Coast Guard Reserves - Port Security?

[RF7126]

Hi all,
I'm in a transition period in my life trying to find a new direction, and the Coast Guard is looking like a great place to go. I'm a college student, and I was in Air Force ROTC (on contract, long story), but decided to leave as driving a desk wasn't what I wanted to do. This had been my focus for my entire life and after I went through a rough time readjusting I now feel like the whole world is open to me.

Anyway, I love security/law enforcement, and I enjoy boating. After seeing "The Guardian", I took another look at the Coast Guard and was very impressed with what I found. I was thrilled to find that the reserves allow specializing in Port Security and now I'm interested in seeing if that would work for me.

My question is: Would the Coast Guard reserves fit a college student schedule? Are deployments an issue, especially with Port Security? Is it truly a "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" type of job? There's an Air National Guard base very close to where I live but the Security Forces are always getting deployed, and anymore they're treated almost like infantry anyway. I currently live in Terre Haute, IN, and although relocation is not an option I'm willing to travel a couple of hours (maybe to Chicago?).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Are there Port Security jobs closer to west-central Indiana? I'm also open to search and rescue or armorer positions. I did some search and rescue for a few years and I miss that feeling that one gets when a call comes in.

Thanks,
RF7126

[MakeMineA10mm]

Hey, RF, sorry I didn't see this thread before.

There are two ways to work in PS in USCGR.

First is to be in a PSU (Port Security Unit), of which there are, I think 4. Most are in the Wisconsin-Michigan-Ohio area, IIRC, but if you're in Northern Indiana, you may be within travel distance for them. Disadvantage for you is that they are being deployed A LOT to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Sea Dragon (interdicting terrorism in the Gulf. They work out of Bahrain to Kuwait, and sometimes are detached to ships of coalition partners to be part of boarding teams).

Second is to be an individual PS-rate in a reserve unit anywhere there are Reserve units. Out local unit has about 1/2 it's members as PS-men. They have a more traditional reserve schedule, but in this day and age, they get deployed more too. There are deployments to US ports for inspections/security work, and there can be deployments to other places as part of LEDETS (Law Enforcement Detachments - a.k.a. Boarding Teams).

I would suggest you go talk to a CG recruiter and to some coasties at your local CG Base (just to verify the recuiter isn't blowing sunshine at you...).

[RF7126]

Thanks MakeMineA10mm. I had no idea how the Port Security system worked, that's good to know. Unfortunately the closest CG unit that I know of is 4 hours away in Chicago, but I'll trying emailing the Indiana recruiter and see what he says.