Hey everybody! Here is a FREE "PREVIEW" of Chapter 2 from my book : UNDERCOVER CC: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING COAST GUARD RECRUIT TRAINING.
Keeping a low profile in Coast Guard Basic Training is certainly not an easy task, but with the proper know how and a few of my tips and secrets, it's a sure thing! From day one as a Coast Guard recruit, you will get off the bus at your new home of Training Center Cape May and be observed for anything and everything you do.
From how you stand, to following orders, sounding off, and marching- will all be critiqued.As I stated, this all starts from the very moment you arrive. Coast Guard Company Commanders are trained experts in behavioral observation, carrying out disciplinary measures, mentoring, coaching, and paying attention to detail. For this reason, every Coast Guard recruit is a direct target for correction. You will be pushed beyond your emotional, mental, and even physical limits. Even to the point where you never thought possible.
But to accomplish this, your Company Commander(s) must transform your every civilian habit that you have acquired over the years and throw it into the trash. Certain skills and attitudes that you bring into the Coast Guard can certainly be positive and maintained within the Coast Guard.
However, for the most part, your every past behavior will be targeted for correction and total beak down. In most cases, as a Coast Guard recruit, this type of attention and constant pressure can sometimes be too overwhelming to bear.That is why it is so important to learn how to keep a low profile! Believe me, you will have plenty of face time with your Company Commanders regardless of the amount of information that I give you. That's just the truth of the matter. However, our objective is to keep your face time to an absolute minimum and to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to get you, my reader, the strong advantage through these particular situations.
"Attention to detail" means exactly what it says. It means paying attention to the little things. Whether it is your uniform, shave, or even how you march. It is the little things within the walls of the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May that will get you into trouble with your Company Commander(s). As an experienced CC, I developed a theory that in the end proved to be true. Coast Guard recruits got themselves into trouble...all on their own. This theory of mine is directly related to recruits that never stood a chance. Some recruits manage to rise to the surface all on their own and naturally draw attention to themselves. We as Company Commanders were always aware of this. We have the training and the experience to know that most Coast Guard recruits will get into trouble all on their own. With that in mind, we place our focus on Coast Guard recruits that tend to be ideal looking on the outside, but are weak and not-so-great candidates within themselves.
These Coast Guard recruits are commonly referred to in the Coast Guard as "sh*t filled twinkies." I didn't make the name up...that's just what they've always been called! These are recruits that may on the outside look great and squared away, but when you take a bite out of them and test their willpower...they taste like sh*t! You may find that either hilarious or even possibly offensive. But if the latter of my statement applies to you then beware. The Coast Guard is a sea-going service and along with that comes a sea-going vocabulary. Despite what any Coast Guard recruiter may tell you, the truth is that foul language is alive and well from STAFF at the Training Center. That is not a blanket statement for all, but again, do not be surprised if you hear some F-Bombs come your way.
This being said, you will have to wait until after you graduate Coast Guard Basic Training to use foul language. I am not by any means condoning foul language. But I do believe that as a military member in the fleet- it's gonna happen! Their is a time and a place where it may be more appropriate than others. Have I ever used foul language as a Company Commander? Of course I did. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. In fact, I can remember few- if any- that didn't within my years as a Company Commander. If it offends you, then just deal with it and move on. You are joining the Coast Guard now and so you might as well prepare yourself for it. Now let's dive into paying "attention to detail" and see how it can get you into some serious trouble if not approached correctly.
This vicious cycle never ends and any experienced Company Commander will know how to effectively capitalize off of this. So it is essential that you protect yourself and study my formula below and live by it if you truly want to keep a low profile and graduate Coast Guard Boot Camp on time! After all, that is the subject we are trying to tackle here right? Okay, let's keep moving forward and enable you with these layers of protection for when you are confronted by your Company Commander(s).
Follow them within their sequential order and you will be amazed at how your Company Commander(s) will never know you were there:The Company Commander will then instinctively seek out another mistake made by the other recruit, and obsessively go after it. The CC will look for a mistake such as possibly waiting for the Coast Guard recruit to render an incorrect response.A primary example that I can use is a general Coast Guard uniform inspection. These are carried out several times while in Coast Guard Basic Training- whether they are scheduled or random. A CC may perhaps notice that you do not have your "thumbs along your trouser seams" while at the Position Of Attention. (Please see the bottom of this page to learn more about the Position of Attention).In my personal opinion, responding to your Company Commander incorrectly is the number one reason that Coast Guard recruits tend to draw unwanted attention to themselves and get into trouble. There are several other reasons that we will cover in later chapters, but it all starts with one mistake on behalf of the recruit. You can clearly see that a visual inspection of the recruit lead to an inspection of his/her "Required Knowledge." Following that, may be an inspection of their rack among other things.
Keeping a low profile in Coast Guard Basic Training is certainly not an easy task, but with the proper know how and a few of my tips and secrets, it's a sure thing! From day one as a Coast Guard recruit, you will get off the bus at your new home of Training Center Cape May and be observed for anything and everything you do.
From how you stand, to following orders, sounding off, and marching- will all be critiqued.As I stated, this all starts from the very moment you arrive. Coast Guard Company Commanders are trained experts in behavioral observation, carrying out disciplinary measures, mentoring, coaching, and paying attention to detail. For this reason, every Coast Guard recruit is a direct target for correction. You will be pushed beyond your emotional, mental, and even physical limits. Even to the point where you never thought possible.
But to accomplish this, your Company Commander(s) must transform your every civilian habit that you have acquired over the years and throw it into the trash. Certain skills and attitudes that you bring into the Coast Guard can certainly be positive and maintained within the Coast Guard.
However, for the most part, your every past behavior will be targeted for correction and total beak down. In most cases, as a Coast Guard recruit, this type of attention and constant pressure can sometimes be too overwhelming to bear.That is why it is so important to learn how to keep a low profile! Believe me, you will have plenty of face time with your Company Commanders regardless of the amount of information that I give you. That's just the truth of the matter. However, our objective is to keep your face time to an absolute minimum and to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to get you, my reader, the strong advantage through these particular situations.
"Attention to detail" means exactly what it says. It means paying attention to the little things. Whether it is your uniform, shave, or even how you march. It is the little things within the walls of the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May that will get you into trouble with your Company Commander(s). As an experienced CC, I developed a theory that in the end proved to be true. Coast Guard recruits got themselves into trouble...all on their own. This theory of mine is directly related to recruits that never stood a chance. Some recruits manage to rise to the surface all on their own and naturally draw attention to themselves. We as Company Commanders were always aware of this. We have the training and the experience to know that most Coast Guard recruits will get into trouble all on their own. With that in mind, we place our focus on Coast Guard recruits that tend to be ideal looking on the outside, but are weak and not-so-great candidates within themselves.
These Coast Guard recruits are commonly referred to in the Coast Guard as "sh*t filled twinkies." I didn't make the name up...that's just what they've always been called! These are recruits that may on the outside look great and squared away, but when you take a bite out of them and test their willpower...they taste like sh*t! You may find that either hilarious or even possibly offensive. But if the latter of my statement applies to you then beware. The Coast Guard is a sea-going service and along with that comes a sea-going vocabulary. Despite what any Coast Guard recruiter may tell you, the truth is that foul language is alive and well from STAFF at the Training Center. That is not a blanket statement for all, but again, do not be surprised if you hear some F-Bombs come your way.
This being said, you will have to wait until after you graduate Coast Guard Basic Training to use foul language. I am not by any means condoning foul language. But I do believe that as a military member in the fleet- it's gonna happen! Their is a time and a place where it may be more appropriate than others. Have I ever used foul language as a Company Commander? Of course I did. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. In fact, I can remember few- if any- that didn't within my years as a Company Commander. If it offends you, then just deal with it and move on. You are joining the Coast Guard now and so you might as well prepare yourself for it. Now let's dive into paying "attention to detail" and see how it can get you into some serious trouble if not approached correctly.
This vicious cycle never ends and any experienced Company Commander will know how to effectively capitalize off of this. So it is essential that you protect yourself and study my formula below and live by it if you truly want to keep a low profile and graduate Coast Guard Boot Camp on time! After all, that is the subject we are trying to tackle here right? Okay, let's keep moving forward and enable you with these layers of protection for when you are confronted by your Company Commander(s).
Follow them within their sequential order and you will be amazed at how your Company Commander(s) will never know you were there:The Company Commander will then instinctively seek out another mistake made by the other recruit, and obsessively go after it. The CC will look for a mistake such as possibly waiting for the Coast Guard recruit to render an incorrect response.A primary example that I can use is a general Coast Guard uniform inspection. These are carried out several times while in Coast Guard Basic Training- whether they are scheduled or random. A CC may perhaps notice that you do not have your "thumbs along your trouser seams" while at the Position Of Attention. (Please see the bottom of this page to learn more about the Position of Attention).In my personal opinion, responding to your Company Commander incorrectly is the number one reason that Coast Guard recruits tend to draw unwanted attention to themselves and get into trouble. There are several other reasons that we will cover in later chapters, but it all starts with one mistake on behalf of the recruit. You can clearly see that a visual inspection of the recruit lead to an inspection of his/her "Required Knowledge." Following that, may be an inspection of their rack among other things.
To finish reading Chapter 2 and download my book UNDERCOVER CC: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO SURVIVING COAST GUARD RECRUIT TRAINING, please visit http://www.Prepare4CoastGuardBootCamp.com/
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