Im in the process of Applying for an original MMC and i have 1 possession of marijuana (5 years old) conviction and an assault and battery (1 year old) conviction on my record i know the USCG assessment periods for these are 1-5 years for assault and 1-10 years for drug possession but my question is if i show all required proofs of completion and character references will the USCG “cut me some slack” with the assesment periods as in just give me a year or 2 instead of the 5 year average between the two convictions?? Im 25 and dont want to wait until im 30 to get my MMC id like toget a career going for myself ASAP thanks in advance for all your help fellow seamen
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I will give you my experience with this.
I made some mistakes when I was 19 to 20 which landed me in a bit of a worse position than you seem to be at the moment. Many of my charges were still well within the Assessment periods when I applied and I was originally DENIED. I went about the appeal / reconsideration (I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called and I have been corrected several times on here. @jdcavo would have the correct terminology.) process, and I turned in letters of character reference and several other items as well as a letter from myself stating that I had really made a drastic change in my life and how the MMC would allow me to further drag myself out of the hole that I had dug.
I was approved after a short time and given my MMC. My advice is to be very forthcoming and do not make any excuse for the things you did. Nobody wants to hear how it is someone else’s fault that you did whatever you did ( This does not only apply to your application with the USCG . Own it, make a concerted effort to better yourself and continue to grow from your past.
Goodluck!!
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Very well said, sir.
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I’m just speaking for myself here, but I wouldn’t want to sail with someone that has a 1 year old Assault conviction. There’s a reason they have those assessment periods. A tough lesson to learn for sure, but that’s the way it is. That said, there are plenty of people with records working on the water.
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At the same time we dont know the details of his assault charge. Also its way more serious when it happens on the water. As long as he knows this I would hope it would never happen out there. Again its up to the USCG to determine that. A lot of times just working on the water has changed peoples lives for the better. Hope the poster has learned from his mistakes and wish him the best of luck.
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Here in California they sometimes give out simple assault charges like condoms at a planned parenthood!
No offense Salty, but in this guy’s possible defense it may have been a lame charge. Not too long ago my guy had to subdue a friend with a major drinking with fighting problem (punches and headlocks), he was able to calm him down but the guy our friend swung at was really close to calling 911. We knew our friends problem looked out for him but in a safe distance if you know what I mean. His mom and stepdad always appreciated us looking out for him and being a positive influence in him cleaning up his act.
That scuffle scared me knowing how things really work because I was worried if the cops showed up, although my hubby was a solution and not the problem, he could have been slapped with something for “being at the wrong place, at the wrong time”. That’s just how it works with some cops, sadly, and how the past few years have clearly been showing with civilians sharing cell phone footage and now police body cameras.
Not trying to totally discount your feelings, and maybe the OP deserved the assault charge (we don’t know). I am just giving you some real world examples of how easy it is to get a charge for little to nothing, especially in police states, like California.
Whatever you or I think is irrelevant in this matter, since the USCG is the one deciding. And then the disclosure to their potential employer during their background check. He may have screwed himsed.
And as I said, there are plenty of people at sea with records. The best advice is from Blaineatk, because you don’t want to lie to the USCG.
I definitely agree with you about Blaines advice also and not lying to the uscg, that should be obvious, right?
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The assessment period is not a suspension, it does not mean that you cannot apply for and be issued an MMC during the period. It is what the name implies, a period in which you will be subject to incvreased scrutiny to assess your suitability. As far as determining how long that period woulkd be, you generally will not be “cut some slack” when you have more than one cnviction in a relatively short period woulsult in a period towards the higherf the range specified in the CFR.
Duing the assessment period, you will be required to submit additonal information such as enrollment in treatment programs, chracter references, steady employment, etc.
Since one of your convictions involves drugs, you are will be under a de facto assessment period for at least 10 years, see 46 CFR 10.211(f).
As I noted above, the assessment period is not a suspension, you can get an MMC but expect to provide additonal information to convince the Coast Guard they should do so.
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It does not even take a criminal conviction to cause someone repeated big problems in life, a mere accusation, or just entry of your name into the NCIC, is enough.
I see the months or years of hell that some very solid citizens go through with security clearances. I also see a lot of left hand thread metric wingnuts who somehow manage to get security clearances.
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You sound pretty knowledgeable with how the MMC weighs the assessment and approval or not. Do you know one way or another how more difficult it is to get an MMC vs a TWIC? I have read most say the MMC is tougher, but a few on here have said the TWIC is just as or moreso thorough, meaning if you can get a TWIC you will get an MMC. What’s your opinion?
I did OUPV school years ago. However, although I aced it, somehow haha, and would have had enough seatime upon submitting to the CG I did not end up going ahead and getting my license. One of the reasons was my teacher was dumbstruck that the school signed me up at all because I had a dui (misd) that I was convicted for about three years prior. The guy selling me the school said “yeah girl, no problem!”. My teacher said I should have done my CG app first to see if they would accept me before doing the school. $1,000 down the drain!
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Make sure you list everything correctly… when I picked up my third mates license in Houston, a drunk guy was arguing about how his latest DUI shouldn’t show up cause he got it 2 months before and was still going to court about it… He was semi-forcibly removed from the REC and I watched him get a DUI when the cops pull him out of his running truck in the parking lot…
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I got my TWIC card very quickly and from what i hear the MMC is alot harder to get if you have a “record” than the twic in fact unless your a terrorist or drug smuggler or have alot of felonies i dont think youd have any issues getting your twic card
MMC on the other hand could make you wait up to 10 years for possession of drugs even a gram of marijuana or destruction of property of any value i think thats a bit ridiculous in my opinion but i made some mistakes now i gotta deal with them i hope they cut me some slack and dont slam the hammer down on me
I agree i should be honest and own up to my mistakes but i hope they dont go strictly “by the book” and make me wait till 2023! That would suck. Thanks again for the replies guys! Anyone else have a personal experience dealing with getting an assesment period for past convictions?
There are far too many mariners chasing far too few jobs.
At some point, between STCW courses, expanded drug testing, state “legalized” pot, and criminalizing just about everything else, the number of excess mariners should eventually start to drop off.
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Nailed it.
MMC. When the TWIC was being planned I had to compare the disqualifying offenses for both. There is nothing that wqould disqualify you from getting a TWIC that would not also disqualify you from an MMC, but there are several things that would disqualify you from an MMC that would not disqualify you from a TWIC. For exqample, any assault is a disqualifying offense for an MMC, only assault with intent to murder is a disqualifying offense for a TWIC.
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Thanks, that all makes sense to me. I wonder why a few have said they believe the TWIC is just as or more so strict and thorough? Must be mistaken I suppose.
Just to bring this back to life… lol
For my situation, the TWIC was no problem. I had felony convictions and they issued the TWIC without any delay. The MMC was where I ran into problems. I don’t know if my situation is the typical course of events or not. I was told that the TWIC was more concerned with drug and terroristic charges, which I did not have.
Either way, I hope the OP has been able to move forward. I know it can be tough to regain your footing after making a mistake. It’s interesting how the idea is that you are incarcerated to “repay your debt to society” but after you’re released you continue to pay that debt. Such is life I guess…
Well said Blaine.
Mike, hear anything back yet on your MMC?
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