Serving in the Coast Guard as an Electrician’s Mate is a challenging and rewarding job. The EM rating in the Coast Guard is responsible for many different things, including installation of electronic equipment, repair, maintenance, and installation of various other electrical systems. These systems can be both on board ship, or shore side. Types of equipment maintained by an EM include:
-Cutter and ship propulsion Controls.
-Integral and Fractional horsepower motors and generators.
-Power and Electric Generation.
-Gyrocompass, Navigation systems, and electronic communication and electronic navigation systems.
Duty Types:
There are many different types of duty that Em’s are assigned to. For the active duty enlisted Electricians Mate, forty two percent are assigned duty afloat on board ship. Every Coast Guard cutter that is longer than 110 feet have EM ratings personnel working aboard, as do many smaller cutters. Cutters are stationed wherever they are needed, around the continental united states, and around the world. Duty stations worldwide include Puerto Rico, Guam and Alaska. The Electrician Mate serves as the Engineering Petty Officer aboard many vessels and as such they are the person that is responsible for all engineering tasks and systems aboard. They are also responsible for overseeing the engineering department aboard ship.
Electricians Mate Rating personnel can have additional assignments aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, including Engineering Support Command, Integrated Support, and Logistics and Maintenance Commands. On shore, Electricians Mate personnel are assigned both inside and outside of their rating at LORAN stations, Marine Safety Offices, Aids to Navigation Teams, Air Stations, Groups, and regular Coast Guard Stations.
Training:
Becoming an Electricians Mate is a challenge. They are responsible for knowing a lot of electrical theory, both practical and realistic, and having skills to manage, calibrate, repair and install all kinds of electronic and electrical equipment. Electrician Mate Class A training school is located at Yorktown, VA. Subjects covered in Class A school include test equipment, physics, Mathematics, practical theory, physics, and other electrical theory.
Qualifications:
If you are interested in becoming an Electricians mate in the Coast Guard, you should have normal vision and hearing, and physical dexterity. You should be familiar with and able to use tools, and possess aptitude for painstaking and detailed type work. You should have the ability to picture in your mind various systems and electrical applications. Having practical former experience in the electronics or electrical field is helpful, but not required. You can receive all the training necessary after enlisting if you choose this rewarding rating.
