Best advice I can give is be honest.
Of course you'll get the "Why do you want to be a Coast Guard Officer?"
Tell them why. Don't be affraid. Hopefully, it's for the right reasons, for you, and hopefully they'll be in allignment with the Coast Guard's need..
I basically told my board that I had pretty much done everything I could. I was an E-6, had taken the CPO EOCT, getting ready for the next eligible CPO SWE. I was ready for more responsibility, and wanted to grow, or something like that.. and of course, I mentioned the pay ain't bad either. I wasn't smug about it or anything.. not like "I've done it all! I want more!" I worded it rather smartly and humbley (sp?) I also had it easy in that I did my interview at an Air Station about 3 hours away - I was currently assigned at my third Air Station. That saw that, asked me if I knew so-n-so and this guy, that gal, etc. Then the LCDR on my board saw I was born at Fort Rucker... "Yup, Army brat, my dad was an Army Pilot". "No kidding? That's where I did my flight training!" My interview was more like a family reunion.
As I said, be honest.. don't tell them what you think they want to hear. And make sure your package is accurate and no stretching the truth.
I sat on an OCS board, and the applicant had his Award Citations in there.. fine. He also had a copy of his PDE (personnel data extract for the SWE). He had an Commandant's Letter of Commendation award highlighted on his PDE.
I asked, "Well, I see you had a LOC on your PDE, and you are wearing it on your ribbon bar. Where's the citation?" - which was dated/awarded when he was out of the Coast Guard (he had enlisted, got out, then got back in). The award was "issued" when he was out of the CG.
He said that when he went to take a SWE, he saw it on his PDE. He said he talked to his Chief and his Chief allegedly said, "Hey, if it's in the system, it must be right, right?" And so the kid continued to wear it.
We asked if he thought that was right, not receiving a citation but wearing the ribbon AND getting that ONE extra award point for the SWE, basically having a slightly unfair advantage for promotion.
He just didn't understand what we were getting at, integrity.
Mistakes happen, that's understandable, but we gave him the opportunity to say, "Yeah, it's not right. I haven't felt comfortable wearing it", but he didn't. He respectfully tried to justify it.
It didn't wash with me, nor the LCDR or LT on the board. He received a decent evaluation from us and decent numbers, but not good enough for selection.
