Coast Guard outlines eligibility standards adjustments

The U.S. Coast Guard is detailing a series of eligibility standards adjustments that seek to enable greater flexibility regarding dependents and single parents, debt-to-income ratios, and maximum age.

Earlier this year, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan informed the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation the service branch expects to fall short of the recruits targeted for the year.

Under the new guidance, single parents can apply with an approved waiver by providing a notarized and documented dependent care plan to be approved before enlistment; applicants would be able to possess an 80 percent debt-to-income ratio, with personnel with unsecured debt higher than 50 percent of projected pay and allowances slated for enrollment in a Personnel Financial Management Program at their first unit; and the maximum enlistment age would be raised to age 42 while the maximum officer accession age for DCE, DCIO, DCL, DCPA, DCSS, LOMM, MARGRAD, PTMO, OCS-R, and OCS-T programs would be increased to age 41. Additionally, the maximum age for Direct Commission Aviators would increase to age 36, per the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard acknowledged while the modifications would not automatically guarantee someone who qualifies for a waiver can enlist, it would allow recruiters to bring them in for an interview.