Educational Attainment

Table 7.6 shows that USCG officer accessions and members of the officer corps were less likely than their overall DoD counterparts to possess a college degree. The USCG has two commissioning programs that provide opportunities for a commission without a college degree. An enlisted member of the USCG who has attained the grade of E-5 and has at least 30 college credits can apply to attend the USCG’s Officer Candidate School (OCS), thereby making a commission possible without college completion. In a related program, a USCG member who achieves the rank of chief warrant officer may apply for OCS attendance or a commission via the "Warrant-to-Lieutenant" program.[footnote 6] These programs are indicative of USCG’s emphasis on experience and education in its commissioning decisions.

[footnote 6] USCG Frequently Asked Questions About Recruiting. URL: http://www.gocoastguard.com/faq.html. [back to paragraph]