I don’t know why the US coast guard doesn’t crew their Buoy Tender vessels and ice breaking tugs with civilians. It would definitely be cheaper. The mission of these vessels can easily bc taken up my civilians.
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Having to show up with your own ship to demonstrate some maneuvers would certainly add to the cost of getting a license.
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They used to have an AB to Mate program, and although when I was hired years ago the recruiter discussed it, they haven’t had the program since maybe 2015? They are starting to cover training for requested classes (even if they aren’t “necessary” for AB), and I have had them cover a rigging class, netmending training, Advanced Firefighting and Fast Rescue Boat as an AB, as I am personally working toward 3M (I’m taking the rest of the classes on my own this fall/winter). Feel free to have your daughter message me any questions.
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More likely 2013-2014. Anyone starting their service after then would have to meet all of STCW for OICNW.
And they have always been like that When I was hired in 1980 they must’ve had 100 new hires at the office with me A year later I doubt 10 were still there
Most of the OS’s hired out of Norfolk appeared to never having worked a single day in their lives. They had to be shown things as simple as how to hold a paint brush.
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NOAA sent me to their OCS (BOTC) as a civilian way back when it was at KP. It was a strange experience being the only civilian in the class. The courses did satisfy all of the requirements for my 3M license. I moved on when I realized I would be the permanent trainer of all future JOODs with little chance of moving up. Moving up would mean one less billet for a mid grade officer, that’s not good.
I made some great friends and have since gone on to earn an UL Masters license. 8.5/10
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That’s very interesting. First I’ve heard of that. Were you the only civilian ever sent to BOTC, that you know or?
I know of 2 others that did the program I went through. I was the last one. It was called A-B-C school because there were 3 phases at KP with sea time in between. The NOAA Corps officers in that program were supposed to sit for a license when they had accrued enough sea time. I’m not sure if any of them did or not.
It’s an interesting experience. I don’t get why they didn’t just commission you in that case, but that’s just one of the mysteries of NOAA Corps.
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I remember the NOAA students when I was at KP. As an engineer, I had no interaction with them, other than seeing them every once and awhile since they were housed in the basement of Palmer Hall. Not a large contingent by any means. Not even sure if there were any engineers among them.
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That is the crux of the question. Why do US taxpayers need to pay for another branch of military service that get full military benefits but never goes in harms way?There are only 330 of them at last count but it takes two admirals at full military rank to oversee them? How many people does a USCG or US Navy admiral oversee? As far as the ships are concerned there is nothing the unlicensed NOAA ‘officers’ do that could not be done by civilian mariners at less expense even after providing normal benefits.NOAA officer Corps is a waste of money.
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yea, noaa was always trying to get one of their own to stick around the engine rooms, for some reason they never ever could hang with it for much more than a few days …
in fact, in my years with noaa i never did see noaa corp anywhere but the bridge!
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Things may have changed but back in the day NOAA officers that were in ships got “hardship” pay simply for being on a ship instead of the cushy office job where they spend for over half of their career. Whenever some congress critter starts talking about cutting government waste I think of NOAA. The mere existence of a NOAA Corps is the epitome of government waste.
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i don’t know if noaa corp has a “slot” for any engineering positions but I never saw a reason there couldn’t of been a noaa corp officer with a chief engineer rating/license
but as we know it’s quite a slog to become cme!!
If my memory is correct during my employment there in the 80’s the officers posted to the ship got a housing allowance to live off ship. They all scored pretty decent gigs. If you were a wage mariner you were SOL. Nothing. I can’t remember if the off ship housing money continued away from port.
What a racket the NOAA Corps is. 330 officer roster and two Admirals.
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It’s like a plethora of other gov’t jobs where you can find a niche and become immune from firing or layoffs.
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There should be a petition started to eliminate the NOAA Corp from positions that professional mariners could fill.
Gcaptain/ @john should get a petition going for people to sign electronically on the Gcaptain website. Then it could eventually be given to big wigs in the department of the navy, maritime administration/ department of transportation, and department of commerce (which noaa is under, etc.)
@john you have the power to turn this forum suggestion into action to secure jobs for and strengthen the US maritime community. Can you make this happen?
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They wouldn’t need one, it’s a public vessel.
I mean the same is true of the deck officers. I don’t see the difference. If you’re going to have uniformed commissioned officers, why not engine also.