I tracked in a career that started with the Coast Guard Academy, then on as an officer and pilot. There are dozens of ways and levels to enter and have a career in the USCG. I will discuss mine, but remember there are many other methods and career paths in the CG. What helped me prepare? - A solid HS record, (graduation from TCHS in 1983 with a 3.3 GPA), a year of Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, and 4 years at the USCG Academy in New London, CT, earning a Bachelors of Science in Management and Economics, were my formal schooling pursuits that propelled me into my USCG Officer career. While in HS and NMC I was active in sports and some academic activities such as Model United Nations. I also volunteered my time extensively with the Cherry Festival from a very early age, (11); was active in Boy Scouting and was a downhill ski instructor from age 14 to 18. I was an employee of my family's retail businesses from the age of 10 until leaving for the USCG Academy. Additionally, I worked on a few miscellaneous community volunteer activities such as volunteering to help at an election at a town hall. I mention these extra activities for a reason. They are what made me competitive enough to gain entry into the Academy; which has a 1 in 25 acceptance rate of applicants. Generally, applicants are top 10% in their class HS students and are active in other activities such as music, sports, work, community, Scouting, etc. The USCGA application process takes nearly a year. If you are interested, the time to start is prior to your senior year in HS. However, work experience, military enlistment or other college prior to USCGA entry is advantageous in many respects. But, you must be no older than 22 upon entry into the Academy. Since I was unaware of the Academy until a month after HS graduation, I started "late," but preferred it this way. It served me well in maturity and broadening my experiences prior to military service. My original plan was a year or two at NMC before moving on to a 4-year university; with unsure plans of my final career. After amending my plans to join the Coast Guard, I attended NMC, taking a variety of classes that interested me and further prepared me for a future in the USCG. I did not gain full acceptance until late winter of 1984, after preparing and submitting a detailed application to the Academy in the fall. I entered the Academy on July 2, 1984. It has a beautiful campus on the banks of the Thames River in SE Connecticut. It is a very marine oriented, fully accredited service academy, much like the US Naval Academy, West Point or the Air Force Academy. There are only about 700 cadets (students) in all four years of study at any time. A near normal college semester schedule is conducted, with extensive summer professional studies or internship like experiences around the nation and sometimes the world. There are a couple weeks in the summer and at Christmas for "leave" and a week in the spring. Your daily routine is very structured, and free time is limited, unlike normal college. You take 17-22 credits per semester. Time management and a broad academic and professional experience dominate these four years. Upon graduation, May of 1988 in my case, you are commissioned into the USCG as an Ensign. You also receive a BS in one of less than 10 majors, (Computer and Math Sciences, Management and Economics, Government, Electrical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Physical and Applied Sciences, to name those I remember). All Academy graduates are assigned to an afloat unit or "ship." I served aboard a 180' Bouy Tender, the USCG Cutter WOODRUSH in Sitka, AK, a sister ship of the ACACIA, BRAMBLE, SUNDEW, etc. here on the Great Lakes. I was the 3rd most senior person aboard with respect to rank, but one of the more junior in operational experience. Southeastern Alaska is a wonderful experience as well as working Search and Rescue, Aids-to-Navigation and Law Enforcement on such a vessel. My main duty was qualifying and performing as a Deck Watch Officer, or directing the ship's operations from the bridge while underway, and the all aspects when in port. I also had over 20 Ścollateral' or sub-jobs I was responsible for. These included Search and Rescue Officer, Law Enforcement Officer, Food Services Officer, Administrative Officer, Procurement and Supply Assistant, Investigator, Personnel Officer to name the main ones. I was accepted to flight training as a result of good performance records and physical standards at the end of that 2-year tour. Coast Guard Officers attend Navy/Marine Corps Flight Training in Pensacola, FL. The program takes from 1 to 2 years to complete with many variables. If you go the fixed-wing, or airplane route; you will also train in Corpus Christi, TX. I stayed in Florida for my entire training. I met and married my wife while in flight training. I was winged as a Naval Aviator in June of 1992. My training was interrupted 3 times for eye standard issues with the Navy, each time lasting 1-3 months. The CG backed my continuation in the training and fought for my retention. But, this is a separate story in itself. Suffice it to say, "if you have less than perfect vision, still apply and pursue your dreams of flying." I apply this rule in many of life's matters. Don't take the first "no" and stick your head in the sand. Call me or e-mail me directly if you have any eyesight concerns and entrance into flight training. The CG will easily waive up to 20/50 vision far, but must have 20/20 near. The CG then sends its fledgling aviators to it own Aviation Training Center in Mobile, AL, where I spent 6 weeks learning about flying the simulator and actual aircraft I fly now -- the HH-65A Dauphin helicopter. Once a year I return there for a week for refresher training and annual recertifications. From there I moved to North Bend, Oregon where I flew Search and Rescue (SAR), Law Enforcement, Marine Environmental Protection, Aids-to-Navigation (A to N), cooperative support missions with other agencies and inland rescue missions. Our area of operations covered the southern 2/3's of the Oregon Coast (about 200 miles), inland to the Cascades and westward to 100 miles offshore -- a wonderful place to live, work and play. It is very beautiful and similar to the Great Lakes in many aspects of daily life. I was involved in many exciting events both in my flying and non-flying jobs, (Public/Media Affairs Coordinator for the CG in Oregon, Congressional Affairs Officer, Administrative Services Officer, and Flight Services Officer). The flying can be very hazardous flying in the mountains in icing or very hot conditions, in the fog along the coast, far from shore over very cold water, above crashing surf towering 20-30' in the air. But it is some of the most beautiful flying you will find also. After 4 years in Oregon, we moved to Kodiak, AK, an island SSW 200 miles from Anchorage. The primary duty of the H-65 there is to deploy to CG Cutters that patrol the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, the North Pacific and the Gulf of Alaska. I also flew all over western, central and northern Alaska on other missions. While on patrol in the northern Bering, I detected many instances of illegal fishing activity by treaty by foreign fishing vessels -- on 6 instances ordering large vessels to halt and starting a long diplomatic chain of pressure against the countries of origin and the vessel captains to preserve US fish stocks. We were engaged in heated and tense enforcement activity against vessels fleeing the Russian waters all the way up to 13 miles from Russia. I also led a team of 2 aircrews and one helicopter to the desolate North Slope oil fields of Alaska to referee and provide emergency rescue of people during a GREENPEACE protest of the movement of a 140,000 ton Concrete Island Drilling System by ARCO Petroleum to just offshore a sensitive wildlife region in August of 1997. I saw some incredible sights that only a few people ever see, like wild Musk Ox, moose and bears on the open Arctic plain. I flew near the summer ice edge in the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean, north of 70 degrees latitude. After these years of great professional growth and wonderful experiences, I returned to my native area of Traverse City, by getting assigned to Air Station Traverse City as a Senior Duty Officer, an Aircraft Commander in the H-65 and again the Public/Media Affairs Officer. I cherish the 14 years and 1 day that I was gone and would never give them up. But, I'm very happy to return and plan to stay in the area. I have reached the top 6% in seniority of this, the fourth largest Navy in the world and the smallest of the 5 US armed forces. My choice has been to move on into another career soon for many reasons.

I work as mentioned above as one of 22 pilots assigned in conjunction with about 40 aviation engineers, mechanics and aircrewmen, as well as about 30 support personnel. We provide CG aviation support covering all of Lakes Michigan and Superior and the northern half of Lake Huron. We also do a lot of inland search and rescue and agency support. I fly from 10 to 40 hours per month, (higher months are in the summer) doing a variety of missions. Again I get to see our beautiful world from a whole different perspective. As the Public Affairs Officer I deal directly with the media to get the word out to tell the public what events and incidents we are involved with. I also act as a sort of "recruiter" for the CG. I work with high quality and motivated people in my flying career. After 14 years, the non-operational things I'm involved in have lost some of their appeal. But, again, I still recommend the USCG as a career.

The flying and saving of life and property of those in distress. It can also be a very social career. I have met and known so many people in the organization. There is a real camaraderie that exists and is enjoyable. The people I work with are great and make many parts of the job very enjoyable.

The large organization bureaucracy of such an agency and the politics that can be a part of that is the biggest difficult hurdle. The more senior you become in the organization, the worse this problem becomes in my opinion. Others may disagree to varying degrees, but most feel this way. If you enjoy this and can play the game for many years, as many do; it really pays off. Additionally, after a half-dozen moves and a lot of travel in between, with a growing family; the novelty can wear off. It has with me. It is a neat and enlightening experience, and has been good for my kids until now. This is one of the big reasons I will be leaving for another career in the next couple of years. But, the lessons, experience, education, friends and growth I have obtained with little out of pocket expenses and while earning a good and now a significant salary have been well worth it. I am glad I have made the choices I have made and spent these 14 and a half years in the USCG.

Yes, increasing! The recruitment efforts and the need for qualified people are possibly as great now as at any time since WWII. This is due in part to the long-term strong economy. But it is also a factor of the high retention rates in the past, with a decrease in hiring for many years, as well as having to actually reduce our force in the late 80's to the mid-90's. This was followed by the retention rate declining and the aging of the workforce in the CG in the last couple of years. Further, the qualifications and interest level of the average 17-22 year old has declined. We have found it hard, (as have many other hiring authorities), to find candidates who are interested in a challenging career and can pass the academic and drug testing required to gain entry into our selective organization.

This advice would apply to many career fields: Set a goal, strive for it, ask a lot of questions of those in the field, find a couple of mentors in the field, don't accept "No.", listen to everyone's opinion. Hone your skills in communications, computers, math and science. Find out what it takes to be a "people person." Continue with your education throughout life. Keep your "nose pointed into the wind" to be ready and open for opportunities that surface. Become a well rounded, "Jack of all trades". Specifically for the USCG, one who wishes information about entry into the CG should do any of the following: 1) Dial 1-800-GET-USCG, this will connect you with the nearest recruiter. They can answer many questions I could never answer about entry options and procedures. 2) Contact myself via e-mail or phone at either knelson@ASTraversecity.uscg.mil or Nelsonaero@aol.com or (231) 922-8300. 3) Contact your nearest CG unit by looking in your local phone book. As with any job search process, put your best foot forward and do your homework about that institution prior to meeting with someone about it. But, you can use me as a resource for that homework, rather than trying to do it all on your own. So, please contact me.