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.

Above the cut for E-7 from the 2025 SWE will be direct slated in FY27. Course is required to advance to E-7 and E-8 in 2026.

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 or USCG TRACEN Birmingham-Southern, AL

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

To Attend

Priority:

• E-7 above the cut for E-8
• A2P to E-8 that does not have CPO Academy. (Please reach out, we are not always notified)
• E-6 above the cut for E-7 (Frocking is included in orders)
• A2P E-6 to E-7 (Frocking is included in orders. Please reach out, we are not always notified)
• E-7 returning from PATFORSWA, Advanced Education, or Maternity Leave who missed the direct slate opportunity. (Please indicate this in the ETR notes)
• All other E-7 

Electronic Training Request

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

Orders Cancellation and Advancement Waivers

• Member is assigned orders to CPO Academy and needs to cancel/adjust those orders.
  • Member/Command must email the first gold badge CMC. They will confer with 1st flag and if they concur with the members/commands reasoning, send an email to ETQC/Program to cancel the orders.
  • Member then reaches out to the CPO Academy 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).
  • 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 1st or 15th of the month following graduation from CPO Academy or equivalent DoD course.
  • 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 CPO Academy or a DoW school will not be assigned another convening by program and will need to compete via the ETR system. This could cause removal from the advancement list or lost orders via A2P. 

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

Coast Guard personnel contact: CG Liaison/Instructor (TBD)

Go to the ETQC website here>>

Frequently asked questions about the Enlisted Leadership Continuum can be found here>>