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I can't speak to education in the military, but i have a *little* experience with LE hiring.
CJ degrees don't give you a leg up in hiring.
ANY college degree will.
I've seen many applicants with CJ degrees go thru the hiring process just to be determined medically ineligible, OR suffer career ending injuries before they even leave the academy. Or don't test well. Or don't screen well. Or don't make it thru the academy due to academics. LE is extremely competitive these days .. there are many reasons someone might not make it. Having a "normal" degree will give you a backup plan.
On that note .... there are a couple of departments that require college degrees (NYPD comes to mind), but those departments almost always have workarounds for prior Mil. MOST departments don't require a degree, and those that do don't require anything specific. A college degree doesn't necessarily make a good candidate.
To speak to the "usefulness" of a CJ degree .... I would argue very little. LE education is taught in the field, not in a classroom. There is NO college degree that is useful early in a LE career (REMF situations .. maybe).
I have been thinking of enlisting in the Coast Guard. I would like to get a degree in Criminal Justice/law enforcement and I think that the CG will be a really good fit for something like that. I would like to hear from current or former coasties about Basic Training, what kind of work you do/did, and any other advice you'd like to give me about the Coast Guard. Thanks!
Well considering you want to get snippy with people trying to help you let me say that your original question didn't make much sense. Enlisting in the Coast Guard and earning a degree don't have a lot in common.
The previous poster probably has a lot more experience than you and was trying to be helpful. Of course it's not what you wanted hear so hence your reply.
If you're goal is to become cop, spend ample time searching L.E. forums to see who's hiring. If you enlist in the coast guard, you could be waiting a year to ship out to basic. With a four year enlistment, that's five years used. If you become a cop now, you already five years closer to your retirement pension...
I did 6 1/2 years in the Guard. Typically those who want to pursue LE go into the boarding team member (BTM) training program at the CG Law Enforcement Maritime Academy. BTM's can be any rating, and work under the supervision of a Boarding Officer (BO) while underway. On cutters, BTM's gain a lot of experience dealing with drug interdictions, migrant interdiction ops, and fisheries.
BTM's with some boarding experience often go on to apply to become a part of one of the many Coast Guard law enforcement detachments (LEDET's), which operate under any one of the three Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLET's). I believe San Diego is still home to the Pacific Area (PACAREA) TACLET. Other law enforcement entities include the Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST's), which were created as part of DHS's anti-terrorism program, Port Security Units (PSU's), and the super cool Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON).
Education-wise, there are numerous training programs available to take as a law enforcement specialist; some may even translate into actual college credit. Your unit Educational Services Officer (ESO) can lead you in the right direction regarding which programs to enroll in and which classes to take for your degree. If you play your cards right, you can feasibly finish most if not all your degree requirements while you serve. I knew of a few officers who completed master's programs while active duty.
All in all, if you want some serious and valuable LE experience and credit towards your degree, the CG's the way to go.
I was a Coast Guard recruiter for four years. The first and foremost thing is you need to speak with a recruiter. The Coast Guard is EXTREMELY competative to get into, especially right now. You will need to get an ASVAB study guide and STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!
I don't mean to come off as rude or shrude, but 95% of the people I spoke to didn't get passed the initial pre-screening portion of the process. Meaning by the time I was finished asking them a series of questions, most weren't qualified. Little things you would never even think would be an issue can cause you to be ineligible for the CG. Such as if you have ever had exzema past the age of 9, that's an automatic disqualifier right there. And the CG doesn't process waivers for active duty.
I talked to my buddy the other night who is still a recruiter for the Coast Guard, and he told me his ENTIRE recruiting office only has to put in 12 people in 2010. Not to discourage you, but it's tough to get in... Just approach it like a job interview, and study. I'll tell you my best recruit showed up in a suit and tie, sat up straight, and was prepared. He scored a 97 on the ASVAB.
That all being said, it can be done. I put many people in the Coast Guard, and loved doing it. Our modo is "Recruit the best 10, not the first ten." If you go in and pass the physical and ace the ASVAB, you'll probably get in.
I did 6 1/2 years in the Guard. Typically those who want to pursue LE go into the boarding team member (BTM) training program at the CG Law Enforcement Maritime Academy. BTM's can be any rating, and work under the supervision of a Boarding Officer (BO) while underway. On cutters, BTM's gain a lot of experience dealing with drug interdictions, migrant interdiction ops, and fisheries.
BTM's with some boarding experience often go on to apply to become a part of one of the many Coast Guard law enforcement detachments (LEDET's), which operate under any one of the three Coast Guard Tactical Law Enforcement Teams (TACLET's). I believe San Diego is still home to the Pacific Area (PACAREA) TACLET. Other law enforcement entities include the Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST's), which were created as part of DHS's anti-terrorism program, Port Security Units (PSU's), and the super cool Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON).
Education-wise, there are numerous training programs available to take as a law enforcement specialist; some may even translate into actual college credit. Your unit Educational Services Officer (ESO) can lead you in the right direction regarding which programs to enroll in and which classes to take for your degree. If you play your cards right, you can feasibly finish most if not all your degree requirements while you serve. I knew of a few officers who completed master's programs while active duty.
All in all, if you want some serious and valuable LE experience and credit towards your degree, the CG's the way to go.
Thank you for this information!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luke9686
I was a Coast Guard recruiter for four years. The first and foremost thing is you need to speak with a recruiter. The Coast Guard is EXTREMELY competative to get into, especially right now. You will need to get an ASVAB study guide and STUDY, STUDY, STUDY!
I don't mean to come off as rude or shrude, but 95% of the people I spoke to didn't get passed the initial pre-screening portion of the process. Meaning by the time I was finished asking them a series of questions, most weren't qualified. Little things you would never even think would be an issue can cause you to be ineligible for the CG. Such as if you have ever had exzema past the age of 9, that's an automatic disqualifier right there. And the CG doesn't process waivers for active duty.
I talked to my buddy the other night who is still a recruiter for the Coast Guard, and he told me his ENTIRE recruiting office only has to put in 12 people in 2010. Not to discourage you, but it's tough to get in... Just approach it like a job interview, and study. I'll tell you my best recruit showed up in a suit and tie, sat up straight, and was prepared. He scored a 97 on the ASVAB.
That all being said, it can be done. I put many people in the Coast Guard, and loved doing it. Our modo is "Recruit the best 10, not the first ten." If you go in and pass the physical and ace the ASVAB, you'll probably get in.
Thank you! I took the ASVAB in high school just to see what I would get. Can I take it again since that was a few years ago?
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