Third-class summer marks the introduction of the cadets to the operational Coast Guard. Cadets spend 10 weeks in the role of a junior enlisted member aboard one of the Coast Guard's many cutters, inlcuding buoy tenders, icebreakers and the new National Security Cutter.

These assignments help cadets understand what shipboard life is like from the perspective of the crew members they will lead when they become officers.

Cadets are put on the front lines of the operational Coast Guard and see firsthand how the concepts of leadership are applied in day-to-day service.