# My renewal Horror Story. Get ready Boys **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [August 21, 2021, 12:35am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403 "2021-08-21T00:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Orniphobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Orniphobe](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Orniphobe)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/22 "2021-08-21T16:40:14Z")
That would be ideal but many are not endorsements on your MMC (Crowd control, DP, all those MSC classes, type specific ECDIS, well control, Qualified Assessor, Hazmat, and on and on). I saw a guy not get a ship in the hall only because he didn’t have Transas ECDIS. Now I have a collection of all the different ones. ---
**Author:** ![MAK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MAK](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/MAK)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/23 "2021-08-21T17:26:28Z")
Learning how to resize files should be on the exam I guess. ---
**Author:** ![PDCMATE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2acd7d/32.png) [@PDCMATE](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/PDCMATE)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/24 "2021-08-21T18:00:09Z")
🤣😅🤣😅 so simple. Probably would cheat on that section by asking google. ---
**Author:** ![DamnYankee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/damnyankee/32/514_2.png) [@DamnYankee](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/DamnYankee)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/25 "2021-08-22T02:28:06Z")
The days of the REC having a 3 inch thick file of your documents are over. I keep a digital file of all of my documents scanned and at the ready for such situations. It sucks renewing. We all know that ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 3:12pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/26 "2021-08-23T15:12:47Z")
It’s much easier to consistently use the same license consultant for all USCG applications. He has your complete file. He also knows the right people at NMC and speaks their language. He has their phone numbers. Nonetheless, it will still be very slow, but he filters out some of the aggravation for a modest fee. Worth it. NMC is under budgeted and understaffed. It has a lot of unqualified landlubbers that should not have been hired in the first place and who do not want to be there. For them it’s just a foot in the door of federal employment while they file their nails and seek the other federal jobs that they really want. NMC has a lot of turnover. Covid gives them an excuse to do almost nothing. I’ve recently learned the hard way that other federal agencies are not much better. The Federal government has a few (maybe 10%) very good, hardworking, competent people who are drowning in a sea of incompetence, mediocrity, and minimal productivity. ---
**Author:** ![johnny.dollar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@johnny.dollar](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/johnny.dollar)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/27 "2021-08-23T19:30:52Z")
> [@Chief\_Seadog](#): > > With regards to file size, Medical Certificate submission is limited to 8mb. I would assume it is similar with others applications. As Mr. Cavo said you can split your stuff. Learn how to use a scanner and use different options (like “Text Enhanced” PDF) and lower resolutions to reduce file size…or mail the whole damn pile of paper to an REC. ---
**Author:** ![jdcavo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jdcavo/32/108_2.png) [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/28 "2021-08-23T20:45:23Z")
> [@jdcavo](#): > > > [@New3M](#): > > > > Where could we find that out? > > I’m probably wrong. After more thought I realized it was course curricula submissions that were increased. But even so, you can split your stuff into more than one email. I had it right the first time. [File size limit is now 35 MB](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/announcements/2021/processing_time_update_082321.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![BrownWaterGuy](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/brownwaterguy/32/4787_2.png) [@BrownWaterGuy](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BrownWaterGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/29 "2021-08-23T20:48:10Z")
You can also lower the size of a PDF by choosing “File”, “save as other” and “Reduced size PDF”. Typically cuts the file size by more than half ---
**Author:** ![Menizzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Menizzi](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Menizzi)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/30 "2021-08-23T22:34:37Z")
or mail the whole damn pile of paper to an REC. We have established that doesn’t do shit ---
**Author:** ![MAK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MAK](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/MAK)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/31 "2021-08-23T23:25:05Z")
That was already established. I’m sorry you had a hard time, but mailing random certs to an REC wasn’t the smartest thing you ever did. You’ll have enough trouble getting them to follow their own policies without making up random ones of your own. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/32 "2021-08-24T01:38:01Z")
> [@Menizzi](#): > > We have established that doesn’t do shit He was referring to a complete application packet with an application, sea time letters, and all certificates included. That’s different than randomly mailing certificates to the REC like you did. ---
**Author:** ![Slick\_cam1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/slick_cam1/32/817_2.png) [@Slick\_cam1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Slick_cam1)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 4:26am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/33 "2021-08-24T04:26:56Z")
Randomly mailing certs to some REC somewhere effectively guarantees they were thrown in the trash. Sorry to say. ---
**Author:** ![CoastalTrader](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/coastaltrader/32/71776_2.png) [@CoastalTrader](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/CoastalTrader)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 11:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/34 "2021-08-24T11:59:30Z")
> [@jdcavo](#): > > Fax? Are they still a thing? I haven’t sent or received a fax since the last century. Yup. Still a thing. I don’t recall faxing anything to the NMC, but occassionally I’ve had to use [gotfreefax.com](http://gotfreefax.com) to send something. ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 2:03pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/35 "2021-08-24T14:03:51Z")
Doctors and hospitals won’t email medical records, only FAX (citing HIPPA), except for doctors in Alaska that will email with a consent form. ---
**Author:** ![jdcavo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jdcavo/32/108_2.png) [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/36 "2021-08-24T14:23:18Z")
I was being partially facetious. From the doctor in our office I’m aware that fax is still widely used by doctor’s offices. I don’t have a detailed knowledge of HIPAA, but it seems that its privacy intentions can be equally or better accomplished by other now standard methods of sending PII by email - encrypted messages with the encryption key provided separately. Anyone passing the fax machine can pick up and read or copy a fax. Encrypted email goes directly to the person with legitimate and valid need to know. ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/37 "2021-08-24T16:05:33Z")
Obamacare was supposed to facilitate the ready availability of complete medical records. HIPAA obstructs that and creates insurmountable barriers to transmitting medical records for mariners on most vessels. It difficult enough on shore. Faxing records is also a lot more expensive. Since most faxes nowadays get sent over the internet through computers, they are no more secure as email, probably less. HIPAA is another well intentioned government Requirement that does more harm than good. ---
**Author:** ![Menizzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Menizzi](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Menizzi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/38 "2021-08-24T19:45:42Z")
The nightmare continues: So I called up the nmc retards and rejects only to be informed that none of my e-mails have been received. I sent the certs via e-mail each day for like 5 days straight nope they have nothing. I copied the e-mail right from the site. [https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/contact/](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/contact/) Then the whole page 6 medical shit comes up again. It was the doctors fault for not checking the do you take any meds box. so i have to fix that. Then i asked the lady if you had my request for my sea service records to be pulled for the evaluator that i asked for 2 days ago… FUCK NO NO REQUEST RECIVED. But she will make the request. Can i have proof that you did it? Sir i would not say i am doing it then not do it… Me: lol in my mind ---
**Author:** ![MAK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MAK](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/MAK)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/39 "2021-08-24T19:55:19Z")
If you run into an asshole in the morning then you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you’re the asshole. ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/40 "2021-08-24T19:57:20Z")
It’s your fault for not checking the application to make sure everything was filled out properly prior to sending it in. Blame the doc all you want but there’s literally a checklist of “common mistakes made” on med certs, no doubt that mistake is on there. Maybe if you weren’t such a retarded reject you would’ve checked the application before you emailed it and saved yourself the headache. ---
**Author:** ![Sand\_Pebble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sand\_Pebble](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sand_Pebble)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403/41 "2021-08-24T19:57:38Z")
> [@Menizzi](#): > > So I called up the nmc retards and rejects … > [@Menizzi](#): > > But she will make the request. Can i have proof that you did it? Sir i would not say i am doing it then not do it… It might be easier & faster for you if you legally change your name & start from scratch. They might have an unflattering nickname for you at the nmc & perhaps you’re going to have troubles every step of the way, or at least until they forget about the antics associated with your case. [Previous page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/my-renewal-horror-story-get-ready-boys/60403.md?page=3)