Coast Guard reservists undergo the same training as full-time members and must be physically fit with some positions requiring higher education. Age limits and citizenship requirements vary by country, and criminal and drug tests are conducted. Reservists receive on-the-job training and may work in specialized roles, such as pilots or language interpreters. College degrees can lead to officer positions, but prior experience is necessary for supervisory roles.
Coast guards patrol coastal waters and prevent criminals or trespassers from entering sovereign territory. In addition, coast guards and reservists also act as first responders and help individuals and groups of people who get involved in accidents while at sea. Someone who wants to become a Coast Guard reservist must undergo the same basic training as a full-time member of the Coast Guard. Persons employed in these roles need to be in good physical shape, and candidates for some positions must have completed higher education.
Many national governments impose minimum and maximum age limits on Coast Guard reservists. Also, many nations only allow citizens to apply to work as coastguards, which means that a non-national who wants to become a coastguard reservist may first need to become a national. Like many employers, Coast Guard recruiting offices conduct criminal checks and drug tests; people who fail these tests are usually not eligible for the job.
Someone who wants to become a coast guard reservist will typically need to enroll in a basic training course which usually takes the form of a boot camp. Candidates are required to participate in a series of physical exercises involving assault courses and people who complete these challenges in the fastest times are able to advance in the training process. Thereafter, applicants are often required to pass aptitude exams as well as reading and writing tests. People who successfully complete basic training are given permanent reserve jobs and are required to attend regularly scheduled training sessions, during which they are taught how to use equipment and respond to emergencies.
In many cases, Coast Guard reservists are recruits who are given unskilled jobs on boats or ashore. Some reservists work as helicopter pilots or in other types of specialized roles. Although Coast Guard units provide on-the-job training for these individuals, most units require pilots to obtain flying licenses before joining the Coast Guard. In some cases, Coast Guard reservists who fly aircraft or sail boats are individuals who were previously employed by the armed forces, during which time they learned to control these types of vessels.
An individual who wants to become a coast guard reservist may benefit from enrolling in college language courses because coast guards often have to intercept vessels manned by foreign individuals; consequently, some coast guard units actively recruit applicants with second language skills. Also, people with college degrees often register as officers rather than entry-level coast guards. However, an officer supervising a boat or aircraft crew must have had some prior experience handling such a vessel.
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