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Chapter 7:


Representation within Occupations

The representation of USCG enlisted force by race/ethnicity and gender in occupational areas with the overall DoD rates for comparison is presented in Table 7.5. The USCG is unique in that all occupations are open to both men and women—there are no combat restrictions. However, women were still underrepresented in the infantry, gun crews, and seamanship specialties compared to men in the USCG (7 and 15 percent, respectively). Restructuring of the Coast Guard’s aviation rating from late FY 1997 through FY 1999 led to some changes in occupational area distributions during this time. The most notable differences were an increase in the number of positions classified as infantry, gun crews, and seamanship with a corresponding decrease in electrical/mechanical equipment repair. However, in FY 2000 there was a decrease in infantry, gun crews, and seamanship with increases in electrical/mechanical equipment repair and electronic equipment repair.

Historically, all new USCG enlisted members were directly assigned to field units before attending specialty training in the A-schools where the introductory job-specific training courses are taught. Presently, an effort is being made to assign more recruits directly to A-schools in critical specialties. Approximately 15 percent of USCG recruits go directly to advanced training after basic training. A USCG member is admitted to any A-school for which he or she is qualified based on the individual’s ASVAB scores.[footnote 5] Training takes place as openings become available, which may explain the higher percentage of those classified as non-occupational in the USCG enlisted force compared to the overall DoD (19 and 7 percent, respectively).

Table 7.5. Occupational Areas of FY 2000 USCG and DoD Active Component Enlisted Personnel
by Race/Ethnicity and Gender (Percent)
Occupational Code and Area
Coast Guard
DoD Total
Male
Female
White
Black
Hispanic
Other
USCGTotal
0
Infantry, Gun Crews, and Seamanship Specialists
15.1
7.2
15.6
3.4
11.0
11.7
14.3
16.9
1
Electronic Equipment Repairers
14.5
6.1
13.9
8.7
12.7
16.0
13.6
9.7
2
Communications and Intelligence Specialists
5.5
7.1
5.5
7.3
6.2
5.3
5.7
8.8
3
Medical and Dental Specialists
2.1
5.6
2.0
4.9
4.1
3.7
2.4
6.7
4
Other Allied Specialists
5.6
4.4
5.7
4.1
3.9
6.3
5.5
3.0
5
Functional Support and Administration
11.9
36.5
11.7
40.2
19.4
17.6
14.3
16.1
6
Electrical/Mechanical Equipment Repairers
12.5
3.2
11.6
10.2
12.0
11.7
11.6
19.7
7
Craftsmen
13.4
3.0
12.8
8.6
12.2
10.0
12.4
3.5
8
Service and Supply Handlers
1.3
0.1
1.3
0.1
0.6
1.2
1.2
8.4
9
Non-Occupational*
18.2
26.9
19.8
12.7
18.1
16.6
19.1
7.2
Total
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Columns may not add to total due to rounding.
* Non-occupational includes patients, students, those with unassigned duties, and unknowns.
** Less than one-tenth of one percent.
Also see Appendix Tables B-29 (Active Component Enlisted Members by Occupational Area, Service, and Gender) and E-17 (Coast Guard Active Component Enlisted Members by Occupational Area, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity).


[footnote 5] USCG Frequently Asked Questions About Recruiting. URL: http://www.gocoastguard.com/faq.html. [back to paragraph]

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