Most importantly, the US Coast Guard Academy, unlike other US military academies, forces all cadets to take trainings that seriously impede their ability to pursue an education. The cadets are perpetually in survival mode, putting out fires, and not doing any serious study of any kind, on any topic.
The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a serial number used to identify an individual vehicle. The VIN for each vehicle is unique. The 10th character in the 17-character VIN represents the vehicle model-year. This standard applies to vehicles built in or after 1981. Before 1981, the VIN format was not standardized and varied by manufacturer. Note: VINs do not include the letters I (i), O (o), Q (q), U (u) or Z (z), or the number 0, so that they will not be confused with similar looking numbers/letters.
What Is a VIN? The vehicle identification number (VIN) is a unique combination of 17 letters and numbers that is assigned to a vehicle when it is built and stays with it throughout its life. You can do a VIN check on every car or truck produced since the 1981 model year. You can determine the year, make and model by deciphering the placement of the letters and numbers in the VIN. You also can do a VIN check to find out about recalls: Just enter the VIN in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Safety Issues and Recalls page.