Currently im serving my fourth year in the US Submarine Force and I am trying to keep my options open. I get out of the navy in two years and I am interested in joining the merchant marines. I have studied a little bit about the industry and it seems the real money is in the engineering department. Im currently finishing my associates degree with the goal of a mechanical engineering degree. I know i need an assortment of licenses to sail, but I still have a few questions.
What academies are veteran friendly?
Should I suspend college until I attend one?
What position/ career path pays the most?
What platform travels the most?
and finally, just like how I could tell you all the DO’s and the DONT’s of the submarine force,
What are the DO’s and DONT’s of the merchant marines.
Welcome to the party, couple things to start you off: this is the US Merchant Marine and its members are Merchant Mariners. There is no such beast as “merchant marines”. Marines are in the Marine Corps.
Luckily for you all of the academies I’ve ever heard of are veteran friendly and would be happy to have you. Don’t think of attending an academy as putting off college, all of the maritime academies are fully accredited colleges and/or universities and you more than likely won’t leave with less than a bachelor of science.
As for the do’s and don’ts and all the rest, I’ll leave that to everyone else but I’ll just say thank you for your service and I hope you find success and happiness in your career in the merchant fleet.
[QUOTE=jrowles727;157375]I know i need an assortment of licenses to sail, but I still have a few questions.[/QUOTE]
actually, you need only one license…everything else are endorsements
[QUOTE=jrowles727;157375]What position/ career path pays the most?[/QUOTE]
you really should not be asking this question. Everyone needs to get certified first and to think you can just pick the biggest money route is very naive…it ain’t that easy! btw, what is your rate in the subs? it would be helpful for us to know. do you fix sonars or just listen to them.? do you run the nuke plant or are you a cook?
[QUOTE=jrowles727;157375]What are the DO’s and DONT’s of the merchant marines.[/QUOTE]
same as in a sub, don’t piss on the shoes of the CO or the Chief of the Boat
[QUOTE=PaddyWest2012;157377]Welcome to the party, couple things to start you off: this is the US Merchant Marine and its members are Merchant Mariners. There is no such beast as “merchant marines”. Marines are in the Marine Corps.[/QUOTE]
thank you for sparing me the need to correct the guy…I cannot abide persons who use the term “merchant marines”!
DONT END UP LIKE THIS GUY ^^^^ someone spared him the need to correct u, but he is soo high and mighty,he corrected u twice without even realizing. He is soo fukkin awesome, he cant stand himself.
go for the money…dont worry bout him!
Why are you guys saying “go for the money”? That’s a sure path to a miserable life. If you are miserable, your wife will be miserable too. She may even pack her bags and leave with all your hard earned money. Then you have no wife and no money.
Dude. Follow your heart. The world already has too many people who hate their jobs. Don’t join those ranks.
Go to an Academy and explore the maritime offerings. Find the major and career path which suits you best.
[QUOTE=Jetryder223;157398]Why are you guys saying “go for the money”? That’s a sure path to a miserable life. If you are miserable, you wife will be miserable too. She may even pack her bags and leave with all your hard earned money. Then you have no wife and no money.
Dude. Follow your heart. The world already has too many people who hate their jobs. Don’t join those ranks.
Go to an Academy and explore the maritime offerings. Find the major and career path which suits you best.
Don’t worry - be happy.[/QUOTE]
how did such a young man end up having so much wisdom? I am quite impressed by how your mind works sir…
I would think all the academies are veteran friendly, at least from the admissions standpoint. Will you be under 24 at the point you’re ready to start at an academy? If so, then you could consider Kings Point. If not–or, for that matter, if you can get a GI Bill scholarship, then definitely give due consideration to any of the six state maritime academies. Search these forums to get a sort of idea of what each has to offer and whether it might fit your personality. A place like Kings Point might not be the best place for a veteran–they would probably take you in, but you’d probably have a hard time listening to 19 and 20 year old kids yelling at you when you’ve already been there and done that.
If you’re going to take college classes, try to knock out your basic classes–English, physics, chemistry, calculus, that sort of thing. Those credits are likely to transfer. Anything else you might have trouble transferring, and therefore you would be paying to get the same class twice.
Assuming you’re looking to attend an academy, then your two career paths are deck and engineering. I would think that, overall, neither pays more than the other. If you enjoy the engineering side–and, not incidentally, might be looking for a path shoreside at some point–then engineering is the way to go. Just keep in mind that, once you decide which way you want to go, you’re pretty well locked into that path.
Depends on what you mean by “travels the most”. If you like to be underway all the time, a coastwise run is the way to go–this includes, but is not limited to, tugboats and supply boats. If you like to see all manner of exotic ports, then you definitely want to go what’s called “deep sea”–in other words, the big ships. Going to a maritime academy will set you on this path.
One more thing to keep in mind–you will probably be shocked when you step on, say, a merchant ship and discover it’s being run by 21 people or thereabouts. That’s total–Captain, all deck, all engine, all steward department. Which means you jolly well have to pull your weight.
DO listen to your supervisor. DO keep your head on a swivel. DO keep your eyes open for hazards. DO keep your ears open for any little nugget that you can learn from or that will help you do your job better. DON’T tell your supervisor that he’s doing it wrong. DON’T step into your first job assuming you know it all. DON’T take criticism personally–many of your shipmates will be what can charitably be described as “crusty”, but if you’ve worked for a chief worthy of the title, then you’re probably used to this anyway.
Thanks to all for the feedback! I know I have alot ahead of me, didnt mean to come off as an a$$, but im confident because ill regret if I dont try this out.
To make things easier i’m a missile technician. so I work with hydraulics, high pressure air, nitrogen. and above all electrical engineering.
I totally understand the pulling your weight part, submarines is an awful lot like that.
As for the money, I love the sea and sailing, Im just looking for the best deal. Ill take less money if the job is right.
Well I guess ill keep my eyes open for “deep sea” jobs.
I do have a bit more questions though fellas…
Is it all union work?
How would I get the 6 month underway for 100k that I hear so much about? If thats true…
How is SUNY Maritime? (Have a buddy that says its great but looking for different opinions)
Between deck and engineering, which has more movement up the ranks? ( since ill already be 24 when im a civilian again)
I’m at Port Ops Kings Bay and I have contacts up in Groton.
PaddyWest has sound advice as do others in the thread.
An Engineering License will provide more opportunities ASHORE, in my opinion. Not an issue on the front side but alternatives are nice on the back side.
Pretty simple - Keep yer head on a swivel and do what yer told
If I can be of any help, lemme know, I’m in the NMCI Global Address book.
[QUOTE=greenhorn;157385]DONT END UP LIKE THIS GUY ^^^^ someone spared him the need to correct u, but he is soo high and mighty,he corrected u twice without even realizing. He is soo fukkin awesome, he cant stand himself.
go for the money…dont worry bout him![/QUOTE]