# Career help (USCG Rates) **URL:** \ **Category:** Maritime Training & Licensing\ **Created:** [June 27, 2016, 11:05am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371 "2016-06-27T11:05:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raymonsta\_USN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@Raymonsta\_USN](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Raymonsta_USN)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 11:05am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/1 "2016-06-27T11:05:55Z")
Hello! I’m a Navy vet (AD -Aviation Machinist mate), and I’l like some help /advice on the Coast Guard. I plan on enrolling into the Marine Transportation major at the Maritime Academy at A&M. I’m also looking into joining the CG reserves to build a solid resume. I’d like to eventually become a navigator. Which billet would best help my cause? MK (Machine Tech) ME (Maritime Law Enforcement) MST (Marine Science Tech) IT (Information Technology) ---
**Author:** ![Jemplayer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jemplayer/32/523_2.png) [@Jemplayer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jemplayer)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/2 "2016-06-28T00:28:12Z")
Navigator? Like in the CG? Is that even a thing? As for commercial shipping there is no such position. What are you wanting to do? ---
**Author:** ![jbtam99](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jbtam99/32/65499_2.png) [@jbtam99](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jbtam99)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/3 "2016-06-28T02:07:39Z")
They have “Navigators” on seismic survey boats, but you won’t be sailing on your license doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Jemplayer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jemplayer/32/523_2.png) [@Jemplayer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jemplayer)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/4 "2016-06-28T02:34:56Z")
Wasn’t thinking of that. We get them from time to time for anchor work and ROV stuff from Fugro. Doubt most of them went to college for that though, mostly on the job training. ---
**Author:** ![Raymonsta\_USN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@Raymonsta\_USN](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Raymonsta_USN)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/5 "2016-06-28T03:20:38Z")
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;186490]Navigator? Like in the CG? Is that even a thing? As for commercial shipping there is no such position. What are you wanting to do?[/QUOTE] Maybe I asked my question wrong, Sorry. I’d ultimately like to become an officer (third mate, i believe) through the maritime academy. I want to eventually become a pilot or a captain if I can make it that far. My question is out of the listed rates provided from the Coast Guard, which one would support my career intentions the best? Would Law enforcement look better on my resume vs machine technician if I eventually want to become a pilot? etc ---
**Author:** ![cmakin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@cmakin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cmakin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/6 "2016-06-28T04:25:59Z")
Just guessing, but if he is an aviation guy in the Navy, he probably has NO idea how the merchant service is laid out. Perhaps saying that he wants to be a navigator is his way of stating that he would prefer to be in the deck department rather than the engine department. As far as the billet, maybe that is in the Coast Guard Reserve? Not sure that there are billets at TAMUG. . . your question may be better answered in the Maritime Academy section. - - - Updated - - - [QUOTE=Jemplayer;186496]Wasn’t thinking of that. We get them from time to time for anchor work and ROV stuff from Fugro. Doubt most of them went to college for that though, mostly on the job training.[/QUOTE] Yeah, those are the surveyors. Widely used for positioning MODUS of all types. Also for precise positioning of anchors and locating bottom features and objects. . . most are tech guys. ---
**Author:** ![z-drive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c37758/32.png) [@z-drive](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/z-drive)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 5:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/7 "2016-06-28T05:41:36Z")
ME. But any rate will look good on your resume ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/8 "2016-06-28T07:20:38Z")
[QUOTE=cmakin;186507]Just guessing, but if he is an aviation guy in the Navy, he probably has NO idea how the merchant service is laid out. Perhaps saying that he wants to be a navigator is his way of stating that he would prefer to be in the deck department rather than the engine department. As far as the billet, maybe that is in the Coast Guard Reserve? Not sure that there are billets at TAMUG. . . your question may be better answered in the Maritime Academy section. - - - Updated - - - Yeah, those are the surveyors. Widely used for positioning MODUS of all types. Also for precise positioning of anchors and locating bottom features and objects. . . most are tech guys.[/QUOTE] Here is the requirements to join Fugro as a Project Surveyor, Entry level, working in the GoM: [https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/18876406](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/18876406) ---
**Author:** ![Robert](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/robert/32/29295_2.png) [@Robert](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 8:17am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/9 "2016-06-28T08:17:07Z")
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;186490]Navigator? Like in the CG? Is that even a thing? As for commercial shipping there is no such position. What are you wanting to do?[/QUOTE] All Coast Guard Cutters have a navigator onboard. It is generally the Operations Officer or another Deck Watch Officer who has completed navigator training and been designated by the Commanding Officer. But it is definitely not a career path. ---
**Author:** ![Jeffrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@Jeffrox](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jeffrox)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:19am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/10 "2016-06-29T11:19:47Z")
[QUOTE=Raymonsta\_USN;186461]Hello! I’m a Navy vet (AD -Aviation Machinist mate), and I’l like some help /advice on the Coast Guard. I plan on enrolling into the Marine Transportation major at the Maritime Academy at A&M. I’m also looking into joining the CG reserves to build a solid resume. I’d like to eventually become a navigator. Which billet would best help my cause? MK (Machine Tech) ME (Maritime Law Enforcement) MST (Marine Science Tech) IT (Information Technology)[/QUOTE] As an enlisted Guardsman, what you seek is: BM Boatswains Mate. ---
**Author:** ![Eyegor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/eyegor/32/1712_2.png) [@Eyegor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Eyegor)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/11 "2016-06-29T12:31:38Z")
Your best bet is to talk to a USCG recruiter. They will be the best one to help you figure out how to best meld your past Navy experience and your future plans in the USCG Reserve. ME is a pretty large community within USCG Reserve but most of those types aren’t mariners in their “day jobs”. They are cops, corrections, or other law enforcement types. Not sure about the rest but MST is very closely (maybe TOO closely) related to a lot of the off-shore petroleum and the tanker industries. IIRC there aren’t too many MST Reserve billets though. I could be wrong. Don’t know enough about Reserve billets. Again, talk to a recruiter. As far as Texas Maritime and your C.V. it is all good. ---
**Author:** ![catherder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@catherder](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/catherder)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/career-help-uscg-rates/16371/12 "2016-06-29T14:26:54Z")
[QUOTE=Jeffrox;186590]As an enlisted Guardsman, what you seek is: BM Boatswains Mate.[/QUOTE] Beat me to it.