Direct Commission Officer Programs

If you have specialized skills or experience, you may be able to join the Coast Guard as an officer without attending Officer Candidate School or the Coast Guard Academy through our Direct Commission Officer programs. Depending on factors like experience, you may even be able to start your officer career at an advanced rank.

Aviation

Direct Commission Aviator (DCA)

If you have qualifying experience as a pilot in another military branch, the Direct Commission Aviation (DCA) program is your opportunity to fly in the Coast Guard.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DCA will be primarily in the aviation specialty.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Five years on active duty.

Cyber

Direct Commission Cyber Officer (DCCO)

Are you a cyber professional or military member with cyber experience? Then the Direct Commission Cyber Officer (DCCO) program is for you.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DCCO will primarily be in engineering, in the subspecialty matching your experience.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Engineering

Direct Commission Engineering (DCE)

Take advantage of your degree or professional experience in engineering with the Direct Commission Engineering (DCE) program.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DCE will primarily be in engineering, in the subspecialty matching your experience.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Environmental Management

Direct Commission Environmental Management (DCEM)

Bring your degree in Environmental Management or a related field to bear on the many environmental protection missions of the Coast Guard like ship safety, disaster response, and administration of national and international laws controlling pollution.

• Career path: Officers commissioned through DCEM should expect assignments in either the prevention or response subspecialties related to Environmental Management.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Intelligence

Direct Commission Intelligence Officer (DCIO)

Apply your skills as an experienced intelligence professional in the Direct Commission Intelligence Officer (DCIO) program. You’ll have the opportunity to work in an exciting environment that fuses intelligence with tactical law enforcement operations.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DCIO will primarily be in intelligence.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Four years of active duty.

Law

Direct Commission Lawyer (DCL) and DCL-Selected Reserve (DCL-SELRES)

As a law student in your final year or a licensed attorney, you may be eligible to serve as a judge advocate in the Coast Guard. The Direct Commission Lawyer (DCL) program hires for full-time, active-duty opportunities, while the Direct Commission Lawyer Selected Reserve (DCL-SELRES) program hires for part-time, reserve opportunities.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DCL or DCL-SELRES will primarily be in law, with opportunities for secondary specialties.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3) for DCL and lieutenant junior grade (O-2) for DCL-SELRES.
• Commitment: Licensed attorneys get four-year contracts; law students get two-year contracts, extending to four upon gaining admission to the bar.

Reserve

Selected Reserve Direct Commission (SRDC)

Want to serve but can only serve part-time? The Selected Reserve Direct Commission (SRDC) program gives you that opportunity.

• Career path: If your experience doesn’t align with one of the other officer specialties, you can get assignments in the response, prevention, or reserve component manager specialties.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Four years of reserve duty.

Maritime Academy

Direct Commission Maritime Graduate (MARGRAD)

Are you a graduate of one of the country’s six state-sponsored maritime academies or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy? Continue your career in our Direct Commission Maritime Graduate (MARGRAD) program.

• Career path: Many MARGRAD officers are offered assignments in the prevention specialty, you may have opportunities to begin a career in any Coast Guard specialty.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant junior grade (O-2).
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Merchant Mariner

Licensed Officer of the Merchant Marine (LOMM)

With sufficiently advanced Merchant Mariner Credentials, there's a direct pathway to apply for a Coast Guard commission.

• Career path: Joining through the LOMM program leads to initial assignments in the afloat specialty.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3) with sufficient experience and credentials.
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Medicine

Direct Commission Health Services Officer (DCHSO)

If you're a trained and certified physician, dentist, nurse, or behavioral health provider, the Direct Commission Health Services Officer program can allow you to practice medicine in support of Coast Guard members and missions.

• Career path: Expect assignments in medicine outpatient primary care or operational medicine.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank commander (O-5)
• Commitment: Four years of active duty.

Medicine

Direct Commission Physician Assistant (DCPA) and DCPA-Selected Reserve (DCPA-SELRES)

Licensed physician assistants can serve full-time or part-time (reserve) in the Direct Commission Physician Assistant (DCPA) and DCPA-Selected Reserve (DCPA-SELRES) programs.

• Career path: Your assignments joining through DPA or DCPA-SELRES will be as a Physician Assistant.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant (O-3).
• Commitment: Three years of active duty for DCPA; four years of reserve duty for DCPA-SELRES.

Military Trained

Direct Commission Selected School (DCSS) or Prior Trained Military Officer (PTMO)

Have you had military training in college, such as ROTC or a military college, or prior experience as a military officer? You can bring your leadership skills to the Coast Guard through our Direct Commission Selected School (DCSS) or Prior Trained Military Officer (PTMO) programs.

• Career path: Joining through the DCSS or PTMO programs allow you to begin a career in any Coast Guard specialty.
• Starting rank: Up to the rank of lieutenant junior grade (O-2) for PTMO and ensign (O-1) for DCSS.
• Commitment: Three years of active duty.

Orientation Training

• Active-duty DCO program participants attend a five-week course to prepare them with a foundation of basic administrative and leadership skills on which to build a career as a Coast Guard officer.
• If you are selected through one of the reserve programs (SRDC, DCPA-SELRES, DCL-SELRES), you’ll attend a similar five-week Reserve Officer Candidate Indoctrination (ROCI).

Both courses are held at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

Launch your career. Earn great benefits.

The Coast Guard offers you the chance to learn, lead, and launch a great career. You’ll get specialized training in fields like law enforcement, environmental science, engineering, healthcare, and more—plus benefits like tuition assistance, 30 days of paid vacation annually, and medical, dental, and vision care.