ALCOAST 403/08
COMDTNOTE 1531
SUBJ: COAST GUARD ACADEMY (CGA) SCHOLARSHIP
A. ADMINISTERING THE COAST GUARD RECRUITING INITIATIVE FOR THE
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY (CGRIT) TO THE U. S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY,
COMDTINST 5354.6 (SERIES)
B. CG ACADEMY PREPARATORY PROGRAM, COMDTINST 1531.2 (SERIES)
1. THIS ALCOAST IS A SERVICE-WIDE ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTEREST TO
ENLISTED MEMBERS AND COLLEGE BOUND DEPENDENTS, CONCERNING CHANGES
IN ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
2. A NEW PROGRAM, ENTITLED THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY (CGA)
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, HAS REPLACED THE COAST GUARD RECRUITING
INITIATIVE FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY (CGRIT) AND THE NAVAL
ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL (NAPS) PROGRAMS. REFERENCES A AND B,
WHICH RESPECTIVELY DESCRIBE THESE PROGRAMS, WILL BE CANCELLED
SHORTLY AND REPLACED WITH NEW GUIDANCE CONCERNING THE CGA
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. THIS TRANSITION IS BASED ON A SUCCESSFUL SIX
YEAR PILOT.
3. THE CGA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IS AN ORIENTATION AND PREPARATORY
PROGRAM. IT IS TARGETED TO CANDIDATES WHO SEEK TO BECOME CADETS AND
OFFICERS, BUT NEED ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO
SUCCEED AT THE ACADEMY. THE CGA SCHOLARSHIP ALSO ASSISTS IN
BROADENING ACCESS TO AND DIVERSIFYING THE ACADEMY CORPS OF CADETS.
ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM IS SELECTIVE. CGA SCHOLARS ARE CHOSEN FROM
THE ACADEMY APPLICANT POOL BASED ON THEIR PREPARATION, LEADERSHIP
POTENTIAL, MOTIVATION, CAPACITY TO CONTRIBUTE, AND THE NEEDS OF THE
SERVICE. APPROXIMATELY 50-60 STUDENTS MAY BE ADMITTED TO THE CGA
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM EACH YEAR. ABOUT 85 PERCENT OF SCHOLARSHIP
RECIPIENTS SUBSEQUENTLY EARN APPOINTMENTS AND ENROLL AT THE ACADEMY
AS FOURTH-CLASS CADETS AFTER COMPLETING THE TEN MONTH COURSE OF
ACADEMIC, PHYSICAL, AND MILITARY INSTRUCTION AT EITHER NEW MEXICO
MILITARY INSTITUTE IN ROSWELL, NM, OR MARION MILITARY INSTITUTE IN
MARION, AL. SCHOLARS ARE ENLISTED AT THE RANK OF E-2 (OR CURRENT
ENLISTED PAY-GRADE IF HIGHER), EARN COLLEGE CREDIT, AND IMPROVE
THEIR READINESS TO COMPETE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE ACADEMY. THE
COAST GUARD PAYS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL AND TUITION. STUDENTS PAY
THEIR OWN ROOM AND BOARD USING ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS, WHICH ARE
ADEQUATE TO COVER THE COSTS.
4. ENLISTED PERSONNEL AND COLLEGE BOUND DEPENDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED
TO APPLY FOR THE CGA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. THE APPLICATION PROCESS
BEGINS BY APPLYING TO THE ACADEMY FOR ADMISSION PRIOR TO 1 FEBRUARY
2009. THE CG ACADEMY WEBSITE, WWW.USCGA.EDU, HAS DETAILED
ADMISSIONS ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION INFORMATION. ALL ACADEMY
APPLICANTS WILL BE SCREENED FOR THE CGA SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND
NEED TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED. IN A MAJOR CHANGE
FROM PAST POLICY, ENLISTED PERSONNEL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CGA
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND WILL BE CONSIDERED WITH OTHER APPLICANTS
FOR THIS OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY.
5. SERVICE PERSONNEL ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING
THIS PROGRAM WITH FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND CO-WORKERS IN ORDER TO
ENSURE THAT ALL ELIGIBLE YOUNG AMERICANS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH
SERVICE AFFILIATIONS AND THOSE WHO MAY QUESTION THEIR LEVEL OF
PREPARATION FOR THE ACADEMY ARE AWARE OF THE OUTSTANDING
OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED BY THE CGA SCHOLARSHIP.
6. POC IS LT MEGHAN BRUNAUGH, (860)701-6322, E-MAIL:
MEGHAN.A.BRUNAUGH(AT)USCGA.EDU. SEE ALSO THE NEW MEXICO AND MARION
MILITARY ACADEMY WEB SITES (SERVICE ACADEMY PREP PROGRAMS) AT
WWW.NMMI.EDU AND WWW.MARIONMILITARY.EDU. THE CGA SCHOLARS PAGE ON
FACEBOOK IS HTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUP.PHP?GID(EQUALS SIGN)
14986475457.
7. RDML D. R. MAY, DIRECTOR, RESERVE AND TRAINING, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.