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Charles Levental

Oceanside, NY Major: Electrical Engineering

I always knew that it was my duty to serve for at least some years of my life. When I found out about the Coast Guard Academy, I figured it would be the best way for me to accomplish that. I wanted an environment where my peers would be doing great things and inspiring me to do the same. I desired a culture where we were all working toward a goal— where I could be a part of
something larger than myself.

I got through my first day of Swab Summer, said goodbye to my parents, and took comfort in the thought that I was where I had wanted to be. It was hard to keep this sentiment when I was woken up at 0530 the next morning and told at 0531 that I was already underperforming. This is where it set in for me that life would be different for the near future. Yet over the
course of the seven weeks, I grew to love the ways we were challenged, and by the end, I felt I was ready to face the school year.

Since reporting in, I have found that one of the best parts of the Academy is our summer assignments. One summer, I was flown out to Dutch Harbor, AK to meet a cutter on patrol in the Bering Sea. I got to see the
operational Coast Guard as we kept a presence near the maritime boundary line with Russia, boarded vessels, and conducted flight operations.

The Academy can be daunting, and sometimes you need to give a lot to meet all that is expected of you. But if you are up for the challenge, and you can choose to see obstacles as opportunities, you will excel.

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.