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Swab Summer/AIM Tips

Leah Balser | June 20, 2023

Leah Balser

If you are reading this, you are either considering or taking part in Swab Summer or the Academy Introduction Mission (AIM). As someone who has done both, I will give you some tips to help you be successful during your time at the Academy. For starters, I would recommend drinking a lot of water. Summers in Connecticut get hot and humid, and the sun has no mercy. You do not want to be the person to pass out this summer because of dehydration, so start drinking water now! Another tip I have is to not take anything the cadre say personally. It’s an experience for both you, the Swab/AIMster, and the cadre, to grow and learn from. Additionally, if you know you will be doing Swab Summer, I highly recommend you send as many people as possible your mailing address so family/friends/mentors can send you letters throughout the summer. When I got mail during Swab Summer, it reminded me why I was there in the first place and were letters of encouragement, which is just what everyone needs during those seven weeks of training. When times were rough, I would open my mail or reread old letters. I also would recommend telling those that will send you letters to send photos as well. I loved seeing photos and although it makes you miss home, I feel like it is better to have photos than to not have any. I also recommend building good relationships with your shipmates. Get out of your comfort zone and make new friends. All in all, whether you are a Swab or an AIMster, my final piece of advice is to not give up. You only have a certain number of days that will feel like your worst, but I promise time flies and it will be worth it; the times that feel like they are the hardest only make up for a small fraction of your life, the rest is all good that lies ahead. You want to leave the summer saying, “I gave it my all,” because that is what is most fulfilling.

About Leah

Hometown: Colchester, CT
Major: Government
Email: Leah.M.Balser@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.