Today I had the pleasure of speaking with MCPOCG (Ret.) Vincent Patton III. Master Chief Patton became the first African American selected as the Coast Guard's senior-most enlisted member as the Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard in 1998.

Meet Katie. She is an endurance athlete, charitable ambassador, author, world-record holder, and an officer in the United States Coast Guard. The list of accomplishments to her name is long, and includes five Ironman triathlons, cycling across the country, a 325-mile river swim, running 100 miles nonstop in under 20 hours, and a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean.

A conversation with LT. Abigail Caldwell discussing the Coast Guard's Direct Commission Lawyer Program along with her own experience entering through the DCL program.

Today I interviewed LCDR Brian Siemiatkowski and LT Michael Figliotti both of whom are graduates of the Coast Guard's Direct Commission Engineer Program. We spoke about their decision to pursue the Coast Guard, their desire to apply to the DCE program, career progression, opportunities, and much more. I hope you enjoy this conversation and that it may help someone considering this path make an informed decision.