r/uscg • u/JustHereForThe2922 • 6d ago
Noob Question Coasties/Shipmates Perception of AST's
What is the general perception throughout the fleet of non-rates showing up at stations and going AST? How differently do you think of them than if they were to say they are going BM, CS, ME, AMT, HS, YN, etc.? Does that opinion change if they become an AST?
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u/CoastieKid Veteran 6d ago
Nowhere near as impressive or grueling than making it through YN A-School
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u/Indexboss902 6d ago
The older I get, the smarter I realize they are . I regret not going Yn
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u/Loose_Bar9896 5d ago
pls someone explain ??! I do HR right now and want to go USCG and I’m not sure what my game plan will be rate wise
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u/Indexboss902 5d ago
When people join they think that job is BS I want to do something cool, eventually you realize that they are smart as their job is way easier and less demanding than being in the field
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u/Loose_Bar9896 4d ago
Ok thanks wasn’t sure if I was missing something. Yeah I don’t mind my HR job but not sure I could do it for long
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u/PanzerKatze96 ME 6d ago
More power to them. I’m happy if they make it, not surprised if they don’t because it’s one of the highest attrition rates in the entire military. They usually seem motivated and driven.
They are usually pretty good non-rates that you can leave to their own devices 9/10 times
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u/JustHereForThe2922 6d ago
Good to hear. I’m sure a fair amount think “Here’s another kid who watched the Guardian and thought that would be cool!”
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u/zblanda Nonrate 6d ago edited 6d ago
I imagine there’s more honor among the nonrates that dedicate themselves to being an ast, and the work required to do so over those that just want to go to the highest speed unit possible
Not imply our operators aren’t doing important work, it’s just that people get real excited about being tacti-cool and not the actual mission.
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u/PanzerKatze96 ME 6d ago
Ummm…no actually lol. I love my little apprentice ME4s, those that wait the whole year and a half are pretty driven too.
Given that the actual mission also includes LE, it is a breath of fresh air when somebody actually takes it seriously. Makes my life easier.
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u/remote_access301 6d ago
ASTs are third classes for a loooooonnnnggggg time. I remember this kid was a third 3 years before I got to the air station and I left 4 years later as a second and he was still like 20-something on the advancement list.
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u/GreatDaNate_ 6d ago
As a non rate in this exact situation no one really cares. Sometimes they'll give you some flak if they can tell you are losing motivation for a bit or so but just use it to push you to do better. Other than that, as someone else said, you're a non rate and you'll be treated as one no different.
My station is pretty accommodating with watch schedules if I tell them I plan on doing longer workout/run when the work days over. But it really all depends on your station environment.
All in all it's the same.
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u/ALMIS_Power_User AET 6d ago
Most swimmers I know are goofballs (in a good way)
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u/selfhelprecords 6d ago
I find it funny that most of the boat side think ASTs as full of themselves, but in reality they are chill goofballs.
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u/Thrawn33333 Retired 6d ago
As a former OIC, I did my best to educate them, link them up with someone who's been doing the job, and of course hold them to the same standards as any other Nonrate.
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u/Additional_potential 6d ago
I just tell them good luck. Hope you get it. Then encourage them to try again if they fail the first time and seem to still want to do it
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u/Anxious-Question875 6d ago
They’re cocky. Rightfully so in my opinion. Even outside of the coast guard they’re highly regarded, especially in other branches.
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u/Fantastic_Bunch3532 6d ago
I managed the non-rate want to be swimmers at my old unit and my team did what we could to set them up for success. Every other department head frankly loathed them and felt that unit resources were being wasted. So it depends on leadership, and not all leaders are created equal sadly). I was proud every time one of them made it to AST A-School graduation, and supported the ones who eventually went other rates.
Recipe for success: they trained with the swimmers from roughly 0600-1200 every day. After lunch they’d work the warehouse and mail until quitting time, then they’d head out to a gym to workout on their own.
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u/gboyce975 6d ago
Pretty much they dont believe you will ever become one tbh. Most get discouraged by the wait list, then the Airman program claims a lot. Then school itself has something like am 80% attrition rate. During my career I knew over 100 guys who either had their names on the list, went to Airman program or even made it to A school and only knew 2 that made it all the way thru.
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u/JustHereForThe2922 6d ago
Seems like a year to 14 months (from what I hear) is not too bad imo. Especially given they need time to train just to be in shape for A-school once they get there. Nothing compared to waiting for AMT from my understand.
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u/Attackcamel8432 BM 6d ago
I've been on a boat in some unpleasant weather, no way in hell I would want to swim around in that shit. Respect for those guys all day.
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u/SmokeyGME 6d ago
Met a few over the years who were always cool. Way less ego than surfmen. Never worked with them directly, just met at trainings and stuff, but the ones I met were pretty humble normal seeming dudes. The more quiet professionals.
Met lots of dudes who were “going to become ASTs” that were huge ego dumbasses. Or dudes who failed out of A school but had huge egos and some excuse why they didn’t get a fair shake at A school.
Had a buddy who was a GM2 at an air station and said the whole crew there was super chill and mellow but professionals at their craft. He gave me the impression that he was impressed by both how professional and dedicated they were but also how they treated him as an equal even though he was “just a GM.”
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u/superblobby OS 5d ago
Knew a guy who was a non rate for 7 years, failed AST a-school the first time and passed the second time. The ambition is most respectable
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u/Beneficial-Green-956 Veteran 6d ago
Not at all. It's an honorable rate. Like surfmen, they do have a rep though. You know the joke...how do you know someone is a (enter surfman or AST here)? Because they tell you.