I’m currently a CG reservist (boatswain mate) who has been activated for the last 3yrs. Before that I did 7yrs regular active duty on a number of CG Cutters including icebreakers. I will soon find myself released from my orders and like many, will be in need of a ship. I only hold a AB with STCW95 and my Lifeboat cert. I would love to get a berth on a icebreaker with Edison Chouest or a deep sea Co like Gulfmark or something. Towing or OSV? I have even toiled with the idea of PMIates program however my GI Bill will NOT cover everything because it is not a “degree” granting program. VA is crap. Pointers and suggestions are more then welcomed!
CivMar is usually meant to be a civilian mariner with Military Sealift Command. Are you wanting to sail with them?
Just curious; which AB, and what does STCW95 mean? BST, or something more? Do you have RFPNW?
[QUOTE=Polarbear;47693]I’m currently a CG reservist (boatswain mate) who has been activated for the last 3yrs. Before that I did 7yrs regular active duty on a number of CG Cutters including icebreakers. I will soon find myself released from my orders and like many, will be in need of a ship. I only hold a AB with STCW95 and my Lifeboat cert. I would love to get a berth on a icebreaker with Edison Chouest or a deep sea Co like Gulfmark or something. Towing or OSV? I have even toiled with the idea of PMIates program however my GI Bill will NOT cover everything because it is not a “degree” granting program. VA is crap. Pointers and suggestions are more then welcomed![/QUOTE]
A lot depends on what your qualifications and duties were in the Coast Guard/CG. By example did you qulifiy as a Boat Coxswain, did you qualify as Underway deck/conning officer? If so what size vessel?
If it would help, I completed the minimum time to retire from the CG, but I got my first lisc about halfway through my career. Back then there was a old law that said active duty military could not get a MMD, just a lisc.
I qualified both as boat coxswain and and as deck conning officer on the old 82 and 95 foot patrol vessels. These years and quals made me eligible for a Master 1600T
Now for my first lisc I only sit for the 200T since I did not have advance firefighting AFF at that time.
Once I got out I worked under my 200T lisc for nearly 10 years, running everything from crewboats, something we all seem to have to done, to liftboats.
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After 10 years out, I had to use or lose my VA money. I was under the old education progam where you paid money into the system and the military matched the money. By then I needed more than just AFF to sit for my 1600. So……I found a college that understood the constraints of the VA education process, and offered a 2 year associates degree in Marine operations. As long as I took enough courses each quarter to meet the semester hours, the college kept me on the books as working toward their 200T/2 year Associates degree. This allowed me to use a little more of my VA education program, it was my money paid in the first place.
Now, some thoughts on size of first lisc after military service. Some say you should start small and work your way up, I disagree. I feel you should go for the biggest lisc possible, since you can always work on a boat less than your max tonnage, but you cannot work on boat greater than your lisc tonnage.
I started on a 50 ton crewboat while I had a 200T lisc and worked up from there, going to a 65 then 99 ton boat, then a 140 ton liftboat. Just keep in mind if you get a 500/1600 ton lisc and try to work on it, make sure you tell your first employers and crew mates that you really do not know what you are doing. The truth is there are so much hands on items you need to know if you are going to work a supply boat, lift boat or tug. You really should not try to jump straight to boat greater than 100 tons until you get that experience.
All of above is of course Oilfield related. The oilfield is the best place to get some hands on, real experience in boat handling. If you go to the White hull/ Yacht fleet, well, I have no idea there, maybe someone else can chime in.
Anyway, hope above helps.
Ocean 31