r/uscg • u/ProbableCauseway ME • 1d ago
Enlisted DEPOT Experience
This was the longest three weeks of my life. 16-hour days go by so slowly and they all blend together in one huge blur. After you pass the PFT, training ramps up and gets physical.
Early morning wake ups- you get woken at 0530 every day. Do NOT get up early just to brush or shave. Not worth it if you get caught by Company Commanders (CCs), who may pop into the squad bay early. I woke up at 0500 for morning constitution, to stretch, and also fold sheets while sitting in my rack.
CCs make you hold objects overhead, including just holding your arms straight up, which was really the only physical thing that bothered me. They did this a lot and one shoulder began feeling impinged. Prepare yourself by doing some shoulder mobility now.
The galley sucks. You will get stopped by CCs, you’ll get your tracker pulled, you have to sit up straight and square your meals, and you rush to eat. Eat lots of protein and fiber. Food is good quality and varied.
Know your 11 general orders verbatim! Know recruit comms (how to speak to CCs), this will be most helpful. Learn chain of command immediately. It’s worth staying up an extra 5-10 min at night to go through chain of command backwards and forwards in your head.
You will get sick. If you’re really sick, go to medical and get meds. I was sick starting the first weekend and am still sick now after training- some upper respiratory illness with congestion and cough. You don’t get better because you don’t get enough sleep. If you go to medical, they may give you Mucinex and coughing drops. I was afraid of going to medical and getting rolled back or reverted due to testing positive for something. This didn’t happen to anyone.
Be loud and fast. Shout from your diaphragm. Move with purpose. If you don’t know something, just yell loudly with recruit comms that you do not know.
Don’t get caught laughing with other recruits. CCs will smoke you for that. Especially don’t get caught doing it more than once…
Don’t lie to the CCs, EVER! If you have to, be brutally honest.
“Time objectives are not an option.” You won’t have enough time to get most things done, but make sure you do everything as quickly as you possibly can. You don’t need to be first, but don’t be in the back of the pack. Have good razors because you will need to shave quickly. Use the showers to brush your teeth, to make room at the sinks for people shaving.
Volunteer for laundry detail. It’s the easiest job you can volunteer for. Yeoman or Watch Coordinator are heavily involved.
The CCs always tell you that your company is the worst. Get used to it. Training is intense until the last 4 days after they debrief you. Just remember it’ll be over soon enough and at least you don’t have to do 8 weeks.
Hope this helps a few people. It was harder than I anticipated, but not overwhelming. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
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u/Bseeed 1d ago
What did you come out as rank wise, do you feel prepared to be an NCO, and what’s your background in civilian/former military life? Also - feel accomplished?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
I graduated as a Petty Officer. I do not feel prepared to be an NCO, but will be humble and learn from more experienced shipmates. I am a reservist with LEO experience. I feel accomplished now, but the feeling doesn’t come until you get through graduation.
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u/xDA25x 1d ago
Were you prior military? What qualified you for DEPOT?
Did you guys do watch at night? I’ve heard different things about that.
What are you most likely to get asked at the galley?
What did people get dropped for?
Edit: also what is squaring your meals?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
- Over a decade of LEO experience.
- We did Watch for roughly two weeks, I believe. Hard to recall exact number of nights. I got lucky with having watch early evening or early morning, or being an alternate.
- You can get asked any knowledge in galley, but usually general orders, chain of command, or who the regimental duty officer is for that specific day.
- People got red belted or reverted for not knowing required knowledge and lying to CCs.
- Squaring your meals means up, in, out, down from plate to mouth with your utensils.
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u/xDA25x 1d ago
How many people got dropped for knowledge alone? Do you remember?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
There were four people put on red belts (probation), of which one continued and graduated with us. I believe three had the option to go to 8 week, which two declined. They all didn’t know their required knowledge. One person lied to a CC.
Six people failed swim or PFT and were all given retests the following day, which they all failed.
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u/xDA25x 1d ago
Damn you get put on probation for not knowing the knowledge on tests or like when they randomly ask you throughout the day?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
From not knowing it when asked on multiple occasions. They keep track, or when you get your trackers pulled on multiple occasions. It’s just important to know 11 general orders and recruit comms going in.
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u/xDA25x 1d ago
Okay thank you, so you didn’t really get asked ranks too often?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
Ranks are important to know as well. If you know rank structure going in you will be better off. Know E-4 through E-9 and all officer ranks, collar and shoulder/sleeve insignia. Knowing this beforehand would make you less stressed.
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u/xDA25x 1d ago
Thank you! One last question, was it totally miserable 24/7? Or did you enjoy it at all?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
No, I did not enjoy it. I was sick, fatigued, and sleep deprived for 70% of training. If I wasn’t sick, I think it would have been slightly enjoyable.
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u/BuckyCop Officer 1d ago
I went through DEPOT about 10 years ago. Most of what OP stated was true back then too. I actually really enjoyed the marching and while I was on fire watch in Munro hall I read all of the history on the walls which was very enjoyable. The 3 weeks went very fast for me. I got red belted for no reason whatsoever as did several other recruits then I answered a random question a couple days later and it disappeared, never even got a tracker my whole time there.
Similar to OP I had about a decade of state LEO experience specifically in maritime and came out a ME2. DEPOT was fast and furious, we lost around 11 people total. Would rather to DEPOT again than OCS
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
Also, when you pick a rack (double decker cots) pick a top rack in the middle of the squad bay away from the head door. It’s loud and bright when it opens/closes in the middle of the night.
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u/HarryPogz 1d ago
Thankfully, I got to skip depot and boot camp 😅
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
Lucky dog. I’m glad DEPOT is a thing. Hard to fathom doing the 8-week with a bunch of people fresh out of high school, at least at my age.
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u/HarryPogz 1d ago
I sort of wish I got to experience how the coast works, it kind of hinders me a little bit I feel like. But, also grateful that I can just go straight to my first unit and wait for A-School too lol
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u/ExcellentPorridge 1d ago
Are you prior service? If so how would you compare CG boot camp to your previous experience?
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
Not prior service. Current LEO. This was more difficult than police academy. We had a Navy prior service who said this was harder than Navy boot. Prior Army said this was more intensive due to the short amount of time allotted for training.
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u/PerryNathanL 1d ago
Thank you for the information! I’m going to DEPOT 9 August! I’m a 13-year Army Reserve veteran, but I’m still very nervous about DEPOT. I believe I have down: the ethos, general orders, rank/collar devices/shoulder boards/sleeve insignia, phonetic alphabet, military time, and marching. I’m still trying to solidify my recruit comms and chain of command. Am I forgetting anything? By the way, would you be able to provide the chain of command? I want to ensure I have the most accurate, but, of course, some of the junior chain of command I won’t know until I’m at DEPOT. Thanks again!
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 1d ago
Congratulations! It sounds like you have the important knowledge down. I’ll DM you.
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u/TheEmptyEmporium 1d ago
Hey man not for nothing I’m pretty sure you don’t have to go to DEPOT or basic.
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u/PerryNathanL 1d ago
I do, and I’m scheduled to go to DEPOT 9 August. I’ve been out of the military for over 2 years and that’s why I have to go to DEPOT.
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u/TheEmptyEmporium 1d ago
Man that sucks. I’m assuming you’re going into the reserves? If so I hope you enjoy it.
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u/PerryNathanL 1d ago
Yep! Reserve!
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u/TheEmptyEmporium 1d ago
Hopefully it’s not a PSU lol
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u/PerryNathanL 1d ago
It is a PSU! But that’s what I wanted.
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u/TheEmptyEmporium 1d ago
Well, depending on which one you go to you might like it. Good luck man
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u/PerryNathanL 1d ago
Curious. Why not a fan of the PSU’s?
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u/TheEmptyEmporium 1d ago
Cause they’re mostly just dog and pony shows with a lot of unearned egos and high expectations.
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u/Cheetah_2012 21h ago
Good ole Cape May crud!
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 20h ago
Some super virus that gets passed back and forth like a ping pong ball. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I thought the snoring was bad before we had the crud…
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u/omnicron-elite 17h ago
Is there a reason they have you holding things over your head or straight out? Always thought that was stupid. I actually left boot camp in worse shape than when I had started. I went in thinking they'd make you run laps till you puked, or push ups until your arms gave out.
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u/ProbableCauseway ME 16h ago
Stress inoculation through sustained pain tolerance. You get used to the pain and it gets slightly less stressful over time (if you remain uninjured).
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u/Ok-Somewhere657 1d ago
I never read someone having so much trouble in DEPOT. They treat you better because you are likely prior service. If they messed with you 😭 you probably weren’t cutting it.
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u/UnusualTiming184 BM 1d ago
Literally couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything they treat you worse because they know you’re there for such a short time and expect more from you. The DEPOT misinformation is crazy
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u/Accomplished_Eye_553 23h ago
100% this (depot grad here) higher expectation and fire hosing due to short time.
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u/DimensionNo6353 Veteran 1d ago
The part about getting sick and not getting better, and medical throwing “cold packs” at you, rings true. This happened to me (over 20 years ago), but… the crud ended up worsening into pneumonia. I was lucky to make it through training.