Aeint Lin

Before she could get to her current role, Lin had to undergo a considerable amount of training. She first went to Coast Guard Basic Training and then to "A" School, where new members of the Coast Guard learn how to do their military jobs. In Lin’s case, this was a six-month program in Petaluma, California — just north of San Francisco — focused on learning the ins and outs of being an electronics technician (ET). “I enjoyed ET school because it gave me the opportunity to work on my professional development.” After months of hard work, Lin is now an electronics technician.

As an ET, Lin and her team have important roles to play within the Coast Guard’s overall mission. They’re responsible for installing, maintaining, repairing and managing sophisticated electronic equipment on small boats. This ensures communication, navigation and data encryption all run smoothly during coastal search and rescue operations.

Lin describes the routine tasks of her job as “doing a lot of installations and troubleshooting on radars and transmitters.” She adds, “We also do a lot of repairs on the boat itself. Plus, we have some communication equipment that we maintain.”

Despite the high-tempo environment, Lin and her fellow Coast Guardsmen enjoy a great work-life balance. When Lin is not working, she enjoys spending time cooking with her husband. She’s particularly fond of creating healthier takes on traditional Asian cuisine.

Lin is also continuing to grow both personally and professionally. The Military offers service members plenty of training opportunities to expand their knowledge and develop new skills. As a lifelong learner herself, Lin continues to learn on the job every day and applies the knowledge she developed in her training.