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Home / Cadet Blogs / Commonly Asked Questions (Part 2)

Commonly Asked Questions (Part 2)

Cheyenne Waters | May 4, 2023

Cheyenne Waters

Hey, I thought of serval more questions that I often get asked. I also threw in some questions that I think people should ask.

What makes the Coast Guard Academy different from other Academies? 

This biggest thing that sets Coast Guard apart is that is really small. I know all the cadets in my class and most of the cadets in the classes adjacence to me. This year (Junior year) I have really come to appreciate the home feeling that you get at the Coast Guard Academy.

How to choose between the different Academies?

I think the thing that people forget when applying to academies is choosing the service branch that they want to work in. I believe that instead of deciding to go a service academy, you should decide to be an officer in blank branch. As much as I love going to Academy, your military service is going to longer than your time in the Academy. Therefore, the decision about which branch should not be taken lightly. In that vein, don’t forget about ROTC. If you truly want to be in the Navy, I would encourage you to apply to NROTC in addition to the Academy. Of course, the Coast Guard doesn’t have a ROTC. So, if you want to be an officer in the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Academy is for you!

How can parents help? 

The first things parents can do is not force their children to go to an Academy. Academies are hard and big commitments. Most of the time when cadets leave within their first year, the main reason they leave is because they didn’t really want to go. If you kid really does want to go here and gets in, the best thing you can do for them is tell them you are proud. Joining the military is a big decision. When I am having a bad day, I always feel better when my dad just tells me he is proud. It puts everything back into perspective.

Do you have to play a varsity sport to get your sport credit?

Nope, you don’t have play football or lacrosse. You can get a credit from being in the band. You can get your credit from powerlifting or yoga club or playing dodgeball or frisbee twice a week. Playing a varsity sport gives you an awesome community, but if you want to spend more time on school, clubs, or just hanging out with friends, you have a lot of great options for your sports credit.

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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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