Anyone in US Coast Guard?

brainfrz

i've been throwing around the idea a bit... my concern is the pay. currently i live in a chicago suburb and work as an IT tech. i'd like to get a career in the USCG as an IT tech, but from what i gather off their pay info is that pay starts at 15k or so a year. thats a little more than a quarter of what i'm making right now. it has nothing to do with being bored with my job or what have you. recently i've been thinking about how i'd rather be working for an organization that does something for the benefit of my country- not for a greedy CEO. my wife and i want to move to florida- this seems like a great opportunity for me (so long as pay matches up). i guess ultimately what i'm looking to get out of this thread is whether i'll ever make the amount of money i'm making now in the USCG.

lilwing88

You will never make as much working for the government as you would in the private sector. Unless you get with a great union. However, government jobs do tend to have good benefits overall.

And don't feel that by working for a corporation, you're not being of service to your country. Think of it this way: the corporation you work for is providing a product or service that is in demand by the populace. Your job is to help provide a better product or service in some way. See? Win-win.

brainfrz

lilwing88:

You will never make as much working for the government as you would in the private sector. Unless you get with a great union. However, government jobs do tend to have good benefits overall.

And don't feel that by working for a corporation, you're not being of service to your country. Think of it this way: the corporation you work for is providing a product or service that is in demand by the populace. Your job is to help provide a better product or service in some way. See? Win-win.

I'm not as optimistic though- my company is in the benefits outsourcing business. A majority of our work is done on the other side of the pond. I think a culmination of a lot of things drove me to this desire. Pirates, drug traffic, pollution and of coarse environmental protection (bp oil leak). The past few weeks I’ve really been wanting to do something to help. Not a quick lending of the hand or small donation- I want to really put my time in and come home and know I made a difference. The wife and I are driving down the Florida in a couple weeks for vacation- maybe I'll hook up with a USCG recruiter to pick their brain.

TatuajeVI

15K a year? That really doesn't sound right. If they follow similar pay structure to the US Army, there are other ways you get paid (Housing Allowance, Food Allowance, bonuses for wife/children etc.) that make your overall income much more than that. Not that it's a lot of money or anything, but it certainly isn't 15K.

One2gofst

Have you thought about other fields like nursing or being a police officer? Nursing isn't the sure thing it was a few years ago, but it is still a great field and I personally believe that in a couple years there is going to be a huge demand spike. Police academies are harder to get into with the recession, but not impossible. Either of those careers would not involve a huge pay cut and you'd be helping people. Just my thoughts on the topic.

phobicsquirrel

TatuajeVI:

15K a year? That really doesn't sound right. If they follow similar pay structure to the US Army, there are other ways you get paid (Housing Allowance, Food Allowance, bonuses for wife/children etc.) that make your overall income much more than that. Not that it's a lot of money or anything, but it certainly isn't 15K.

lower enlisted does pay rather low. even low officers o-1/0-2 don't pay all that great (since most people come with loans). Though there are good benefits but also your going to be away a lot, so if your married or have kids it might not be worth it. Then again even the private sector pays crap too.

Jetmech_63

I agree, starting off pays pretty low, only after i made E7 did i stop living paycheck to paycheck. There are prettty good travel compensations though. Then again, you dont do this job for the money...

bigharpoon

You could always keep your job and join the USCG Auxiliary, they are constantly looking for people.

dennisking

my uncle is a retired Coast Guard Captain. he pulls in bank. the best thing to remember is that you need to have a degree so you can start as an officer. don't waste time as an enlisted person.

ENFIDL

lilwing88:

You will never make as much working for the government as you would in the private sector. Unless you get with a great union. However, government jobs do tend to have good benefits overall.

And don't feel that by working for a corporation, you're not being of service to your country. Think of it this way: the corporation you work for is providing a product or service that is in demand by the populace. Your job is to help provide a better product or service in some way. See? Win-win.

Not always brother. I got a fat pay raise when I crossed over from being a contractor to a Federal Employee. Just sayin.....lol But I only know 1 other person that did the same. Everybody else took pay cuts. Can't beat the job security though. Like you said though the benefits are great!