Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 8/26/2007

Question
so i have another question. you said that to make E-5 you have to have college
hrs, well im graduating high school with 38 credited college hrs because i will
have my A&P license 2 months after i graduate, i have been going to school to
work on planes, so i will already have my training in a sense. so how many hrs of
college credit (or years) do you need to make E-5?

Answer
Dear Nathan  --

You usually need a college degree (bachelors or higher) to guarantee accelerated promotion to E-5.  You can always earn E-5 without a degree.  

When you enlist, if you have college hours with good grades, you increase your "recruit quality."  Higher quality recruits get more bonuses and benefits offered to them.  You could talk your way into an early E-5 promotion clause, if you are a high quality recruit, with college credits, and you take a military occupational specialty which the Coast guard needs to fill.

Opportunities vary from week to week as recruiters fill positions and new positions become critical needs.  Don't take the first thing you are offered, unless it completely fits your ambitions.  Negotiate.  Don't be concerned about leaving the first time, and coming back later.  But also work with them, they have a difficult job to do recruiting young people who have multiple opportunities, and who are likely being discouraged from enlisting by a lot of folks.

Thank you for considering the service.  Good luck to you in getting the best enlistment contract you can get.