Coast Guard E-Learning: promoting professional and personal transformation
By Coast Guard Sector San Diego Public Affairs 
Working eight hours a day, five days a week would be a luxury for most Coast Guard employees. For example, Sector San Diego's YN2 Stephanie Henderson attests to the long hours worked by Coast Guard personnel. "My day starts at 5:00 a.m., I'm at work by 6:45 a.m., and I don't get off sometimes until the following day," Henderson said.
The Coast Guard's workload is demanding, it requires its personnel to demonstrate the dedication shown by Henderson in order to successfully accomplish its mission. Yet dedication alone won't prepare the Coast Guard for the future. Training and education play a critical role in arming Coast Guard personnel with the professional and personal knowledge to succeed in the challenges placed before it today and tomorrow, as well as in their careers and personal life. Until recently, the question that Coast Guard commanders and personnel faced was not whether training was important, but rather, "when can we fit it in?"
In order to answer the question, the Coast Guard adopted E-Learning, the latest component of the Distributed Learning System. Coast Guard E-Learning offers every active, reserve, auxiliary and civilian member of the Coast Guard free access to more than over 2,000 commercial web-based information technology, business, leadership and personal development courses from anywhere with an internet connection.
The Coast Guard wants to invest in continuing its employees' professional development, and by providing online courses, Coast Guard personnel can continue their education and training from their current location within their existing schedule.
"Coast Guard E-Learning is helping me reach my professional and personal goals," Henderson said. "When I have time, I sit down and take a course through Coast Guard E-Learning. It's very easy. I've learned a lot from Coast Guard E-Learning on topics as diverse as business, information technology, human resources and information assurance."
For more information about Coast Guard e-Learning, visit www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/links.html on the Web or contact your Educational Services Officer.
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