Just sharing in case anyone is interested.  The current requirements are here https://www.gocoastguard.com/get-started/eligibility-requirements

Pretty sweet deal for prior service guys if you got out but now wanted to get your 20 years in.  If there are any recruiters here, chime in if I am misreading the requirements.

Age: 17–41
Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Dependents: Single: Any primary custody dependents require a waiver and dependent care plan.
                  Married: No more than three dependents, including spouse.
Education: A high school diploma or equivalent.
Military Service:  No more than 14 years of non-Coast Guard cumulative military service. Members currently in another military service (or Reserve) must have an approved DD368 (conditional release).

Interesting shift for the Coast Guard. As I recall, they were never interested in prior service unless you had something really special going on. They were by far the most selective.

In the 80’s, USCG was on a hiring rampage amongst Army Aviation WOs…multi-engine instrument rated…didn’t matter if you were RW/FW. Selected, promoted to Ensign, charm school…2 years to obtain a Bachelor’s degree…and nice RW and FW assignments.  Big Army didn’t care at the time, probably still don’t!

Wow... Times have changed for the USCG.  I'm a retired YN1 (Yeoman First Class E-6).  Man, back in the late 70's, the USCG would let anyone join!  Hell, they let a longhaired pothead (me) enlist back then!  Cape May, NJ (the site of bootcamp) changed my life!  They beat my a$$ every step of the way, and transformed me into being the best I can be, doing whatever it takes to get the job done, and always ALWAYS be ready!

Did they do away with the height requirement?

LOL... The oldest USCG joke:

Why does the Coast Guard have a 6 ft height requirement?
Because if the boat sinks, they can just walk to shore!

When I was coming to the end of my second enlistment and had eight years in, I was at a crossroads as to whether or not I wanted to continue on in the Air Force doing the shit I was doing.  Either I was going to get out under 10 and go on with life or jump to another branch. I got a hold of. USCG recruiter and he said at the time they didn’t have a rate that matched mine so I’d have to revert to E-3 and they would “try” to find me a billet.  Yeah, no.  There was no chance in hell I was going to be a non-rate and wait for a job seeing as how slow things can move in the Coasties.  

So I thanked the recruiter for his time and left active duty because back to back deployments and remote tours that I’d been doing up to that point weren’t hitting it for me.  I got out and went into the Nasty Guard and a year later land an fulltime gig with them.  I ran into Coastie recuiter and told him about my last interaction with their recruiter and he says, “Well you’re in luck we have an LE rate now, you wanna join up?”

Just my luck.  I this day and age I would tell anyone to go in the Coast Guard before any other branch.  Perhaps this new option they’re providing to allow vets a way back in isn’t such a bad thing.

For some reason I remember that the CG peeps had to do some kind of weight lifting minimum after the duck walk while at MEPS, or was that the AF? Can’t remember now.

They used to clean house in recruiting when I was a recruiting commander. We knew the CG had come through because of the market share drop when I pulled reports.

If this was in place a few years ago I would have probably tried to finish my 20 and retire...

Back in late 80’s/early 90’s the AF wouldn’t take any prior service, either. I tried. Even with a 98 QT on my ASVAB they didn’t want me.