I am publicly asking the administrators of gCaptain if we are allowed to have a discussion concerning this new organization and specifically if we can be critical of it if some are butthurt that we are? I do understand the need to not personally attack others who hold opposing views.
If you don’t want this here now then say so, but I hope you will since I believe there could be much at stake for American mariners.
thank you
did you miss this request Rob? all indications are that you have the conn here today…please give us an indication of what you will allow…
Go for it… you know the rules though.
[QUOTE=rob;154395]Go for it… you know the rules though.[/QUOTE]
ok, thanks but busy at the moment…will be back with a full post later
stay tuned…
been thinking about this thread now for a few hours and instead of coming out with more criticism of this group I would like to invite someone from their leadership to make a statement here in this forum which I certainly must believe somebody there reads to tell all of us what it is they intend to become, what their goals are, what their mission is, why they believe they can make a difference in our profession? If no one there reads this forum then I believe we should assume they are a very insular bunch who do not have their finger on the pulse of the industry and what is being discussed concerning it…that will be very telling to me of the type of mariners they really are.
I want to try for once to be fair and openminded and give this group the chance to win me over to their cause and then to write that check they are seeking from me. I want someone to become that voice of the working American mariner who can be heard throughout the halls of Washingtoon and elsewhere. I am going to go so far as to say that I hope that is their goal but they are going to need to speak and speak clearly to win over this very skeptical mariner. Who there at AMPA is going to step forward and be that voice? If you won’t speak here why should we expect you will speak for us anyplace else?
I am going to give them 48hours to come forward and answer the questions I pose above and I will ask them hard questions in reply which I hope they will also answer, but I promise to not flame on anyone as long as I believe they are being genuine and honest in their words. However, if they choose to not speak here for the next two days then I will return to restate all my earlier claims of how I originally perceived them and will continue to denounce this bunch with my usual clear and unapologetic voice. The clock starts now at 2100 Friday February 13, 2015. My ears and eyes are open and I wait to hear what they might have to say.
I say to you Kings Pointers there are AMPA…your academy has a motto of deeds not words… Before the deeds however, I want words from you what you intend to do with the $75 you are asking me for? Then I will expect the deeds to follow if you expect any of us to take you seriously as professionals.
.
[QUOTE=c.captain;154434]been thinking about this thread now for a few hours and instead of coming out with more criticism of this group I would like to invite someone from their leadership to make a statement here in this forum which I certainly must believe somebody there reads so tell us what they intend to become, what their goals are, what their mission is, why they believe they can make a difference in our profession?
I want to try for once to be fair and openminded and all them the chance to win me over to their cause and to write that check they are seeking. I want someone to become that voice of the working American mariner who can be heard throughout the halls of Washingtoon and elsewhere. I am going to go so far as to say that I hope that is their goal but they are going to need to speak and speak clearly to win over this very skeptical mariner.
I am going to give them 48hours to come forward and answer the questions I pose above and I will ask them hard questions in reply which I hope they will also answer but I will not flame on anyone as long as I believe they are being genuine and honest in their words.
However, if they choose to not speak here for the next two days then I will return to refute all my earlier claims of how I originally perceived them and will continue to denounce this bunch with my usual clear and unapologetic voice. The clock starts now at 2100 Friday February 13, 2015. My ears and eyes are open and wait to hear what they might have to say. GO![/QUOTE]
Hey…maybe they took the weekend off? It’s a long weekend ya know.
[QUOTE=catherder;154437]Hey…maybe they took the weekend off? It’s a long weekend ya know.[/QUOTE]
our industry does not take weekends or holidays off…we are out there sailing the ships 24/7/365. I expect them to answer by Sunday evening.
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American Prof Mariners Association??? What the hell is this? Never heard of them. I don’t need some association f&cking up my $175,000 a year.
Based on my quick look at their web site, they intend to be a pay-to-play version of gCaptain!
just to point out that AMPAhas 24hours remaining to come on here and provide to the forum membership some form of mission statement…
I am also going to post a screenshot of their homepage here
there is something grievously wrong with it…I mean utterly shamefully embarrassingly stoopid in fact!
I looked at their job board and was able to find every job they had posted at the job origination website where it was much easier to apply.
How many U.S. flagged Triple E’s are there?
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;154546]Hoe many U.S. flagged Triple E’s are there?[/QUOTE]
DING! DING! DING! DING! In a mere five minute have our winner ladies and gentlemen!
Johnny, tell us what our winner’s prizes are tonight…
[QUOTE=c.captain;154544]just to point out that AMPAhas 24hours remaining to come on here and provide to the forum membership some form of mission statement…
I am also going to post a screenshot of their homepage here
there is something grievously wrong with it…I mean utterly shamefully embarrassingly stoopid in fact![/QUOTE]
24 hrs? It is a holiday weekend. Should give them till tuesday.
[QUOTE=Ctony;154548]24 hrs? It is a holiday weekend. Should give them till tuesday.[/QUOTE]
like I said before…mariners work every day of the year without taking holidays off. If these are real genuine mariners then they can post a response before tomorrow night.
[QUOTE=c.captain;154547]Johnny, tell us what our winner’s prizes are tonight…[/QUOTE]
captain, our winner will receive a case of unlabelled brown party liquor and a old Dodge truck with no wheels…
I don’t understand why someone would pay 70 odd dollars to them to do what gcaptain and google do for free. Interested to hear their responses to your queries ccaptain.
[QUOTE=c.captain;154550]like I said before…mariners work every day of the year without taking holidays off. If these are real genuine mariners then they can post a response before tomorrow night.[/QUOTE]
Oh c’mon, the ILWU got the holiday weekend off
Dear Sir and Brother Mariner,
Thank you for reaching out to the APMA through gCaptain’s forum and the invitation to respond to your inquiry. As a mariner, your profession is critical to national commerce, defense, and environmental and public safety. Thank you for doing your part. Many mariners have asked for a national association and network to empower them. The APMA offers solutions.
Under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code, the American Professional Mariners Association (APMA) is [U]a new and national non-profit[/U] association that provides high tech and cost effective solutions for the needs of American mariners, waterfront workers and their families. Our mission is about your success, on your terms, with all the help, resources, value and advantages we can find for you. Under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code the APMA Foundation is a public charity that conducts the charitable and educational activities of the APMA. Few federal agencies have greater authority to audit and regulate organizations than the IRS. All money received by the APMA and APMAF must be used in accordance with the mission and these regulatory federal codes.
The non-profit association was founded, and is governed, by a volunteer board of active mariners, complemented by military and business executives. They combine hundreds of years in seagoing experience with some of the highest academic and business credentials in the industry. These individuals pooled personal funds necessary for the start-up legal, technical, and staff requirements. No funds to start the APMA were received from any organization, non-profit, union, business, or corporation.
As a non-profit, the APMA must succeed by doing and by being worthwhile, every year. The association does not “get between the mariner and their money” and provides many services free to the public as well as the industry.
The APMA is not a collective bargaining group, not a union, and not a political lobby. The APMA does not replace the role of unions nor forums such as here in gCaptain.
The APMA is a non-profit association that provides beneficial programs to the men and women in the maritime industry so each person can be successful and self-sufficient. These programs are a nationwide network of support.
The APMA recognized a key need due to changes in retirement programs and partnered with FINRA (the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Foundation) to provide unbiased educational material for your retirement planning. Our first call to action is helping people learn to make good decisions for their personal welfare. Additionally, APMA offers programs on a web-based platform for you to find jobs, training, business links, and USCG requirements and news. Finally, the APMA website has a member directory and other fun stuff to keep it interesting.
First and foremost, the APMA is a non-profit association with a mission to empower you as an individual. For example, in our application, you are recognized as an [B][U]Independent Mariner[/U][/B]. The APMA must earn your support and get better every year to keep it.
Membership is voluntary. There are no financial penalties whatsoever. If your membership expires while you are at sea or for any other reason, you may rejoin and restart membership.
Membership is affordable and just $72 per year. By joining the APMA, you help yourself, your family, and your shipmates to a better future because as a non-profit association for the American professional mariner – a strong membership is empowered to get the discounts, resources, and opportunities that you deserve.
The APMA is just getting started and with your input and support, we can do more. Please feel comfortable visiting the APMA website [www.americanmariners.org](http://www.americanmariners.org) for information. Thank you again and to the administrators of gCaptain for permitting our response to be posted on the site. On a final note, as a non-profit, it is APMA’s policy to respond to questions through our social media links and our website contact form. We look forward to answering follow up questions through those channels.
Tim Hamilton
APMA Social Media Administrator
I’m from Alabama so help me figure all this out? Can they pass out duffle bags of cash to buy the influence we need in D.C. or not?
What we need more than anything is a good lobby in D.C. Too bad they are not doing that.
Its still unclear to this old Yankee, what they are doing, and how that is going to benefit mariners in any particular way.
If they really want to do something beneficial for American mariners, a good place to start would be fighting these USCG waivers allowing foreign mariners to work on the Us Outer Continental Shelf.
At a time of mass lay offs of mariners, and a surplus of unemployed mariners available, unnecessary USCG waivers are an outrage.