Get Started
Careers
Why Join
About

If you have specialized skills or experience, you may be able to join the Coast Guard as an officer without attending Officer Candidate School or the Coast Guard Academy through our Direct Commission Officer programs. Depending on factors like experience, you may even be able to start your officer career at an advanced rank.

Orientation Training

  • Active-duty DCO program participants attend a five-week course to prepare them with a foundation of basic administrative and leadership skills on which to build a career as a Coast Guard officer. 
  • If you are selected through one of the reserve programs (SRDC, DCPA-SELRES, DCL-SELRES), you’ll attend a similar five-week Reserve Officer Candidate Indoctrination (ROCI). 

Both courses are held at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.