How Coast Guard Boot Camp Turns Recruits Into Coasties 

As a soldier I worked with the coast guards tactical law enforcement team and MSRT while on deployment and they were honestly super badass. Learned a lot from them

As a 1970 s Coastie (MK2) I always resent when we are forgotten. People name Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines but always forget the Coast Guard. Not the people of New Orleans during hurricane Katrina of us someone said "if there are Angels on earth they wear the uniform of the United States Coast Guard" can't improve on that.

Training hard right now to join. It's my calling, I am 23 and getting in the best shape of my life I love to run, I love to lift and I love to swim. I saw the affects of Hurricane Katrina personally as a kid. I am testing far above the requirements right now. still studying though. And am about to dedicate the next three months of my life to train specifically for it. I'm going for it.

I’ve been in the Army a little over 14 years, and I’ve met several coasties during that time period . They all seem to pretty solid ppl. You gotta have tough skin to be in the CG, cause all the other branches let you have it lol..but it’s outta brotherly love . And I agree..someone dropped the ball on the “guardians” thing

The thing I love about the CG the most is you get to choose what you want to do, and other branches have so many people that they do one very specific thing and that’s it, I’m an Aviation Maintenance Technician, and I work on everything on the MH-60, we go to schools to learn with other branches and they are baffled that we work on every part not just one specific thing. Not only do I work on them but I fly in them and go on rescue cases as well, so give us all the shit you want but y’all have 20 men to do the same job as one coastie 😂 happy coast guard day

Coasties are tougher than airmen , pass it on.

That breathe of hesitation and exhale of saying Guardians😂

Served in the Coast Guard in the early 2000s. Was stationed in NOLA, New Orleans, La.....One of the best experiences of my life. Hooorraaahhhh~~! Would absolutely do it all over again.... Much respect to those still serving!

A former coworker of mine used to be in USCG. He did maritime law enforcement and was a medic on a helicopter. A real badass and an awesome dude. He joked that the CG motto "Semper Paratus" was really "Semper Forgotus" or "Simply Forgot Us" since almost nobody mentions them in the same breath as the other service branches, lol! Anyhow, I saw his photo album full of cool stuff he did (boarding ships for inspections, drug busts, medical stuff, etc.).

The United States Coast Guard ( U. S. Department of Homeland Security, 04 August 1790 AD) is a Branch of the Armed Forces and a Military Service at all times, In Accordance With ( IAW) Titles 10 and 14, United States Code. Semper Paratus, Coasties, from this Prior Service USMC and US Army Veteran!!🇺🇸🇺🇲🦅🌎⚓😈🐕🪖💣💥🔥🇺🇸🇺🇲

Are those toy rifles that they’re drilling with? 😂😂😂😂😂 Too funny!!!

When I was in the US Navy 1964-1968, the old salts used to say that to qualify for the US Coast guard you had to be 6 ft. tall. Then if your boat capsized you could wade to shore.

I just graduated from CG Bootcamp 🎉 and in few days going to "A" school. I'm so excited!! For those who are thinking of joining, I recommend... YEEEES JOIN!! You won't regret it. ❤

Just graduated yesterday. I’m prior Air Force… CG boot sucks. It’s so hard

We trained on the Sig P229 in Boot in 2009. Not sure if it was mandatory to graduate, but I earned my expert pistol ribbon. Will never forget my time with Bravo 182. Semper Paratus!

LOL...thanks for the trip down memory lane! 😎Back in the "day", (1976), there were actually two CG boot camps...one in Cape May, NJ and one in Alameda, CA, where I went (Golf 108 and Oscar company, which was the band and the honor guard). I can remember arriving there, a cocky, fresh-faced, probably-too-full-of-myself "joe jockstrap", fresh out of high school. Didn't take long for me (as well as most of the other recruits) to find ourselves thinking, "OMG! WHAT have we done!". Even Marines that we would talk to said that CG boot camp was second only to Marine boot camp in difficulty...perhaps not physically, but certainly pyschologicially. We heard all kinds of horror stories about how if you screwed the pooch REALLY bad, you might end up at "TI"...Treausre Island. During boot, we lost one recruit to a ruptured spleen and another to a severely fractured ankle...the latter occurred after our lovely DI, Mr. Gray, broke open a roll of pennies over an open (and FULL) dumpster, telling us, "No one sleeps until ALL the pennies are found!" To ensure no one snuck in any extra pennies, we did the search in our t-shirts and skivvies...😆Right across from boot base was a bread factory and we'd be out on the grinder doing PT at o-dark-thirty. The factory would fire up, the smell of fresh-baked bread would drift across te bay and even the roughest, toughest lads were thinking of home and perhaps mumbling, "Mommmmmmmyyyy" under their breath. But...we made it...I went in a boy and came out a man. I learned discipline, self-respect, honest work ethic and how to effectively work as a team. Went to Alexandria, VA (just outside DC) for 18 months, the USCG Presidential Ceremonial Honor Guard, as Class 'A' engineering school was booked up for a bit and I didn't want to "strike" (do 'on the job training') at a station. Later, four months of MK (engineering, "snipe" or MK school) in Yorktown, VA. They gave me 10 days travel time from VA to the OR coast, Sta Tillamook Bay...a friend and I drove it in just under three days. Balance of time was rockin' and rollin' on a 44' motor lifeboat (since replaced by the newer 47' MLBs) and one of the last working 36' double-enders. Boarding Officer School and EMT training. At the end of four years, did my "dream sheet" for possible reenlistment; was considering being a career Coastie. Best they could do was a 378' cutter in the Gulf of Alaska...I would have been lost on a cutter after running small boats and my high school sweetheart and I got married my last year in and we didn't want to be apart. Would I recommend the Coast Guard to a high schooler? Oh, you betcha! I have and always will...the sign over our boat house said it best: "You have to go out...but that doesn't always mean you'll be coming back". Semper Paratus...former MK3, 1976-1980.

My company India-198 is in this video!!!! So proud to call myself a Coastie and be a part of these incredibly and diversely talented group of men and women. Semper P!

I joined the Coast Guard in 1996 right out of high school, I got out in 2003 and my last unit was TACLET SOUTH, from there became a cop in Texas and now l'm a security contractor overseas for the last 12 years. Tango 149.

Ay much respect to the men and women of the Coast Guard! They signed up to serve there country and be a part of something bigger than themselves. Pretty cool 😎

Omg this is exactly what I was looking for. I've been recovering from a distal radias fracture on my wrist and been deciding between the different branches. Now that I'm physically able again I'm working on joining the coast guard!

Another great video , it's good to see the Coast Gard are geting some RESPECT often not givin to them.

WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER WE NEED TO GET LOUDER

The Guardian thing is a sore subject with me and I'm sure many of my former shipmates as well!!! We have been the Guardians of the Pacific Northwest, the Guardians of the Great Lakes, Guardians of the last frontier, etc... We will always be the Guardians of wherever we are!!! Greatest job ever, 27 years. I would do every minute of it all over again.

Bro I literally just finished my early application for the Coast Guard Academy and then saw this video. What a coincidence. But anyways, I want to be a Coast Guard helicopter pilot and nothing is gonna stand in my way. My resume is through the roof. And if I don't get accepted, I'll enlist and keep applying. I got until 22 for me to get accepted into the Academy, and if not, get a degree while enlisted and apply to OCS. They're bound to accept me one way or the other. Hopefully. Go Coasties 💪

This format is perfect entertainment, especially because it can double as motivation for some people and not in spite of it. Random thing: 6:00 spinning clip felt very sudden and epic

My daughter tells me boot camp is right below Marine Corps boot camp! I laugh but have heard this from prior service Marines that have lateraled to the Puddle Pirate Club.. Semper Fidelis

When you join the CG you don't sit around waiting and training for something that might not happen. You're on the job day 1.

Great video. Appreciate giving the Coast Guard the respect.

Excellent overview, nicely done. Graduated CG boot camp in 1991 (Lima 138).

💪💪🇺🇸🫡 Thanks for putting this together!! Served 15 years ⚓️🚢

Semper Paratus! Chief James D. 'Patches' Watson said in his book "Pointman" that SEALS in the Mekong trusted Coast Guard naval artillery most. (Sometimes when uncertain of their position they would radio a request for one round, center of section....) Maybe 30 years ago you could not serve on a high endurance cutter if you had any dental caries: no dentist on board, and too far out to sea to run to port for a toothache.

This is very helpful since I am probably gonna go into the coast guard.

In the mid 2000s there was actually an attempted rebrand to call Coast Guard personnel "Guardians" It didn't stick though. We are Coasties. I'd rather be called Puddle Pirate than a Guardian.

Graduated 1988- shipped to boot camp three weeks after turning 17. My dad was happy to sign (prior Marine). Started and ended with November 128 (proud of that still). Still most of my best days on earth involved wearing the uniform of the USCG. I also kind of liked it that people often left it out of the list of branches and that we just kind of blended into the background... We were too busy for attention and I was too private for attention. I went to SS A school in 1989 (now CS A school). I I had it to do over I'd have gone one week after turning 17. Not sure how it is now... but Boot camp sucked in 1988 (my company commander was a combat vet having driven boats in Vietnam)... and that was fine. Most things worthwhile have a fair amount of suck involved. Smooth sailing shipmates...

I went through boot camp in September 1962 at Cape May. The Coast Guard was operating the landing craft in WWII that put all the Soldiers/Marines ashore. There is a picture on RU-vid, Marines holding a sign, it said, "Marines salute the Coast Guard, for their part in the invasion of Guam, they put us here and we intend to stay!" Also, in 4 years I advanced to E5, try doing that in any other branch of he military. Also, as part of the Coast Guard Honor Guard, I participated in JFK's funeral Cortege and the Ceremonial Platoon at the Gravesite. Nothing to be ashamed of, by serving in the US Coast Guard.

PROSPECTIVE OFFICERS: You can also join the officer ranks not just by thr coast guard academy but you can attend officer candidate school (officer bootcamp) or attend a maritime academy Texas A&M-Galveston, Maritime academy of California, New York

Great vid! Thanks for giving the USCG some representation.

Their old motto: "You have to go out..."

Thank you for not calling us guardians. That was the most stupidest thing they did (chage us from Coasties to that) while I was in. Graduated from boot camp in 1992, Kilo 141 and retired in 2012 as a Chief.

@coffeeordie, you guys should do one of these videos on the Seabees.

So intense

I enlisted in the USCG June 1976 Did 8 weeks at Cape May boot camp. A great experience.

That water tower still gives me the chills

Loved it! I'm heading to Cape May on Halloween day OCT 31

I served out of rate as a Coast Guard Legalman 2002-2006 (I went to Navy and Air Force JAG schools). I also served as a Water Reclamation Specialist in the USAF 1989-1990. I can't speak to the other services, but USCG boot camp was MUCH harder than USAF boot camp. Just the facts. The USCG is more demanding physically, while still requiring a high ASVAB for entry. I'm proud of my service in the USCG, and recommend it to any who wants a real challenge and fulfilling character of service.

Shipping out for cape may April 23rd. Wish me luck

Was on a Navy Cruiser doing a Baltops Exercise with numerous foreign Navies and one USCG Cutter about a 1/2 mile off the Cruisers stbd side. All of a sudden the fwd lookout says he sees smoke coming from the Cutter, the Cutter put out a call for firefighting assistance as they had a fire in the galley. Evidently when the fire started, no one in the galley pulled the pin for the fire suppression system that was installed in the galley which would have put out the fire. The Cutter went to general quarters and our ship headed towards them and by the time the ship got situated to help them, someone had went back in and pulled the pin on the suppression system to put the fire out.

The shade he keeps throwing at space force 😂...i was an active duty military police in the army for 5 years and always wondered if coast guard or air force was a better option.

Some small things that have changed in here that I experienced from 15AUG23 to 03NOV23. The Pugil sticks are not done anymore, unfortunately. The challenge course is not required anymore. And, unfortunately, we no longer qual on rifles or shotguns at basic, only the crappy P229 pistol. Other than that, great video!

Coast gaurd is tougher then the navy and air force training

My best friend is now up in Kodiak as a non rate. Much love to buddy

In the old days USCG boot camp at Cape May was 12 weeks , no females , drill instructors didn't scream at you - lots of time was spent in the classroom training for immediate duty on a " white one " [ ocean station cutter or wind class ice breaker ] . Sea duty was gritty and much harder than boot camp . [ Graduate of company G - 57 May 1965 ]

A great change in life.

As an Mk3 In the coast guard being in for about 2 1/2 years this video had a little bit wrong info wise but got a few things right, coast guard also consists of ATON, aids to navigation which is in charge of maintaining all navigational markings for rivers and coasts, allowing for safe travel for boats and barges. Just a little tidbit that gets forgotten most the time! But I will never forget bootcamp, certainly was a weird time in my life, don't trust recruiters saying its a cakewalk!

BM2 87-95 Pt Allerton, USCGC Spencer, Hatteras Inlet Semper Paratus

Guardians makes them sound a lot more badass than they really are. KIDDING 😆

Semper p, I am proud of my organization!

They need to break out of the DHS for sure. In fact, the DHS needs to be dissolved and the Patriot Act allowed to sunset since we are out of iraq and afghanistan (so were told).

I assume 'Bad' Coasties get sent to the Soda Lake Station in Fallon NV ?

Being USCG has an added benefit. When other folks find out you are USCG, its like they met a Unicorn. even other mil personal act this way. Its has a mystique to it. In the civi world, youll find employers hyper-impressed for some reason. Everyone knows a Marine or Army Grunt.

Coasties get VA benefits, they’re military.

Bravo-158 here. August 2000 - September 2004.

Fun fact about Coast Guard boot camp, if you cant meet the standard, they will retain you for extra weeks at a time and may even send you to RAMP which is an excruciating version of bootcamp. Borderline psychological torture. If you still cant meet the standard after that, they will kick you out. If you are planning on joining, don't waste everyone's time and come ready.

Ayyye! I made it into the video @2:01

I graduated from Cape May and did 20 years.

RIP Coasty Charlie Bucko - as a nam double purple heart recipient and qualified coast guard coxswain - he should have been awarded the coast guard's highest award even though he had gone civilian shortly before a civilian boat SAR run to save a 44 footer in trouble - he was found in the engine room of the Can Do (drowned while trying to restore power) . Bucko’s father may have said it best. “Hindsight is easy,” he told a reporter, “but there’s a kind of person-and there’s very few of them around-that when everybody else is backing away, they’re going forward.” Read the book "Ten Hours Until Dawn". If you have 1/4 the kind of stuff of the people represented you will make it with flying colors through Cape May. And don't worry, by the end of the first week everyone eventually takes a dump. I can atest.

"I won't let go!" The Guardian.

I thought about joining a few years ago when i was 38 but unfortunately found out about the age limit. I literally found out about 15 minutes ago that they raised it to 42. Well, I'm 42 but my knees are starting to hurt and crackle. Osteoarthritis. I don't think my knees can handle it... Damn

When did we beat eachother with sticks I missed that part of training I only graduated 9 months ago

Coastguard needs to talk to you about ideas for new ads lol

I begged my niece to go Coast Guard, but......ahem......she decided on the Chair Force instead. Hmph!

Ah Puddle Pirates. You gotta love 'em. Mainly cause God says so.

Aht aht a lot of us prior service go through regular 8 week boot camp not DEPOT how are you going to learn about a brand new branch in 3 weeks!? I get it but no I wanted the full experience 😁 my class 4 army 2 marines and 1 Air Force, 1 soldier and one marine didn’t make it past week 2

Im 33 and currently joining the fire department. Ive recently been wondering about enlisting in the military. The coast guard looks to make a well balanced of grit, intelligence and public service. Is there an alternative to still be part of the fire department and maintain a military career?

Wish i woulda went CG

Semper Paratus Coasties!

8 weeks? in 1976 when I joined Recruit Training was 13 weeks Minimum.

Semper Paratus~

I want to join the coast guard ❤❤❤

Puddle pirates 😂

Hardest service to get into.

We dont do pugil sticks anymore sadly

I went in in 1963. Twelve. Weeks

Not them not showing that majority of these jobs are desk jobs when they aren’t doing the mission

I’m trying to go in for Maritime Enforcement specialist.

The TIN MEN (little tribal talk I have a tiki 😊)

I was in the Navy and I don't think I would of passed basic

I’m a weak swimmer is this a problem?

Do border patrol

As weird as it sounds, I had a blast in Coast Guard boot camp and would do it again if I could

crazy how underrated coastguard is and it's kinda annoying how stereotyped it is. they got people thinking coast guard is where you sit on a boat with a m4 and just watch the ocean all day. when there's so much, they help out with.

You have to pass a PT test to join.

We're called Sentinels now.... 😢😢😢😢

I mean at the end of 20, they get the same retirement as any high speed job….abuse your body wisely.

People think CG boot camp is cake lol. No video on the internet does it justice.

I wonder if coast guards fight the navy💀💀

Ask them why they donated to ActBlue

Can I join at 38 years old

I named her EMA-LEE and then you where reborn… just good timing is all. Keep HER SAFE!!! #PlankOwner NIV♠️#BlueWhiskey #gRat

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙