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by rms 6498 days ago
Did you go to college? Why not be an officer?

I have a friend who went to the Coast Guard academy. There are indeed some people from the Coast Guard that go to Iraq to guard offshore oil platforms, but comparatively few compared to the other armed forces.
1 comments
potrerohill 6498 days ago
I have a degree in physics. In fact, the job ads on craigslist were for reserve officers. This one is for Tacoma, but was essentially the same one I saw for SF back in April.

http://coastguard.jobamatic.com/a/jbb/job-details/26481

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rms 6498 days ago
OK... I would think that if you really want to do it, do it. I respect military service as something of a quintessential human experience. I'd consider it myself if I wasn't such an anti-military liberal weenie.

Realize, however, that bait and switch is common. You're told you'll be working in one place but really you'll end up somewhere else. The Coast Guard may not send you to Iraq but they very well may send you to some God forsaken island in the middle of the Pacific. If you're not mentally prepared for that worst case scenario, you shouldn't sign up.

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potrerohill 6498 days ago
Realize, however, that bait and switch is common

Yeah, I've heard that. That's why I was thinking coast guard. There are 8000 reservists and only 400 are "active." Of course I might get activated but it seems like most of the work to be done is in the USA.

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thebigshane 6494 days ago
This isn't really for you or the submitter, but for others reading: the Air Force can guarantee you certain jobs (if you pass certain easy tests) and you do get a "wish list" of 8 bases that the AF will do their best to fulfill one of. ...and to remind people that military == self sacrifice. As rms said, if you aren't prepared to sacrifice many areas of your life, don't do it.
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