Military to AB

Hi all. I was wondering if anyone on here was prior military, preferably USCG, and had their sea service evaluated for an AB ticket. I was an operations specialist and according to my TOSS, I should be accredited with 865 days of sea time (NMC is now awarding 70% instead of 60% per TOSS report). I have been evaluated and have no issues getting my 100ton Master/200ton Mate because my time qualifies as “deck service” for licensing purposes according to the CFR’s. However, I have been told that my sea time may not qualify for an AB ticket because my job was not directly “deck related” even though it is for the captain’s license.

So I just wanted to see if anyone here has encountered this and/or has some advice. Thanks guys.

Any sea time that meets the requirement for your 100 ton+, should also count towards your AB…at least it did for me (small boat and cutter service).

Although I was a BM, your duties on the mo-boards/radar and chart navigation in CIC should count as “deck” time, just as it does for the other deck licenses.

Im active USCG and licensed. “Sea Service” and “Deck Service” are not really the same. As per 46 CFR 11.213…

(b) Service in deck ratings on military vessels such as seaman apprentice, seaman, boatswain’s mate, quartermaster, or radarman are considered deck service for the purposes of this part. Service in other ratings may be considered if the applicant establishes that his or her duties required a watchstanding presence on or about the bridge of a vessel.

I guess it all comes down to the inspector whos evaluating your package. If you were a prior quartermaster than clearly your time is credable.

As an OS, If you stood watch in CIC on mo-boards, radar plot, and nav plot, your time should all count as “deck time” and be counted for your AB and all other deck licenses.

Operations Specialist is the new name for RADARman, same thing/new name. I would think you can supply enough documentaion to get an evaluation for AB. Weren’t you an SA/SN before you became an OS? Haven’t you ever chipped and painted, handled lines, steered the vessel, stood lookout watch, gone aloft, participated in lifeboat drills, etc, etc etc? Think about it and Get it all documented…look through your old evals etc.

Had to laugh, that new name for radarman ((OS) is over thirty years old!

[QUOTE=mtskier;103565]Had to laugh, that new name for radarman ((OS) is over thirty years old![/QUOTE]

Changed 40 years ago and yet the CFR still use the former name!

[QUOTE=cwneblett;103400]…(NMC is now awarding 70% instead of 60% per TOSS report[/QUOTE]

As they should be. See 46 CFR 11.213. It does not say miliatry time is credited at 60%. Sub-para. (a) says “Normally, 60 percent of the total time on board is considered equivalent underway service…” In sub-para ©. it goes on to state “In addition to underway service, members of the Armed Forces may obtain creditable service for periods of assignment to vessels at times other than underway, such as in port, at anchor, or in training. Normally, a 25% factor is applied to these time periods.”

Thus 60% underway plus 25% of thremainder is a net of 70%.

The USCG evaluator knows the USN sits in port a lot, and hence they credit only a portion of the seatime for merchant service. Ie: you can’t get sea experience while moored to a pier. Then after they count up those days they look at your job title. Ie: an OS in CIC translates to very little on a bridge of a merchant ship. So, After all said and done take the percent and get what you can and go from there. If you land a 100 ton skipper great, get a job and put in seatime to gain upgrades and endorsements. The USCG evaluates seatime oddly. I once knew a retired USN O6 that qualified for AB. He wanted an unlimted master ticket ( ha ). He was not happy… But really he had very little real seatime . It’s a roll of the dice.

Did you include copies of ALL your evaluations (showing no breaks in service), schools attended, awards, letters, etc…? If not, you should have. As Mr Cavo pointed out, you can get a lot more than 60% (I did). These are the things that help detail the nature of your service for the evaluators (particularly the ones that are not familiar with military ratings). For me personally and for others I have talked to this information has always proven to be beneficial and never detrimental.

[QUOTE=captmike;104144]Did you include copies of ALL your evaluations (showing no breaks in service), schools attended, awards, letters, etc…? If not, you should have. As Mr Cavo pointed out, you can get a lot more than 60% (I did). These are the things that help detail the nature of your service for the evaluators (particularly the ones that are not familiar with military ratings). For me personally and for others I have talked to this information has always proven to be beneficial and never detrimental.[/QUOTE]

I did this. Sent in a pile of stuff. It helped immensely. Or, the evaluator got a migraine trying to read a copy of a copy of a copy of a thirty year old document and just gave up :slight_smile:

thanks for all the input guys. my TOSS states I have 1,236 days total time onboard which would equate to 741 days if i settled for just the 60%. I am currently a mate onboard a dinner cruiser so when I hit 90 days, that will put me at 831. im more concerned with getting 100 ton master/200 ton mate and irregardless of how much time I had before, I have to have 360 days as a master/mate while holding the ticket to qualify for the 200 ton master. so ive already crossed the line in terms of total time, and as i stated, im currently working on the 90 day recency requirement.

i know my original post was about military to AB but im mainly focussed on the officer endorsement so I can eventually work my way to captain with my company. but if i qualify for the AB as well then, hey, why not.

[QUOTE=Xmsccapt(ret);104136]The USCG evaluator knows the USN sits in port a lot, and hence they credit only a portion of the seatime for merchant service. [/QUOTE]

They will credit the time as I described. They will not credit less than 70% based on limited time underway. Hiowever, they could discount the time further based on the military billet duties and their applicability to a merchahnt mariner endorsement.
A lower percentage might be used If the particular military position served in had multiople duties and only a portion related to the endorsement you’re applying for. The Marine Safety Manual notes what miltary billets are creditable, and what percentage of the time is credited. That percentage would be further reduced by 70% for time not underway as I described.

I’m sure you know. Just recalling some of the deviations from past applicants I’ve known. In years past it seemed not all USCG evaluations were done the same, perhaps that’s changed.