[QUOTE=skip jiblet;146169]DO NOT GET OUT. I am retired Navy, did 20 and that was all. I got my license while I was in (at the 15 year point). I utilized my Navy experience/tonnage to qualify for an upper level license. Gained experience working with local companies where I lived, started decking and eventually worked into the wheel house; all this while on active duty.
If you can tolerate the BS, stay in for 20, this will be huge payoff for you. I get 30K in retirement pay, pay no company insurance because I fall under the TRICARE umbrella (family covered too), and only work half the year.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the advice! Im staying reserve so my medical will be good family included. And when it come to tolerate the BS… well. Is tough now days with budget cuts but somehow we have to do tripe the work. I prefer to get overtime for the time I put in. Is just not for me anymore
I’m an OS in the USCG with 13.5 years in and 2yrs 7months on Cutters over 100gt. I’ll probably have another 3yr tour at sea before I retire but want to get a jump start on my license. I’ve received some conflicting advise on what I need to do. I got the forms to have my former command sign off my my navigation drills and life boat training but then heard on here and elsewhere that the NMC won’t except them. I’m going for my AB limited for now based on sea time. The maritime training school in my area quoted me nearly $5,000 to get everything I need for AB. Seems a bit steep but I know nothing so I’d like to hear from those who’ve done it. Also, after reading on this forum it seems like there are a lot of unemployed merchant mariners around which is contrary to what I’ve always been told. Would I be better off going to someone like Military Sealift Command than trying to get in a union then hunting for a job?
[QUOTE=Ozuye;146621]…The maritime training school in my area quoted me nearly $5,000 to get everything I need for AB. Seems a bit steep but I know nothing so I’d like to hear from those who’ve done it… [/QUOTE]
If you have the sea time, all you need for AB is Lifeboatman and take an exam. A course for Lifeboatman is about one week, so $5000 seems high. It’s also possible that they are including another one week course that will substitute for the Coast Guard exam in their price. You don’t “need” that course, you can take an exam at the REC.
It’s also possible this includes STCW Basdic Safety Training (BST). You do not need BST to get the AB endorsement, but your employment options might be limited without it. If so, this would include another one week of BST. So if what they are quoting you is for all 3 of these courses, $5000 may not be too far from reasonable. I would ask them to tell you exactly what your $5K gets you, i.e. what specific courses and what the Coast Guard approcved them for.
[QUOTE=Ozuye;146621]I’m an OS in the USCG with 13.5 years in and 2yrs 7months on Cutters over 100gt. I’ll probably have another 3yWould I be better off going to someone like Military Sealift Command than trying to get in a union then hunting for a job?[/QUOTE]
You need an AB ticket before you worry about that. Seems like there are always people waiting around for the M/V Big Rock Candy Mountain but when I started I jumped on whatever was available…
MSC takes a long time to process applications, I wouldn’t sit around waiting for MSC if there were jobs on the board at the union hall. If you ask likely they will tell you how long you will have to wait for a job. You can put in apps at other places while going to the hall.
Joining the union is not like joining the military, once you complete an assignment and have been paid off you’re free to do what ever you want.
[QUOTE=Ozuye;146621]I’m an OS in the USCG with 13.5 years in and 2yrs 7months on Cutters over 100gt. I’ll probably have another 3yr tour at sea before I retire but want to get a jump start on my license. I’ve received some conflicting advise on what I need to do. I got the forms to have my former command sign off my my navigation drills and life boat training but then heard on here and elsewhere that the NMC won’t except them. I’m going for my AB limited for now based on sea time. The maritime training school in my area quoted me nearly $5,000 to get everything I need for AB. Seems a bit steep but I know nothing so I’d like to hear from those who’ve done it. Also, after reading on this forum it seems like there are a lot of unemployed merchant mariners around which is contrary to what I’ve always been told. Would I be better off going to someone like Military Sealift Command than trying to get in a union then hunting for a job?[/QUOTE]
MSC Atlantic in NJ, and MSC Pacific in CA, both offer inexpensive USCG approved courses to civilian mariners. Some are restricted to MSC employees, but others open to anyone. MARAD offers Basic and Advanced Firefighting in Toledo for only $125. The Army Transportation Corp also offers a lot of courses. Those are not open to civilians, but maybe they would let Coastguardsmen in.
A sad fact of life is that most civilian mariners will need to spend tens of thousands of dollars on STCW courses. If the company pays thats nice. If you can get a workforce grant it will help you. The rest of us pay retail, but it pays to shop carefully.
