone who's in the know should be able to answer. When I was applying there were no waivers for anything, but I hear there may be some now.
 
AH64D,
Search around on here and another forum about the DCA program. I was researching for myself and a co-CWO (until he got stop loss) in my unit. I pretty much let the idea go as I have well over 10yrs TIS and waivers were rare based on the gouge I could find. Good luck, it's the best deal going and a complete 180 from your current aviation world.
 
AH64Daviator said:
Hello Gentlemen,
I am currently serving active duty in the Army. I have three years left on my ADSO for flight school. I have been looking into the CG DCA program for awhile now, and just have a few questions. Generally, what topics does the board discuss. I have heard that the majority of the interview focuses on IFR topics. What are some other key points of interest? Do you know how many people usually apply for these boards? What is a surefire way of getting picked up during the first board? I am stationed at HAAF in Savannah, which is obviously co-located with Air Station Savannah. Upon returning from this deployment, I am going to go across the airfield and link up with current DCA's. Also, I have looked at the CG website, and it states that you must have less than 10 years active duty. I have also looked at numerous websites that state you must have 10 years or less active duty time as a warrant or commissioned officer. Which of these holds true? Does the board usually except waivers? At the expiration of my ADSO, I will have just 11 years TIS. Thank you for any helpful information.
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I was an Apache guy before coming into the Coast Guard. 3ID at one time in fact but I am old so 3ID was in Germany at the time not Savannah. I had the same questions as you. Phrog pilot gave you some good gouge but for even more go to http://www.aptap.organd look in their forums. There is a lot of good/exact info on the program and the process there. I even put a lot of it there myself so I know it is right.

To answer some of your questions, the interview only taps on some IFR stuff. You will also be asked how you would execute some EPs, what the traits of a good CRM crew are and questions to see how you lead. The exact questions are on APTAP you just have to look. After the canned questions are asked the interview board members can ask any questions they want as well so you could be asked "If you were a tree, what kind would you be?" or some other stupid question so just roll with the punches.

The truly key point of interest is if we think we would want to live with you on a ship for a few months at a time or not because there is a great possibility we will do just that and a CG cutter isn't big enough to get away from you. So if you are a dick, your scores will reflect that no matter how good you think you answered. If you are nice and personable your scores on the interview will reflect that as well. We want you to come into the Coast Guard, only you can make that not happen.

There is no surefire way of getting picked up on the board. I would however suggest having a degree, being able to provide some examples of leadership challenges you have faced and how you overcame them and I would suggest you ask intelligent questions that you really want answered so you really get an idea of what you might be getting into. Oh, and don't be a dick. We had one guy come in and interview telling us how badass he was in his current job and that we would be lucky to get him and his experience in the Coast Guard. All I can say is I hope he is still badass at his old job because he isn't in the CG.

As far as waivers go, it really depends on the board. I have seen an exponetial amount of applicants for these boards in the last few years and the competition has risen immensely so waivers have not been easy to come by. I am not trying to disuade you, I am trying to let you know that you need to be sharp when you come for the interview and your packet needs to be perfect.

I wish you luck and if you have any questions, I will gladly answer what I can.
 
Thanks everyone for the info, however, I still have quite a bit of time before i can really act on it. I'm just a little overexcited about trying something new. Once i get off of this deployment, i should have about another 2 1/2 years left on my ADSO, providing I don't get stop-lossed(knock on wood!). Does anybody know the average amount of rotory wing hours the typical DCA selectee has? What Pilot-in-Command hour to total hour ratio do they look for? I am quite aware of the 500 hour prereq. With the hours I am flying on this deployment, plus what is left for miniums until my ADSO, I am projecting atleast 1700/1900ish hours, with 1/3 of that PIC time. Also being an AH-64D guy, we don't exactly have a ton of instrument time. I'm not sure if that is a decisive factor or not. If anybody has insight on this, all info is much appreciative.
 
I had < 1500 TT, and I was picked up as an alternate. I'd say you've got a fair chance. You do realize that you can submit for a conditional release, right?
 
Honestly,

That is the first I have heard of that. I'll definately do a little research though. Is this conditional release for all branches? If so, does it also apply for warrant officers as well? Like I said, i'll definately look into it. Last I knew, you weren't allowed to do an inter-service transfer unless you were a RLO(real live officer). Anyway, thanks for the info and I will hopefully stumble across some good news.
 
AH64Daviator said:
Honestly,

That is the first I have heard of that. I'll definately do a little research though. Is this conditional release for all branches? If so, does it also apply for warrant officers as well? Like I said, i'll definately look into it. Last I knew, you weren't allowed to do an inter-service transfer unless you were a RLO(real live officer). Anyway, thanks for the info and I will hopefully stumble across some good news.
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It is the DD-368 Request for Conditional Release. It applies to anyone on active duty, enlisted, warrant or commissioned... Basically it is your service saying that if you get selected by the Coast Guard, they'll let you go. It can be found on the Coast Guard's site, under program forms and deadlines: http://www.gocoastguard.com/find-your-fit/officer-opportunities/programs/program-forms-and-deadlines
 
I'll have to do some research on this, but to my understanding, I cannot apply for a conditional release unless my 6 year flight school obligation is complete.
 
AH64Daviator said:
I'll have to do some research on this, but to my understanding, I cannot apply for a conditional release unless my 6 year flight school obligation is complete.
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Actually, that's what the conditional release is for. If you've hit your 6 year flight school obligation - you can just get out and apply with a DD-214. The conditional release is specifically to request that you be released from any service commitment, provided you get picked up by the Coast Guard. The key element is that the conditional release has to be approved by your current chain of command, which they may or may not do.
 
Hello, I'm a C-21 pilot stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Yes, oddly enough my ultimate goal in life is to be a Coast Guard Helo dude. Strange as it may seem, I was wondering if anyone in these posts knows if it would be possible for a fixed wing AF guy to get into the Coast Guard as a rotor head. It seems to me that the DCA is specific to the type of aircraft, i.e. a fixed wing guy couldn't apply for DCA for rotary wing and vice versa. Anybody got any suggestions?
 
C-21 guy said:
Hello, I'm a C-21 pilot stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Yes, oddly enough my ultimate goal in life is to be a Coast Guard Helo dude. Strange as it may seem, I was wondering if anyone in these posts knows if it would be possible for a fixed wing AF guy to get into the Coast Guard as a rotor head. It seems to me that the DCA is specific to the type of aircraft, i.e. a fixed wing guy couldn't apply for DCA for rotary wing and vice versa. Anybody got any suggestions?
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Hmmm, it's going to be tough. You have to have 500 RW hours and have graduated from military flight training. You'd have better chances applying for the FW boards.
 
Yeah, I've read the requirements for the DCA and have considered FW for the Coast Guard but thats the same thing I'm doing now in the AF. What about just a straight up interservice transfer and then getting into helos, is that possible? What about if I do the DCA for FW, could I possibly switch to helos on down the road? Yes, I'm obsessed I know.
 
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