By * If you know anyone who is considering joining the Coast Guard or someone who should consider joining, please pass this blog to them – along with your own experience of how the Coast Guard benefits you and your family!
Written by Petty Officer 2nd Class Weydert, Coast Guard Recruiting Command
Good day to all those on the world-wide web! I’m your friendly neighborhood recruiter attached to the Coast Guard Recruiting Command, and I’m here to answer some pertinent and often asked questions regarding some of the benefits you (and your family) will receive from joining the Coast Guard.
HEALTHCARE: Your health is important to us, so when you join the Coast Guard, you will receive complete medical, dental and eye coverage, at no cost! “But what about if I have a family,” you ask? Well, while you serve, your family will fall under TRICARE, a health care program of the United States Department of Defense Military Health System. TRICARE will keep your spouse and children healthy and safe, and depending on the program you select it could be at no cost or a much lower cost than outside coverage. After-all, a doctor a day keeps the apple away! To learn more about TRICARE benefits, click here.
HOME: Let’s face it; apartment and house hunting can be stressful and frustrating. But with the Coast Guard’s Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) you won’t have to worry about where the next rent payment is coming from! The Coast Guard provides members tax-free money, scaled to the area that you will live in, to be used to pay your rent or mortgage. This goes a long way in helping you get settled at a new duty station. Some units even have Government Housing attached, eliminating the hassle of apartment/house hunting and the commute from home to work entirely!
EDUCATION: Maybe you want to further your education and are wondering if we can help? Yes, of course we can help! It is all covered under the Post – 9/11 G.I. Bill. Using this perk, you will be able to receive funds from the Coast Guard to help you pay for college or vocational technical training when you separate from the service. This benefit can be transferred to a dependent (spouse or child) if you so choose. The Coast Guard also has tuition assistance and other opportunities that help you earn college credits while actively serving in the Coast Guard.
There are dozens of other benefits to joining the Coast Guard as well, including the potential to travel, shopping privileges at military bases and access to all kinds of recreational facilities. You will also receive 30 days of paid per year! And, looking into the future, we offer various retirement plans that will help ensure financial stability for your family, not to mention complete Life Insurance coverage.
The best part is that we currently have NO WAIT to join our service. You will need meet certain age and health requirements, and pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. Talk to a recruiter today to find out more about joining the U.S. Coast Guard!