NMC wait time for New License

Are you a MERPAC member or a Quixotic venturer into the swamp?

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I am a Master who cares about the treatment of his shipmates across the country and a proud Coast Guardsman who is ashamed about how his former service is treating his fellow Mariners and trying to fix it.

MERPAC (Merchant Mariner Personnel Advisory Committee) is owned by Industry Upper Management and is also on my list for “correction” as Delbert Grady would dare say… :unamused:

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Thanks. What boat are you on so we can make sure those thousands of people can make sure to ignore your cries of help or at least get an extra cup of coffee when you really need help. Tell your Congressperson if it bothers you that much instead of whining like a liberal. :rofl:

Actually I believe it should be the CO of NMC’s boss that should be court martialled or cashiered. I have talked to her and her hands are tied.

Don’t worry I have been telling Congress.

While the Coast Guard does many worthwhile things and even does some of them well, like search and rescue, most of what they do is ridiculously over staffed and a waste of time and money.

If the aids who do little more than carry admiral’s briefcases and lug their golf clubs were reassigned to NMC, there would be no licensing backlog.

I have to agree with you there, plus their cooks too, they each have their own to do their ironing too. Though I doubt and Ensign would be much use at NMC.

The USCG could save itself (and everyone else) a lot of aggravation, embarrassment, expense, and unnecessary administrative burdens by simplifying the system for obtaining MMC endorsements.

While the US maritime industry is in a period of contraction with an oversupply of mariners, this is the time to do it.

For starters, do away with US GRT, and only use ITC GT tonnage for MMC purposes.

With the exception of yacht club launch tender licenses, 6-pack licenses, tourist boat licenses, river and Inland licenses, etc., follow the internationally recognized STCW certification scheme for all other endorsements. Raise certification knowledge and training requirements to European levels, and relax seatime tonnage requirements to European levels.

Establish new and improved requirements for an entry level MMC. Require satisfactory completion of an intensive 30 day course (fundamental deckhand and engine room skills, and safety, security and survival skills) to even apply for an MMC. This would reduce the number of applications The USCG has to process and assure that people with an entry level MMC have basic necessary skills.

Simplify and reduce the number and type of AB and Qmed endorsements, and the number and type of exams.

Reduce the number of STCW Deck license exams to only four exams: Master and Mate 500 GT oceans, and Master and Mate oceans Unlimited. This would reduce the number and type of applications and exams that mariners and the USCG need to deal with.

Do something similar for the STCW Engine license exams.

Clearly, the USCG cannot handle the current licensing monster that it has created, and it’s too much of an unnecessary burden on both the USCG and mariners. It’s time to simplify to a logical STCW compliant system.

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Does anyone have any thoughts about how long to wait before for asking a congressman to give the MMC a nudge?

My application is “pending assignment” to a PQE. It’s taken more than 6 weeks since I hand-delivered it to the REC to get this far.