Good question. Might be worth a call to your local TWIC office.
I called last Friday and they answered the phone.
It’s the Lockheed contractors that answer the phone at NMC. They know nothing and do nothing except insulate the USCG staff from having to speak with mariners. Apparently, these contractors are not yet affected by the shutdown.
Well, they aren’t processing anything, and that’s really all most of us are concerned about.
My license consultant is convinced that NMC is not processing anything. I know I have not gotten my medical card.
What we need is a Presidential Proclamation that any renewal applied for during the government shutdown is deemed automatically granted for six months.
I hope that Trump takes an axe to some of these government agencies and their regulations. Most of them don’t do anything except get in our way and cost us money.
They are still processing medical certificates. I got mines in the mail yesterday.
Add me to the list of guys that was able to get their Med Cert renewed in the past three weeks, no problem. Two of my coworkers have done the same.
tugsailor, I don’t mean to be rude but if your “straight forward” Med renewal has been hung up since November, then there is either something about it you’re not mentioning here or you just have really bad luck.
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Post a pic of the certificate with your name and info blacked out so TS can see the issue date and we can stop this tedious debate about whether or not certificates have been issued.
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They probably blacklisted you for all the shit you talk about them on this forum. You should be able to figure out that Trump isn’t going to do anything for you unless it benefits him first.
All joking aside, I was also told that they are still processing medical certs. Why don’t you just call them yourself and ask? The people on the phone have always been helpful when I called.
Really? You know where I work and that we actually do some pretty important stuff. I am disappointed that you would make a comment like that. I guess you read that vile Daily Caller article.
In fact some of us are working for free to make sure commercial fishermen can go do their work. And working for free so that you get timely weather reports. Even as the weather models degrade from a lack of IT maintenance.
Have a little compassion for your fellow Americans.
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License consultant? Dont know how to fill out the paperwork yourself? Lazy.
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My STCW medical expires in a few months. Nobody is going to let me ship deep sea unless this thing ends soon.
The MEBA said recently they are not shipping anyone whose STCW does not last the duration of the voyage.
I am looking for alternate work however, as are most of us.
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“Brad Bishop, a spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, said in an email that the president is working to keep as much of the government open as possible.”
Just read this elsewhere. If we are such pieces of sh-t, and not needed, why is Trump trying to keep so many of us working (for free)? Any Trump supporters care to reply?
The national economy is at full employment. There are lots of shoreside jobs.
Small companies that need USCG licensed engineers are struggling to find enough of them because so many are working shore jobs. In the last few years even unlicensed tugboat engineers have gone ashore to work as mechanics, tech reps, sales engineers, industrial electrical, construction, power plant operators, etc. Many of these jobs pay better, and have much better benefits than many seagoing jobs.
One of my former tugboat engineers, who cannot renew his medical and license due to cancer, is a freelance marine mechanic. He works for shipyards, marine vendors, and boat owners. He charges $80 an hour and is home most nights.
Another young unlicensed former tugboat engineer quit last year to become a tech rep for a marine equipment manufacturer. Another is a tech rep for a distributor of industrial compressors; he started at $100,000 a year with a company truck and lavish benefits. Another is a heavy equipment mechanic for a large heavy equipment rental company; they fly him all over.
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This has gotten trollish and political… I’d recommend to a moderator to close it
I know right…I know I’m looking for my safe space and comfort animal…all this confrontation makes me uncomfortable…
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When I read Cat’s post I imagine her tightening a leaking fuel line connection on a generator running under full load.
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Well, they’re wrong. Don’t know what to tell you. Resubmit your simple med cert and see what happens.
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I’m trying to figure out why he needs a license consultant. He seems to know everything, getting medical done should be a piece of cake.
Not really a problem for me, because knowing how long NMC often takes, I submitted it early and still have several months to go on my current medical certificate.
The doctor fills out the USCG medical form when he does the physical. There is nothing more to it. I usually have an unpredictable schedule with very long hitches in remote places with poor communications. I had one medical certificate get lost in the mail, at least NMC claimed they sent it. It took two months just to get a duplicate. It’s better for me to let an expert with good communications handle the process.