Hello everyone. I have been accepted to attend Kings Point with the class of 2020. Ever since I was 6 I have wanted to become a ship captain, so being accepted to KP is really amazing. As of now, I fully plan on sailing on merchant ships, but out of curiousity, I would like to know if one can advance their license in the merchant marine by sailing in the navy. For example, if you spend 365 days as a surface warfare officer, would you then be considered a second officer in the merchant marine? Also, is it common for people to graduate, fufill their service obligation as an active duty officer and then sail on their license? Thanks.
Advancing in the Merchant Marine
- Thread starter Dsstern98
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- Oct 21, 2009
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Yes and yes.
The coast guard publishes very explicit guidance on how active duty military (USCG and Army have ships/boats too) sea time is counted for licensing, both original and upgrade. The document you would look for is the "Marine Safety Manual volume III". Don't sweat it now though, you are way to early in the process to worry about specifics since the document and your own career choices can change in the next four years.
To everyone ... the Marine Safety Manual is the "bible" for dealing with the USCG and the National Maritime Center on licensing issues. You may find out that you can get more license than you thought at your next upgrade or that you can upgrade even sooner that expected. Especially if you are not sailing deep sea and are interested in Limited licenses. The MSM lays out what additional licenses you can get just for the asking based on what unlimited licenses you already have and what positions you can sail as based on an unlimited license. It is what your license evaluators are supposed to use for guidance in any situation not explicitly covered by the CFRs. I say "supposed to" because evaluators are sometime the proverbial brick wall that you beat your head against.
Personally its been hit and miss on them actually following it. Even when I referred to specific citations and sections, the response I got was "my LCDR told me that manual was obsolete". When I retorted with "since the document has not been cancelled or superseded, the Commandant of the Coast Guard disagrees with your LCDR" he said I should just protest and hung up.
The coast guard publishes very explicit guidance on how active duty military (USCG and Army have ships/boats too) sea time is counted for licensing, both original and upgrade. The document you would look for is the "Marine Safety Manual volume III". Don't sweat it now though, you are way to early in the process to worry about specifics since the document and your own career choices can change in the next four years.
To everyone ... the Marine Safety Manual is the "bible" for dealing with the USCG and the National Maritime Center on licensing issues. You may find out that you can get more license than you thought at your next upgrade or that you can upgrade even sooner that expected. Especially if you are not sailing deep sea and are interested in Limited licenses. The MSM lays out what additional licenses you can get just for the asking based on what unlimited licenses you already have and what positions you can sail as based on an unlimited license. It is what your license evaluators are supposed to use for guidance in any situation not explicitly covered by the CFRs. I say "supposed to" because evaluators are sometime the proverbial brick wall that you beat your head against.
Personally its been hit and miss on them actually following it. Even when I referred to specific citations and sections, the response I got was "my LCDR told me that manual was obsolete". When I retorted with "since the document has not been cancelled or superseded, the Commandant of the Coast Guard disagrees with your LCDR" he said I should just protest and hung up.