AboutRod Powers Expertise Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
Question I have been in for bout 9 years and I am a E-6, I t to know is it possible for me to convert from navy to coastguard and keep my rank?
Answer Hi Anthonie,
Okay, first of all, you can't "convert" from the Navy to the Coast Guard. You would first have to complete your Navy enlistment obligation, then get out of the Navy, and then apply to join the Coast Guard as a "prior service" applicant (see my prior service article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/priorservice.htm).
To boil it down, if you re-enlist in the Coast Guard in a rating that you qualify for, you can maintain your rate, if the Coast Guard has an open slot in their list for that rate. Otherwise, your rate will be determined by the Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management Division, Coast Guard Personnel Command (CGPC-epm). In other words, no guarantees.
If you enlist in the Coast Guard as a prior service in a new rating (job) that you're not qualified for, you enlist as an E-1.
For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Website at: http://usmilitary.about.com.
