Career Track ?

downhiller2010

downhiller2010

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So lets say I hypothetically graduate from KP and receive a commission in the USCG. I then opt to go to CG flight school.

1) Is there any way to maintain my deck officers license while a pilot?
2) If I can not maintain the license is there any way it can be reinstated without going through another regimental program?
 
downhiller2010 said:
So lets say I hypothetically graduate from KP and receive a commission in the USCG. I then opt to go to CG flight school.

1) Is there any way to maintain my deck officers license while a pilot?
2) If I can not maintain the license is there any way it can be reinstated without going through another regimental program?
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downhiller2010,

I would say yes.

I fly with a gentlemen who graduated from KP. Who flew in the Navy and now the Navy Reserve and is a major airline pilot. He's been in the airlines for about fifteen years and still holds his USCG License. Not sure if its Deck or Engine. I also fly with former USCG pilots.

luv2fly
 
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This has become more difficult in recent years:

In order to renew your license you need to have either sailed X number of days in the past X years, or you need to retake a test. For deckies you will also need to retake your Radar endorsement.

Now, along with the license you also need to renew your STCW certificate which has different requirements than the license. The latest requirements mean that if you are not sailing you need to go retake the Basic Safety Training course which is usually around 5 days long. The cost is variable depending on where you take it.

I personally had to go through this when renewing recently because I was in med school. I ended up going to MITAGS in Baltimore one night to redo my radar cert. I went to the CG station there to renew my license. A few months later I went back to MITAGS to take the 5 day BST course (I think it was around 1,000 bucks) so I could then renew my STCW cert. With all of these I would still be able to go and sail as a Third Mate.

I'm sure this will get more and more difficult to accomplish as the years go on. On active duty you would need to take leave to do the course, but it can be done. Once you have renewed once to meet the KP graduation requirements it would be possible to 'renew for continuity purposes' which would make the license part easier, but then you would likely lose the STCW which may be more of a pain to get than the license.

If you fail to renew your license you would have all sorts of trouble getting it back.
 
It would just be nice to possibly have the option of retiring from the CG and going into shipping. If not, flying commercially wouldn't be so bad either. :biggrin:
 
downhiller2010 said:
It would just be nice to possibly have the option of retiring from the CG and going into shipping. If not, flying commercially wouldn't be so bad either. :biggrin:
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Not sure this is really a safe thing to consider doing. Do you really think that after 20 years out of the industry you would still have the needed knowledge to safely operate a ship?

Having the license to and actually doing it are two different things.
 
It wouldn't necessarily be twenty years. The great thing about KP is that there are tons of options upon graduation. I'm just trying to evaluate all the possible paths.
 
downhiller2010 said:
So lets say I hypothetically graduate from KP and receive a commission in the USCG. I then opt to go to CG flight school.

1) Is there any way to maintain my deck officers license while a pilot?
2) If I can not maintain the license is there any way it can be reinstated without going through another regimental program?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you chose the best forum to ask this, but since I found it anyway, maybe you did. You can keep your license and STCW current without sailing. At the time of renewal you will need to either re-take STCW Basic Safety Training (5 days) or one of the few Basic Safety Training Refresher courses (3 days). You'll also be mailed two open book tests to complete and return, one in Rules, and one in everything else (no nav. problems).

You'll also need to have a current TWIC, and complete the usual medical and drug test requirements.

You can also put your license into "continuity" (if your service commitment allows it). Yoy have to do this while it's current. Continuity essentially puts the license on hold. You don't nered to do any of the other requirements when you put it in continuity. When/if you want to restore the license to an active status, you would have to do all of the normal renewal steps I described above.

Contact me if you have any other questions. Use the e-mail berlow as I don't watch this forum regularly.
 
downhiller2010 said:
It wouldn't necessarily be twenty years.
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downhiller2010 said:
It would just be nice to possibly have the option of retiring from the CG and going into shipping.
Click to expand...

Just responding to what you write. Your initial service obligation for a flight slot would be 10 years, I believe (it's 8yrs after winging for Navy and I believe the same or longer for CG) so keep that in mind as well.
 
Your right. I am pretty dead set on commissioning cg, but I haven't made up my mind on a billet yet. I'd prefer to be underway or go to flight school, but I have some time to think.
 
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