Aboard USCGC Eagle, Cadets have the opportunity to apply navigation, ship handling, and engineering training they receive in classes at the Academy. Under-class Cadets fill positions normally taken by the enlisted crew of the ship, including helm watch at the huge brass and wood wheels used to steer the vessel. Upper-class cadets perform the leadership responsibilities normally handled by junior officers.

A permanent crew of six officers and 55 enlisted personnel maintain the ship year round. They provide a strong base of knowledge and seamanship for the training of up to 150 Cadets or officer candidates at a time.

To maneuver Eagle under sail, the crew must handle more than 22,000 square feet of sail and five miles of rigging. Over 200 lines control the sails and yards, and every crewmember, Cadet, and officer candidate must become intimately familiar with the name, operation, and function of each line.

On the decks and in the rigging of Eagle, young men and women get a taste of salt air and life at sea and they are tested and challenged, often to the limits of endurance. Working aloft, they meet fear and learn to overcome it. The experience builds character and helps future officers develop skills of leadership and teamwork that prove valuable assets throughout their careers.