Home / The Wait Is Over: 1/c Jose Hernandez’s Billet Night Experience

The Wait Is Over: 1/c Jose Hernandez’s Billet Night Experience

Stefanie Senkow | March 21, 2023

One of the culminating experiences of a cadet’s First Class (senior) year—Billet Night. It’s the ceremony where cadets receive their first assignments upon graduation. Cadets submit a “dream sheet” of their top assignment choices weeks prior. They await Billet Night to see where they will be headed as newly-commissioned officers.

What did you consider when making your billet dream sheet?

As a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering major, I wanted to become a student engineer. Next, I prioritized my selections on the platform. I have always had a fascination with the MECs (medium endurance cutters) due to their rich history, mission set, and capabilities.

What is your billet?

USCGC ESCANABA to be a student engineer in Portsmouth, VA.

What was your first reaction when your name was announced, and your billet was revealed?

It was all surreal. Standing on the stage and just holding the folder felt like ages. When they finally said to open it, I just saw “student engineer” on the USCGC ESCANABA and I was ecstatic. I am going to a great boat with great people, and I couldn’t be happier!

What is your next step now?

Now that I know that I am going to Portsmouth, I am looking for a place to live in VA and getting things squared away for when I leave the Academy on May 17th.

What advice would you give to rising first class or prospective cadets about Billet Night?

I am a firm believer that there are no bad jobs in the Coast Guard. I came to the Academy to leave home and have an adventure. Something that really stuck with me is advice I received from a faculty member. She told me to put in billets that seem fun and interesting in your career. In short, put in billet assignments that are far from home, fun, interesting, and go have an adventure.

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.