Ears to Hear

Reflections on the time around October 14, 1975

Dear USCGA Class of 2030,

My name is Robert Weil. Along with my classmates from CGA ’80, I welcome you to the Link in the Chain program. As part of that, I’d like to share my story with you. My hope is that it makes the path easier for you as well as being a fun read.

I have a stepdaughter who will graduate from high school in 2026, like many of you, which makes it easier for me to imagine what you may be like. She doesn’t have much time and has absolutely no interest in things that are boring, so I’ll do my best to keep it light. I aspire to be a writer in the future. Thanks for the chance to practice.

Are you deep in the Common App right now? We are. Essays, grades, test scores, letters of recommendation…so much fun. The good thing is that we’re all in it together. The college list and the choice of majors have been moving targets for us over the past few months, but it’s finally getting squared away, and that feels good. If you’re reading this, USCGA must have come out on top of your list. Good choice.

I was just back at the Academy for our 45th reunion. For reasons I’ll share with you as I tell my story, I was my first reunion, but it won’t be the last. Getting back there after all this time, I left with a deep gratitude for the positive ways the CGA experience shaped my life. It was hard, but it was worth it. Part of my motivation for this writing project is to count the ways I’ve been blessed it all.

I plan to relive my Academy experience in parallel with your journey. Right now, I’m remembering the selection process. During your swab summer, I’ll reflect on my swab summer. By the time you graduate, I will have sorted through it all. Unless I get Alzheimer’s first! JK. I’m pretty healthy, and I work at staying that way.

If you can add a comment or a question to my blog, that would be great. But I know how busy you are, so don’t sweat it. Just take what you can from the blog when you get time. It’ll be there for you. Maybe it will still be floating around in cyberspace for the Class of 2080!

Kind regards and Semper Paratus,

Robert Weil, CAPT, USCGR (ret)