Learn Me: Coast Guard

Talk of military service around here seems to bring up the Coast Guard.

I'm not doing as well at my new job as I would like. Part of that is a bit of disappointment with the dream of being a brewer at my favorite brewery not living up to reality (low pay, high stress, crap hours, few opportunities for advancement, and poor training displease me), but I have to take responsibility for my own faults. I do not have the best discipline. That is something I never really learned. I'm very smart and creative. This is kind of a problem for me because, up through college, I never really needed to work or apply myself. I learned that I could get solid B's without having to apply myself at all. So that's what I did; show up, and do the minimal effort, get solid grades. This is not a good habit for later in life. It is standing in my way.

I'm wondering if maybe military service would be a good way to learn the discipline I aught to have to be successful later. Of all the services, the Coast Guard seems like the mission I would do best with.

I am smart. I have a 4-year degree and a German professional certification in brewing (which has nothing to do with military service, but whatever). I have my pilot's license, General class Ham radio certification, and sailing experience. I'm in good physical shape. I've taught junior high students, so I aught to be able to lead adults trained to follow. I'm generally observant and good at making decisions in tough situations.

Potential troubles are that I'm not as young as typical for entering the military. I'm 31. I'm pretty sure that's within the range to go to USCG OCS. I have also had LASIK. My results are excellent, but I know some services don't like LASIK for at least certain jobs.

If my goal is to someday start my own small brewing company... brewing beer is the easy part. Handling logistics and organization are the critical things to success that I am weakest on.

Or, I just keep with the path I'm on. Buckle down and force myself to work harder and change my habits now. This is the current short-term plan. I want to bring my performance back up to a level that I can get a good reference from them later. But in the mid or long term I think I will want some sort of change to something I will both enjoy more, and move me more in the direction of being a brewmaster who gets to be somewhat innovative and experimental in my brewing.

Alternately, the military isn't a bad career. If I do 20 years, I get out when I'm 51 with good benefits, and will be in a good position to start a business if I so desire.

I am 51. If I was 31, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I didn't realize the error of my ways until I was too old to be considered for military service. I'd have done really well with it if I wasn't so damned smart when I was younger.

You will reach an age where you can no longer make choices like this.

In reply to SVreX:

Biggest issue is, I have a dream and a goal. I want to run a brewery where I have the opportunity to exercise creative influence, and have the money and free time to live comfortably and enjoy my outside hobbies.

Trying to figure out what moves me most in that direction: military service, working at a production brewery, or working at a brewpub.

That's not a goal. It's 4 goals.

1- Run a brewery

2- Be in charge

3- Have money

4- Have free time

At least 3 out of 4 of those goals are usually mutually incompatible.

Military service will be able to give you at least 3 of the 4, with the opportunity to do the 4th in the future.

SVreX wrote: Military service will be able to give you at least 3 of the 4, with the opportunity to do the 4th in the future.

Well put!

SVreX wrote: That's not a goal. It's 4 goals. 1- Run a brewery 2- Be in charge

I should say, not so much running a brewery as running a brew house (only a small portion of a brewery). What I want is creative control, and see being in charge of a brew house as means to that end.

At least 3 out of 4 of those goals are usually mutually incompatible. Military service will be able to give you at least 3 of the 4, with the opportunity to do the 4th in the future.

This is very very true. It also potentially satisfies the core sentiment around running a brewhouse which is being able to lead something, of my own, that is of significant tangible value to society.

Does it satisfy my goals better than being a brewer at a pub brewery. I will have time, and creative control, although money won't be as strong.

Didn't you just get offered creative control of a brewpub?

If "low pay, high stress, crap hours, few opportunities for advancement, and poor training" displeases you, just wait until you've enlisted. It'll redefine those things.

I think you're screwed without an age waiver, anyway. Edit: yeah, you're out for enlisting, their website isn't super clear on the age limit for commissioning.

Osterkraut wrote: Didn't you just get offered creative control of a brewpub?

That's still in the works, and I haven't been offered anything yet. I'm thinking about all my options right now and considering what options are worth looking into more deeply. I'm nervous about what I will do if that does not pan out.

The big thing precipitating this is that I got chewed out by my bosses the other day and I'm second guessing a lot of what I've been doing. My confidence is kind of low right now.

If "low pay, high stress, crap hours, few opportunities for advancement, and poor training" displeases you, just wait until you've enlisted. It'll redefine those things. I think you're screwed without an age waiver, anyway.

I would not enlist. I would consider being commissioned as an officer, but not enlisting. Pretty sure age restrictions are higher for that too.

While the service is an honorable pursuit, I think your goals would be better served by staying in the brewing industry. You'll continue to learn and make more and more contacts through the business. If you were 21 asking this I'd vote for the service.

Gearheadotaku wrote: While the service is an honorable pursuit, I think your goals would be better served by staying in the brewing industry. You'll continue to learn and make more and more contacts through the business. If you were 21 asking this I'd vote for the service.

Yeah. I kind of wish I'd considered the service shortly after getting out of college. I thought about the Air Force or Navy, and knew that with my feelings about our foreign policy, that wasn't the right place for me. I didn't think much about the Coast Guard then.

What I need to do is light a fire under my ass. Pull my act together better. Get my confidence back and find an opportunity that pleases me more to grab onto.

Beer Baron wrote: I would not enlist. I would consider being commissioned as an officer, but not enlisting. Pretty sure age restrictions are higher for that too.

Looks like 34. As I said in the last military thread, do keep in mind the selection rate is brutally low right now.

I'm voting against this, I don't think you'll find what you're looking for.

I'd buckle down at your current position, and see where you are in a year. It sounds like you had a bad week, it's important to never make important career decisions without some sort of cool off period to see if you still feel the same way next week.

The other job offer complicates things, but I'd think about staying at the current place for a while. In a year, you'll have a solid year of work to form your opinion about your current employer, and you will have given your employer a solid year of service. Jumping ship after a few months into your first position in your industry doesn't look great on the resume, and you'd burn bridges with your current employer and co-workers. If it's really that bad where you are now, then by all means leave, but give it A LOT of thought before you do so.

Sometimes even if the job isn't ideal, your time there may help you develop character that'll help you in the long run. Trust me, we've all been there!

Hang in there, and don't beat yourself up over a bad week

dj06482 wrote: Sometimes even if the job isn't ideal, your time there may help you develop character that'll help you in the long run. Trust me, we've all been there! Hang in there, and don't beat yourself up over a bad week

Yeah, I just had the boss ask me the gratuitously stupid question, "You do want to work here, right?" Of course the only viable answer when asked this is, "Yes," but it just caused me to think...

I've had more than a bad week. But actually getting stuck on a shift schedule I don't like is helping me a lot. I hate only being able to spend time with the fiancee on weekends, but I like the people on the swing shift better than day shift. I feel more integral to getting things done, and my coworkers are actually communicating with me better to help me learn what I need to. I feel like E36 M3 because I think I should have learned a lot more at this point. However, in the day shift I got stuck working with and trying to learn from a Mayan guy who is so incomprehensible the other Mexicans at work can barely understand him.

The other opportunities I'm looking to potentially put together if this isn't the right place for me will probably be 3-9 months out from now.

just put your head down, do your job to the best of your abilities, and cash your paychecks until something better comes along. i've had several jobs i have absolutely hated- with coworkers i couldn't stand- that i kept because i was there for a paycheck and not to make friends or find some sort of self satisfaction.. but as soon as something different came along, i was gone.

also, totally forget about everything that happened at work once you get out of the parking lot. life is easier that way.

Beer Baron wrote: The big thing precipitating this is that I got chewed out by my bosses the other day and I'm second guessing a lot of what I've been doing. My confidence is kind of low right now.

Some leaders use negative reinforcement for motivation. Sounds like your boss.

Some military employees are experts on the "chew out."

Use this experience as motivation, that is the intention.

novaderrik wrote: just put your head down, do your job to the best of your abilities, and cash your paychecks until something better comes along. i've had several jobs i have absolutely hated- with coworkers i couldn't stand- that i kept because i was there for a paycheck and not to make friends or find some sort of self satisfaction.. but as soon as something different came along, i was gone.

I thought this job would be one where I make friends or find some sort of self satisfaction. Neither is happening. I don't hate the work but... it's just work. The pay check isn't big enough to be serious motivation either. It beats the hell out of no job, but that's the most of it.

also, totally forget about everything that happened at work once you get out of the parking lot. life is easier that way.

Dear lord I wish I could do that. I am terrible about letting things go. I don't know how to clear my head without strenuous, attention demanding, physical activity (dancing, rock climbing, martial arts, yoga, racing cars).

Beer Baron wrote: I am smart. I have a 4-year degree and a German professional certification in brewing (which has nothing to do with military service, but whatever). I have my pilot's license, General class Ham radio certification, and sailing experience. I'm in good physical shape. I've taught junior high students, so I aught to be able to lead adults trained to follow. I'm generally observant and good at making decisions in tough situations.

As others have said (especially if you are 31), it sounds to me like you need to commit to something and stick with it. All of the things you've listed, you enjoy. Pretty easy to persevere when the going is good, maybe try and persevere when the going is bad.

I'm a Boatswain's Mate Second Class (E-5, soon to make E-6) in the USCG. I did 4 years active (2007-2011) and am going on my 3rd year as a drilling reservist (2011-present). I can tell you about my experiences if you'd like. PM me for contact info.

I'm going to caution you right now... If your dreaming of Coast Guard Alaska, Coast Guard Miami, The Perfect Storm or Deadliest Catch, reality is going to hit you hard when you find out the job isn't full throttle every minute of the day like these shows portray.

SVreX wrote: That's not a goal. It's 4 goals. 1- Run a brewery 2- Be in charge 3- Have money 4- Have free time At least 3 out of 4 of those goals are usually mutually incompatible.

^^^This. "have money" and "have free time" are usually mutually exclusive. Getting all four is very unlikely.

I think he should lower his expectations a little, and focus on the new brewing career for a while. After all, he hasn't even been at it long enough to see if he likes it. Give it a few years, at least, before moving on.

[I'm speaking from experience. Having bounced from one career to another has left me at a disadvantage. I'm now in a gig i like, but decades behind in seniority because I wold not pick one thing and stick with it.]

Beer Baron wrote: I've had more than a bad week. But actually getting stuck on a shift schedule I don't like is helping me a lot. I hate only being able to spend time with the fiancee on weekends, but I like the people on the swing shift better than day shift. I feel more integral to getting things done, and my coworkers are actually communicating with me better to help me learn what I need to. I feel like E36 M3 because I think I should have learned a lot more at this point. However, in the day shift I got stuck working with and trying to learn from a Mayan guy who is so incomprehensible the other Mexicans at work can barely understand him. The other opportunities I'm looking to potentially put together if this isn't the right place for me will probably be 3-9 months out from now.

Not spending time with the wife sucks, but you are just starting out. Unless you take an office job that will happen almost anywhere. It probably won't be any better in the military. My wife and I have been together 16 years and I still work a lot of nights and weekends. We got used to it and make time when we can. Give the job some time. As you become more familiar with how the place works and the become more comfortable with you see if there are things you can change to make it more to your liking.

FFRY wrote: I'm a Boatswain's Mate Second Class (E-5, soon to make E-6) in the USCG. I did 4 years active (2007-2011) and am going on my 3rd year as a drilling reservist (2011-present). I can tell you about my experiences if you'd like. PM me for contact info. I'm going to caution you right now... If your dreaming of Coast Guard Alaska, Coast Guard Miami, The Perfect Storm or Deadliest Catch, reality is going to hit you hard when you find out the job isn't full throttle every minute of the day like these shows portray.

Hey man where do you drill ou of? I'm the deck bm2 on the Elm right now and about to head up to station Portland Or.

On topic though, yeah it's not like the tv. I have had times in my career with pretty constant action (counter narco in Central America) but you can't keep that up forever. Especially at your age I wouldn't want to start at the deck plate level with the 18 yo kids. Just my opinion...

2" Deck guns are the biggest thing that the Cost Guard has IIRC. Navy has bigger boom sticks.

Whatever your plans are, keep in mind the CG is one of the hardest branches to get into and has some of the toughest PT. Even with those two facts, it would be my choice, too.

Also, those 2" deck guns will spin a CG riverboat in no time.

Currently drilling out of CG Sta Sandy Hook, NJ. I was there on active duty as well as a 25 and 47 coxswain.

Before Sta Sandy Hook I was on CGC Escanaba (WMEC-907). Deck department.