HOW TO PREPARE

FOR

COAST GUARD

BASIC TRAINING

Mental Preparation Module

Mental Preparation

Module

So you want to know how to prepare for

Coast Guard Basic Training from a mental standpoint?

Well you’ve come to the right place. Make no mistake, to be fully ready for Coast Guard Boot Camp, you need to master both the mental and physical aspects of preparation. I cover physical preparation here, but on this page and the subsequent lessons introduced here, you will dive into the preliminary knowledge you’ll need to show up ready on day ZERO ONE.

When you arrive at the Cape May Training Center, your brain will be on absolute overload. Apart from the intentional chaos and screaming you’l endure, you will also have to learn a lot of information. As I write elsewhere on this website – the more you learn now, the easier it will be for you when you get there.

Some of the things you should be familiar with

before you go to Coast Guard Boot Camp.

I’m not going to go over every single thing here because frankly there isn’t enough room for it all on a page, but some of the information you should be acquainted with prior to arrival include the following:


  • Required knowledge items (11 General Orders, Rates and Ranks, Chain of Command)


  • The proper way to speak and respond correctly (including all Cape May / Nautical Slang)


  • How to say numbers properly


  • What maintaining your military bearing entails


  • Rack inspections and how to pass them

  • Basic marching commands

  • Standing watch duty and what it’s like + your responsibilities during a shift


  • What goes on in the galley (cafeteria)


  • Sleep deprivation and how to minimize and cope with it


  • Attention to detail and what it really means in USCG Basic Training

There is more than this of course but I would say that this is a solid foundation to show up prepared.

To give you an idea of where you stand with your current preparation, I’ve created a Knowledge Check Quiz. Scroll down this page to take it so you can see how prepared you are for Coast Guard Basic Training. After you submit it, you will immediately receive your result as well as the correct answers.

If you’re not confident enough to take the quiz yet, you can also use the menu below to read through the various mental preparation lessons I’ve put together to help you prepare for Coast Guard Basic Training.

Good luck and let me know if you need any further help.

“There is no better tool or equipment you can have on board than a well-trained crew.”

— Larry Pardey

USCG BOOT CAMP TIP

This is a photo of me and my bunkmate. He was prior service in the Navy and it gave the two of us a big early advantage. He already knew how to make his bed properly and had a general sense of the rules and regulations of a squad bay. He wasted no time in showing me how to do everything in proper military fashion.


This meant that we were always one of the first beds that were finished and “inspection-ready”.

I learned early on that you can get things done a lot faster if you do them with your bunkmate. So the tip here is – become besties with your bunkmate as soon as you get there and do your squad bay responsibilities as a unit whenever possible.

Martin with Shipmate in Coast Guard Basic Training
Coast Guard Basic Training Mental Preparation Image

Are You Ready For Coast Guard Boot Camp?

Are You Ready For

Coast Guard Boot Camp?

Test Your Knowledge By Taking The Quiz Below

So You Want To Know

How To Prepare For

Coast Guard Basic Training

From A Mental Standpoint?

So You Want To Know

How To Prepare For

Coast Guard

Basic Training

From A

Mental Standpoint?

Well you’ve come to the right place. Make no mistake, to be fully ready for Coast Guard Boot Camp, you need to master both the mental and physical aspects of preparation. I cover physical preparation here, but on this page and the subsequent lessons introduced here, you will dive into the preliminary knowledge you’ll need to show up ready on day ZERO ONE.


When you arrive at the Cape May Training Center, your brain will be on absolute overload. Apart from the intentional chaos and screaming you’l endure, you will also have to learn a lot of information. As I write elsewhere on this website – the more you learn now, the easier it will be for you when you get there.

Some Of The Things You Should

Be Familiar With Before You

Go To

Coast Guard Boot Camp

Some Of The Things

You Should

Be Familiar With

Before You

Go To

Coast Guard Boot Camp

I’m not going to go over every single thing here because frankly there isn’t enough room for it all on a page, but some of the information you should be acquainted with prior to arrival include the following:


  • Required knowledge items (11 General Orders, Rates and Ranks, Chain of Command)


  • How to speak and respond correctly (including all Cape May / Nautical Slang)


  • How to say numbers properly


  • What maintaining your military bearing entails


  • What goes on during a rack inspection and how to pass them

  • Basic marching commands

  • What standing watch duty is like and your responsibilities during a shift


  • What goes on in the galley (cafeteria)


  • How to minimize and cope with extreme sleep deprivation


  • What ‘attention to detail’ means in USCG Basic Training

There is more than this of course but I would say that this is a solid foundation to show up prepared.

To give you an idea of where you stand with your current preparation, I’ve created a Knowledge Check Quiz. Scroll down this page to take it so you can see how prepared you are for Coast Guard Basic Training. After you submit it, you will immediately receive your result as well as the correct answers.

If you’re not confident enough to take the quiz yet, you can also use the menu below to read through the various mental preparation lessons I’ve put together to help you prepare for Coast Guard Basic Training.

Good luck and let me know if you need any further help.

Martin with Shipmate in Coast Guard Basic Training

USCG BOOT CAMP TIP

USCG

BOOT CAMP TIP

This is a photo of me and my bunkmate. He was prior service in the Navy and it gave the two of us a big early advantage. He already knew how to make his bed properly and had a general sense of the rules and regulations of a squad bay. He wasted no time in showing me how to do everything in proper military fashion.


This meant that we were always one of the first beds that were finished and “inspection-ready”.


I learned early on that you can get things done a lot faster if you do them with your bunkmate. So the tip here is – become besties with your bunkmate as soon as you get there and do your squad bay responsibilities as a unit whenever possible.

“There is no better tool or equipment you can

have on board than a well-trained crew.”

— Larry Pardey

“There is no better tool or equipment you can have on board than a well-trained crew.”

— Larry Pardey

Coast Guard Basic Training Mental Preparation Image

Are You Ready For Coast Guard Boot Camp?

Are You Ready For

Coast Guard Boot Camp?

Test Your Knowledge By Taking The Quiz Below

QUIZ START
Learn More

Show Up With The Knowledge

Of A Week 08 Recruit

Show Up

With The Knowledge

Of A Week 08 Recruit

Survive Coast Guard Boot Camp (C) 2013 – 2023

Survive Coast Guard Boot Camp (C) 2013 – 2022