i joined the coastguard ,did the whole mindless 8 weeks of less than physicaly demanding "boot camp" the whole thing seemed to be based around this sheepest idea of FOLLOWERSHIp.any way got thru but not befor i filled out a deceiving white slip of paper called a DREAM SHEET , prior to that i was sold a bill of goods by the recruiter,CCs, and instructors alike of the big dream of flying or driving into the hurricane to jump into the rageing sea to obtain "glory", so i filled it out and went so far as say that i would except any small boat station patrol boat or even small cutter or an air station from carolinas coast around to alaska. and for weeks further propelled my self thru the shit hole that is "cape may", ordersday and what do i get SFO EASTERN SHORE CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND VIRGINIA,a little alarmed i kept my hopes alive for a period of 10 days(BOOT LEAVE) and was empowered by the hope of that great things were ahead of me. long story short my chain of command consisted of a couple of shit head mason cheifs and 2 MICRO MANAGEING hell bitches of an o2 and a o4 soon after my arival i learned that i would not be even touching a boat in fact the base needed re painting so and that was gona take a few years so i could never get my recommendations for a school or sttion transfer so i hired a lawyer and got out you see i was working in excess of 50 hrs a week and was makeing about 16000 a year to paint if you want to be a painter or a woodworker the going rate for a civillian is about 25 an hr. to the credit of the coast guard there are limited amounts of jobs it provides that see excitment and provide valuable service the other 95% sit in a boiler room or paint ect your chances of ever seeing action are about the same as playing pro football. DONT JOIN . while getting out i was told i would never acheive anything no one would do bussines with me. for the record i now make atleast 60000 and go to school.