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Kristen Bradley

Class of 2012 B.S., Government

LT Kristen Bradley is the Assistant Chief of the Inspections Division in Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With direct oversight of a domestic fleet of over 200 vessels, she oversees vessel inspections in the top perishable goods port in the U.S.

On the opportunity-rich Government major

“The Government major offers a wide array of opportunities to learn the intricacies and inner workings of government. Along with rigorous academic study, there are incredible domestic and international summer internship programs, government-sponsored advanced research, along with regular trips to attend high-level lectures and symposiums.”

On an impressive faculty

“I felt privileged to learn from such accomplished and compassionate individuals. In addition to their ability to engage cadets, the Government faculty is also highly distinguished. I was constantly in awe of the individual research they conducted and publications they produced, in addition to their unwavering commitment to educating and mentoring cadets.”

On valuable travel opportunities

“During my four years at the Coast Guard Academy I travelled to Benin, Sweden, Greece, Canada, and multiple U.S. cities, including Washington D.C. and Boston. I am so grateful that the Government major opened my eyes to cultures I would not have known otherwise. My travels as a cadet were some of the most valuable experiences throughout my four years.”

On being prepared for success

“As a marine inspector, my job requires me to interpret regulations on a daily basis. The Government major taught me to read thoroughly, think critically and communicate clearly. While my job certainly requires technical skills, which I have gained through additional training, the precision of language that I developed during my time at the Academy has been vital to my success.”

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.