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).
To graduate CG Basic Training, you'll be required to perform 29 push-ups in 60 seconds (male) or 23 push-ups in 60 seconds, if you're female. This test will be conducted during the 4th week of training.
Basic will be a whole lot easier if you can do this before you get there.
However, I suspect (although I don't know this for a fact) that every "Coastie" has to graduate the initial chemical warfare course at their first permanent duty assignment, which would include the "gas chamber."
You may or may not be required to do pull-ups during basic. It's up to your Company Commander. However, pull-ups are not part of the final physical fitness evaluation (only push-ups, sit-ups, and a 1.5 mile run).
However, during training, any Company Commander can pretty much have you do any exercises he/she desires, including "pull-ups."
A new class starts basic training pretty much every week. But, like hotel rooms, they book up in advance. There are only so-many slots available each week. So, yes, you can pick when you go to boot camp, as long as there is a slot open at that time.
QUESTION: i think this might be my last question..............can i go to boot camp during the summer between my junior and senior year? I will already be 17 and my parents are ok with it.
Answer For active duty?
Nope (in any of the services).
Some of the Reserve branches (Reserve or National Guard), allow this -- ie, going to basic while still in high school), but I don't think the Coast Guard Reserves do (I can't find anything that says the Coast Guard Reserves offer such a "split option").
