The CG-3788 gives you two lines — about 220 characters — to prove a whole marking period on each competency. This guide breaks down how the marks work, what you're rated on, and how to turn real work into comments that hold up at an advancement panel.
The Enlisted Evaluation Report is how the Coast Guard documents your performance and readiness for advancement. It's recorded on the CG-3788 series, with a distinct form for each paygrade, and it feeds directly into the enlisted advancement system — the marks and the written comments are read by the people deciding who advances.
| Form | Grade | Rate | Typical cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| CG-3788B | E-4 | Third Class Petty Officer | Semi-annual — March & September |
| CG-3788C | E-5 | Second Class Petty Officer | Semi-annual — April & October |
| CG-3788D | E-6 | First Class Petty Officer | Annual — May |
| CG-3788E | E-7 | Chief Petty Officer | Annual |
| CG-3788F | E-8 | Senior Chief Petty Officer | Annual |
| CG-3788G | E-9 | Master Chief Petty Officer | Annual |
Governing policy: COMDTINST 1616.3, the Coast Guard Performance Evaluation Manual.
Each competency is marked from 1 to 7. The written standards spell out three anchor points — marks 2, 4, and 6:
Marks 3, 5, and 7 sit between (or above) those anchors, and a mark of 1 means the member did not meet the mark-2 standard. A 1 — and your highest marks — generally need a written comment to back them up. That's where most of the real work is.
Competencies vary by paygrade, but across the CG-3788 series you'll see these. At senior grades the emphasis shifts from doing the work to directing it — Workforce Management and Strategic Thinking carry more weight.
Two lines is not much. A strong support comment leads with the action, names the scope, and ends with the result: what you did, how big it was, and what changed because of it. Trade vague verbs for specific ones, and use real numbers wherever you have them.
Weak (vague, forgettable)
"Stood watch and completed assigned duties in a satisfactory manner throughout the period."
Strong (specific, measurable)
"Led 4-member boat crew through 30+ readiness checks; found and corrected 12 discrepancies, keeping the small boat in full mission status all quarter."
Examples are illustrative only. Keep unit names, positions, and operational details out of your comments — describe the impact, not the place.
Cycles are set by paygrade: E-4s are evaluated in March and September, E-5s in April and October, and E-6s annually in May. Chiefs (E-7 through E-9) are on an annual cycle. Your exact next date depends on your grade and situation — EvalsEvolved calculates it and counts down for you.
The members who write strong EERs aren't better writers — they have better records. Logging a couple of sentences when something happens turns eval season from a memory scramble into a copy-edit. When it's time to write, EvalsEvolved maps your logged work to the CG-3788 competencies for your paygrade and drafts comments — from your real entries only, inside the 220-character limit.
Start building your EER from real work
Every entry you log today is a mark you won't have to guess at in March.
Log an EntryThe Coast Guard documents enlisted performance on the CG-3788 series — a separate form for each paygrade: CG-3788B (E-4) through CG-3788G (E-9). Each form carries the competencies and written mark standards appropriate to that grade. The governing policy is COMDTINST 1616.3, the Coast Guard Performance Evaluation Manual.
Each competency is marked on a 1–7 scale. The written standards define marks 2, 4, and 6 — a 2 is the baseline expectation, a 4 is a solid, fully-effective performer, and a 6 reflects clearly exceptional performance. Marks 3, 5, and 7 fall between (or above) those anchors, and a mark of 1 means the member failed to meet the mark-2 standard. Any mark of 1, and the highest marks, generally require a supporting comment.
Comments are limited to two lines — about 220 characters — per competency. That constraint is why specific, front-loaded writing matters: you have room for one strong, concrete accomplishment, not a paragraph.
Depending on your paygrade, competencies include Military Bearing; Customs, Courtesies & Traditions; Quality of Work; Technical Proficiency; Initiative; Decision Making & Problem Solving; Military Readiness; Self-Awareness & Learning; Team Building; Respect for Others; and Accountability & Responsibility. At senior grades the directing competency shifts toward Workforce Management and Strategic Thinking.
Cycles are set by paygrade. E-4s are evaluated semi-annually (March and September), E-5s semi-annually (April and October), and E-6s annually (May). Chiefs (E-7 through E-9) are on an annual cycle. Your exact next date depends on your grade and any special situations — EvalsEvolved calculates it for you.
Lead with the action, name the scope, and end with the measurable result: what you did, how big it was, and what changed because of it. Swap vague verbs ('assisted', 'helped') for specific ones, and use real numbers wherever you have them. Logging as you go is the difference between writing from evidence and writing from memory.
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