Coast Guard job description ?

Question

I am about to join the coast guard and I have doubts about the job title my recruiter has recommended for me. I want to have a job in the coast guard that works with law enforcement but my recruiter wants me to go in as a machinery technician. I've heard of recruiters s******g over recruits and I don't want this to happen to me.

Answer 1

Dont let your recruiter tell you what he wants, you tell your recruiter what you want.

Answer 2

An MK does engineering and maintenance work on either a cutter or a small boat - under MOST conditions.  On a small boat, the engineer is also a member of the Law Enforcement (LE) Boarding Team, so will be involved with LE.

I think there may be a push to have additional folks join with a guaranteed MK advanced school, so that's why your recruiter is pushing you in that direction.

My recommendation for you is to NOT take a guaranteed school and to enlist as a Seaman (non-rate).  We just created a new Law Enforcement rating that will need to be staffed in just a year or so, so by the time you are eligible to go to "A" school, they'll open the rating and you will be a shoe-in.  If you wanted to, you could always "strike" (do on-the-job training) for Boatswain's Mate (BM) - because they are presently the rating with the most folks involved in LE.

Good luck, and welcome aboard!!

Answer 3

Except for the part about pushing for MKs, Senior Chief is correct.

MKs and BMs are the two rates most involved with LE.  If you don't want to be an MK, don't be one.  I doubt the recruiter "wants" you to be an MK, hopefully he/she is just trying to help you make a decision that will make you happy.  

The thing to keep in mind is if you become an MK, that's your primary job, and it probably will be for the rest of the time you're in, so make sure it's what you want to do.