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Home / AIM / AIM BLOGS / Julia Striker - POST-AIM INTERVIEW

Julia Striker: Post-AIM Interview

Julia Striker | March 16, 2023

Julia Striker

What were your first impressions?

Nervous; but I started to calm down when I got to look around the beautiful campus and meet everyone in my platoon.  But once the cadre came in and took us to Chase Hall, that’s when I realized that it was “go time” and I no longer had time to think about nerves!

Rate the physical intensity of AIM on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the most intense).

8. For me the hardest parts physically were the punishment workouts we would do for making mistakes and not getting the little things right. These workouts included a lot of static exercises like squat holds and holding our water bottle out in front of us – all while sounding off, of course. I was actually a little surprised! I knew it would be tough, but I slightly underestimated how intense it would be!

What challenges did you overcome?

Trying to correctly identify the cadre while keeping my “eyes in the boat.” At the beginning of the week, I really struggled with this and called some cadre by the wrong name for sure! However, by the end of the week, I had found some things to help me. Whether it was by height, or little things other platoons’ cadre would say, I had much easier time identifying.

Anything surprise you?

The infancy of the Cyber Systems program. Going in a knew that it was a newer major, but I was surprised by the amount of flexibility and opportunity that lies with the program.

What was your favorite part of the program?

Seeing the demeanor of the cadre “shift” a bit toward the end of the week. It was so great to see all their personalities come out and get to learn more about who they really are. The cadre care about those who they lead and how they enjoy their experiences at the Academy.

How have you changed?

I am stronger than I thought I could be. Through all of the difficult workouts and “punishments,” I never gave up, and this has really helped me realize the importance of hard work and overcoming adversity for a bigger goal.

What words of advice would you give to high school students considering AIM?

Work on running and physical skills especially in the heat. Spend some time preparing yourself mentally, but just know that nothing can really prepare you for the shock value of experiencing something like this for the first time. And learn how to yell with their diaphragm before coming.

About Julia

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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