I don’t know about SUNY’s programs with the Navy or CG, but Mass Maritime has their SIP program. It’s pretty much Navy reserves and they pay you during school to help. I’m not to sure of the details though, so your best bet is to shoot an email to someone at the school. I’m sure their website has a page on it.
As for the Transportation major, it is a good program. They are also adding new deck simulators in their brand new library. I wish I hadn’t graduated before it was complete! The campus is nice, quiet and out of the way, unlike Suny which is under a bridge, even if they have a fort.
Got to see both side of the simulator at Mass Maritime. Pretty neat. Got to pilot a tug on virtural side, and asked to controller to program a hurricane for the next group of vistors. He even threw in a waterspout for good measure.
I was on the USCG Eagle in New London, CT this week. Spoke at length to the tour guide. She loves the CG and will reenlist in another 2 months. She thinks I should go CG and let the gov’t pay for my education.
( they have a bunch of programs).
So…I still will apply to SUNY, Mass and Maine…talk to a CG recruiter and end up ???
(hopefully on the water)
SUNY Maritime left a voice mail that they never rec’d my $50 application fee, I sent another, now they say they have 2 application fee checks but lost my general SUNY application, please resubmit. (Is SUNY Maritime really THAT screwed up?)
Maine Maritime has not even acknowleged receipt of my application.
I enlisted in the USCG at age 17 for this very reason. It was a great experience, and I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. However upon looking back I wish I had found SUNY at the beginning of my career rather than at the end.
As for location, you simply cannot beat NY. Many outsiders simply do not know where to look for the gems we have to offer. We have beaches here, in fact right in the Bronx, but since the cadets are not really here in the Summer it’s a moot point.
I do admit SUNY is crowded right now. This is a product of Governor Paterson’s economics. However out of all those MUGs coming in, many will leave after the first semester for greener pastures, not to mention the ones that either can’t cut it academically or simply get “kicked out”.
There is an important advantage to doing enlisted USCG time. When you do make it to SUNY you can become a Day Student or Student in Special Status, which allows you to live off campus and not have to do most of the MUG stuff. As a veteran you will only have to do two weeks of Indoctrination (a joke) and then you can enjoy day student privileges.