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LT Helen Oh

Helen Oh

My Coast Guard journey started at Georgia Military College where I attended one-year preparatory school. Prior to prep school, I did not have any exposure to the military lifestyle. I am grateful I took the leap and accepted the offer; prep school helped me learn how to juggle all these new responsibilities (military obligation, academics, physical fitness) and live on my own for the first time after graduating high school!

I was on the Pistol Team for four years. After graduating from CGA. I was given the opportunity to train one year for the Olympic Trials in pistol shooting. During that time, I was able to train full time and travel to international/national competitions with my Team USA teammates. Representing the United States at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. After Olympic Trials, I reported to USCGC MIDGETT (WMSL 757) in Honolulu, HI as a deck watch officer. Currently, I am the Operations Officer at Sector San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service.

If you plan to attend the Coast Guard Academy, find a good support crew (friends, teachers, mentors). The people are what made the Academy worth it and extremely memorable. I am still very close to some of my classmates that I can call family! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Contact Information

LT Helen Oh
Phone: (909) 446-5696
Email: Helen.S.Oh@uscg.mil

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.