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Home / Cadet Life / Historic Structures

Historic Structures

The Coast Guard Academy was established on the banks of the Thames River in New London, Connecticut in 1932. At over 100 acres of land, the campus is home to a variety of historic buildings and landmarks, many of which reflect traditional New England architecture.

The Academy campus is viewed as one of the many historic landmarks in the New London area. While not all buildings are open to the public, the USCGA Admissions office offers cadet-led tours of the grounds regularly and welcome visitors to the onsite Coast Guard Museum to further understand the history behind our campus and our service.

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Historic Structures Gallery

Bear Plaza
BEAR PLAZA | Bear Plaza is home to the Honor Wall, which affirms “Who lives here reveres honor, honors duty.” The plaza is located across the street from Leamy Hall and is named after CGC Bear in honor of its 44 years of service. This tree-lined plaza also houses a life-size statue of Objee, the mascot who resided at the Academy from 1927 to 1984.
Cadet Memorial Chapel
CHAPEL | Through the hallowed doors of the chapel lies a tranquil space dedicated to religious services as well as other secular events. The chapel was built in 1952 with funds donated from across the country. Built on the highest point of the Academy grounds, it features a working lighthouse beacon in the spire to serve as a guide to safe harbor.
Captain Hopley Yeaton Memorial
Captain HOPLEY YEATON MEMORIAL | Here lies one of the first officers commissioned under the Constitution by President Washington. Captain Yeaton was originally buried in Maine but in 1975, his burial site was threatened by development. The Corps of Cadets sailed EAGLE to retrieve his remains. He was then reinterred on Academy grounds.
When cadets have dismally low GPAs, they make a vigil to the grave and sleep on top of it with the hope that Captain Yeaton will bestow upon them the knowledge they need to improve their grades.
Chase Hall
CHASE HALL | If you attend the Academy, you live in Chase Hall for all four years of your college experience. It is the largest building on campus serving as the barracks for more than 1,000 cadets and officer candidates as well as accommodating the Commandant of Cadets, Cadet Watch Office, wardroom (dining hall), and small arms range among other facilities.
Hamilton Hall
HAMILTON HALL | Named after the Coast Guard’s founding father, Alexander Hamilton, this stately brick building is the Academy’s centerpiece. With the clock tower above and the majestic flagpole in front, Hamilton Hall houses the offices of the Superintendent, Dean of Academics, Public Affairs and other administrative offices.
Washington Parade Field
WASHINGTON PARADE FIELD | This expanse of well-manicured lawn is named after President George Washington and is the venue for cadet and officer candidate regimental reviews. The flagpole, bordering the parade field across from Hamilton Hall, is a replica of the mast of CGC Alexander Hamilton. Revenue cutters first displayed the service’s ensign in the 1790s to identify them as federal law enforcement vessels. The Superintendent’s flag is flown when he or she is “aboard” the Academy.
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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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

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