You will get very little love from NMC for all your military training as none of it is “Coast Guard approved”. You want to be sure to get a “Statement of Credible Sea Service” from the Coast Guard. That is the form required to document your sea service. Better to start sooner than later in the process as it can be long and tortured. Might just as well get your TWIC now and once you get your Sea Service statement, get your physical, etc and submit it to the Coast Guard. You need 180 days of sea service for your QMED.