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My 3/c Summer Experience

Kai Wismar | June 8, 2023

One of the best parts of CGA for me so far was going to CG units 3/c summer. My summer was interesting because I was originally supposed to go on Eagle, but that changed because of Covid; I went to Cape Disappointment in WA and, instead of Eagle, I had the Stratton (WMSL) in Alameda, CA!

There were many aspects of Stratton that I liked. Although we did not go underway, I liked that we were stationed at Base Alameda since it had a large CG exchange, basketball courts, and a nice waterfront to sit along. Another aspect I liked were the tasks we did for deck department. It might sound strange, but I enjoyed painting, priming, grinding, and power washing parts of the cutter. One of my most memorable experiences was working with 4 other cadets from my class to offload these really heavy lines our first day working aboard. It was so heavy that the 1/c had to give us a helping hand!

Other memorable experiences included being part of two cordons: one for a temporary PAC Area Commander and another for the permanent one, VADM Fagan (now ADM and Commandant!) I had the honor of meeting (then) Commandant ADM Schultz (who also happened to take Civil Engineering and is from CT).

My most memorable experience at Cape Disappointment (which did not disappoint) was getting OC pepper sprayed. While the feeling that my eyes were on fire wasn’t pleasant, there is a sense of comradery that experience instills when you do it at the same time as others at your unit. Even though it wasn’t fun, I’m glad I did it then and would do it again if I had to.

About Kai

Hometown: Simsbury, CT
Major: Civil Engineering
Email: Kai.K.Wismar@uscga.edu

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.