About the Course

The CPOACAD is an innovative curriculum designed to take newly advanced Chief Petty Officers (E-7) in the U.S. Coast Guard and transition them from technical experts to organizational leaders. This course is required for all E-7's.

E-6 above the cut for E-7 from the 2024 SWE have the advancement requirement to attend waived due to SWE delay last year.

Above the cut for E-7 from the 2025 SWE will be direct slated in FY26. Course is required to advance to E-7 and E-8 in 2025.

E-7 above the cut for E-8 who do not have CPOACAD must reach out to the program manager to be direct slated.

Candidates from the Air Force and Space Force must compete from within their own service for attendance. If members who are selected have questions, please reach out to the program manager listed below.

Location: USCG TRACEN Petaluma, CA

Length: 4 weeks resident

Training Objectives

The Commandant and MCPOCG have both identified the transition from E-6 to E-7 as the most critical in the Coast Guard enlisted career.  The CPO Academy experience has been carefully designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and attitude to make the transition as smoothly and effectively as possible.  Our graduates are ready to become the Coast Guard's Chief Petty Officer Corps: the backbone of the enlisted workforce.

Students complete work as individuals and groups, in classrooms and in the field.  Each class has about 72 students divided into 8 teams.

Major themes include:

• Professionalism
• Self-Awareness
• Leadership
• Communications
• Strategic Thinking
• Educations and Lifelong Learning
• Health and Wellness
• Community Service

Leadership Development Requirements for Enlisted Advancement FAQs

To Attend

Priority:

• E-7 above the cut for E-8
• E-6 above the cut for E-7 (Frocking is included in orders)
• A2P E-6 to E-7 (Frocking is included in orders, reach out to program manager directly)
• E-7 returning from PATFORSWA or Maternity Leave who missed the direct slate opportunity
• All other E-7

Those above the cut for E-7 or E-8 will be Direct Slated in FY26.

Late September/Early October is the best time of year to put in an ETR, regardless of when you want to attend.

E-7 Members should put in an ETR to compete for a seat. If you are returning from PATFORSWA or maternity leave and missed your direct slate due to this, please reach out to the program manager.

Orders Cancellation and Advancement Waivers

• Process for E-7 and E-8 criteria waiver:

• Member is assigned orders to CPOACAD and needs to cancel those orders.
  1. If the reasoning is medical/administrative (Broken limb, does not meet weight requirements, etc) reach out to ETQC course scheduler.
  2. If the reason is at direction of the unit due to operations or requested by member due to hardship, email the first gold badge CMC. They will confer with 1^st flag and if they concur with the members/commands reasoning, send an email to ETQC to cancel the orders.
• Member then reaches out to the CPOACAD program manager to be assigned another convening to attend.

• Member can request a waiver of the advancement policy to PPC (ADV) thru their first flag and FC-L (memo example below).
  1. If the member’s name comes up on an EPAA and they do not have a waiver and have not graduated, advancement will be withheld until the 1^st or 15^th of the month following graduation from CPOACAD or equivalent DoD course.
  2. Advancement requirement waivers for E-8 are much less likely to get a positive endorsement. Member will need to justify the entire period from above the cut to E-7 until advancement to E-8.

• Members who are fault disenrolled while attending CPOACAD or a DoD school will not be assigned another convening by program and will need to compete via the ETR system.

Waiver Memo Template

CPOA SELC Waiver Request Template can be found here>>

Convening Dates

      *R indicates Reservist convenings

Program Manager

MCPO Joe Hoff, Joseph.R.Hoff@uscg.mil

More Information

For additional information (including conveying dates, prerequisites, location, and application procedures) please visit the appropriate ETQC webpage.

More information can also be found by visiting the Leadership Development Center's website here >>