Every year, the cadets and faculty of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy hold a dinner, known as the Battle Standard.  It commemorates the cadets who have lost their lives in various American wars, while on active service.  Primarily, it memorializes the 142 who died on duty during the Second World War.  The most famous of these was Edwin J. O’Hara, who won the Distinguished Service Medal, and gave his life, firing on the heavily armed German raider STIER from his sinking Liberty Ship, STEPHEN HOPKINS.  Today, there is an O’Hara Hall at King’s Point.  O’Hara’s medal was presented to his mother.  Beginning in 1943, the names of Cadet Corpsmen who died in service began to be honored with the assignment of their names to Liberty Ships; five cadet-midshipmen and at least two graduates were so recognized.    The EDWIN JOSEPH O’HARA was the first such memorial.  Today, the memorial Liberty Ships, bearing the names of the very young King’s Pointers who gave their lives in the Pacific, and the Battle of the Atlantic are long gone.  The Battle Standard, inscribed with the number 142, and the shield and emblem of the Academy is displayed at King’s Point to represent their sacrifice.  The school, of course, is the true memorial of the regiments of cadets that have passed through its doors, in service to the United States.

The true value of the United States Merchant Marine Academy lies in its essential nature: what the late Senator Russell Long described as a “permanent internationally-respected professional institution”.  Others have called it “the University of the Sea”.

No sooner had the Second World War ended, than rumors began to circulate that the school would be abolished.  In the nearly 70 years since, these rumors have continued to reappear from time to time.  A faithful body of alumni has always rallied to the cause, and despite the United States government’s lack of concern for things maritime, the school has endured and even flourished.  What has not, however, blossomed with the passage of time has been the government agency in charge of supporting and maintaining King’s Point.  It is startling to see photographs dating from the mid-1950s of units of cadets drawn up in Rockefeller Plaza, at the site of the famous skating rink, to commemorate National Maritime Day – then sponsored by the American Merchant Marine Institute.  These dress parades were joint efforts of King’s Point and Fort Schuyler, the State University of New York Maritime School just across the Sound.  The thought of reviving a cadet muster in the heart of Manhattan, to advertise the two academies, and the fact that we have a merchant marine, seems to have occurred to nobody.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy cadets march down Pennsylvania Avenue in the Inaugural parade on January 20, 1965, the day Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as 36th President of the United States. (UPI Photo)

At the present time, the Academy is losing its training ship, the KING’S POINTER; when a replacement will be obtained, if one ever is, is a matter of speculation.  The United States has for many years evaded a commitment to the training of merchant mariners.  We are told that budgets are tight, and the campus itself could be put to better use.  Much of the problem seems to lie in the fact that maritime policy is framed by political appointees who have no previous experience or connection with seagoing commerce.  If King’s Point disappears, it will have been a victim, along with many other maritime assets, of a political culture that has turned its back on the sea.  Maritime awareness can be revived, but it will take leadership.

To reach the author, go to www.claymaitland.com or Twitter @claymaitland

How quick could you remove this ring from the cradle? Have you tried?

Standing on the bridge wing of a container ship years ago, a captain was telling me all about the Williamson Turn and how effective it was at putting his massive ship on a line straight back from whence it came. He practices them at every man overboard (MOB) drill on his vessel (and logs the training, thank you) and seemed very pleased with himself and his crew’s ability to find find me should I fall overboard. Laying out the details of his MOB procedures, he got to the part where a mate would release the smoke float and life ring from the bridge wing.

“Let try it,” I said. Grabbing the ring to prevent it from falling , “Pull the pin.” I’d been looking at the release mechanism – a simple pin through the bulwark at the end of the bridge wing – and wondered how easily the ring would fall. With a confidence in his stride, the third mate walked past his skipper and grabbed hold of the red handle. “I’ve got the ring, don’t worry,” – then he gave it a twist and pull.

Nothing – nothing happened. The pin was stuck, enlarged by too many coats of paint and expanding corrosion. A full minute and thirty-eight seconds later, after desperate grunting and twisting, he got the pin out. The captain just looked at me and said, “You’re kidding me.” (though he used a different word than kidding – I was feeling his pain.)

“Now do we start that turn,” I asked?  Oddly, I was the only one smiling.

Right now, many of you are thinking “lack of maintenance,” but that wasn’t the problem. I believe it was cause by a lack of practice. Until I said “Let’s try it.” the idea of pulling that pin during every MOB had never occurred to them. It was always done as a simulation. The idea of the gravity-dropped life ring deployed by a simple pin pull is so simple, that nobody thinks to practice it. They hadn’t violated any rules or established maintenance practices. The ring was just replaced a few months prior. But how often do you pull that pin? Why would you?

Of all the tools that mariners use at sea, the things they may need the most are used the least. Survival gear and rescue equipment – basically everything in the LSA Code – is stuff you really need when you need it, but rarely get the chance to use. It doesn’t necessarily have to be that way. Lowering and running of the lifeboats happens enough I suppose, sure; but when was the last time all hands fired off a flare, lit off the EPIRB, or….deployed the smoke float and life ring from the bridge wing? They aren’t always things you can do all the way, but those first steps can usually be practiced at any time – scheduled or not – making everyone a little safer and more informed about their use.

How is the spring behind your EPIRB cradle? You can remove that thing and re-cradle it anytime you want. Why would you? So you can be really good at removing it for one, and also because you get to know how the spring behind the cradle looks. Don’t just walk by the pyro locker on the way back to the bridge: open it up. pull out a parachute flare – check out it’s condition – and read the instructions. Why? Well besides the obvious, you get to see that the instruction label is still even there and legible; an important feature of the device if you ask me. And don’t even pretend that all hands can use that line throwing device.

I believe two things about handling survival equipment during an emergency -

1. It is always tougher than it may seem; and

2. It is not something you want to do for the first time (or second or third) during an actual emergency.

You don’t always have to go all the way to full use of the gear to make things better. But why not do what you can when you can? The entire crew is wearing a Type I PFD during a drill, yes? Do they turn on the light? Will all the lights work?

There is only one way to find out, and it’s free. Lots of stuff on your boat is like that. So consider doing more than just walking by the emergency stuff. Do more than simulate when you can. Open the fire extinguisher box to see how easily or not it opens. Removed the cap on the tube containing the fire plan – that is the only way to make sure it’s in there. And, for the sake of anyone who might fall overboard, hold onto the ring and pull that pin.

What other things can be done without being completely done aboard your vessel? Because, going through some of the motions is better than going through none of them at all.

Beyond Boot Camp; Rescue, Recover, Rewarm -  is a follow up DVD to Cold Water Boot Camp on the best techniques and practices used to safely recover hypothermic victims from cold water.  My job?  Easy.  Get in the water and stay there until I am hypothermic.  If you read my last article, then you know it will take at least an hour in the sub 40 degree lake to get my core temperature to drop that far.  I sign the form and think one more time, “what the hell am I doing here?”

Two days later I’m lying on a stretcher, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, violently shivering and in considerable pain.  The water temp on lake Eerie had dropped to 32.6 -  the effect freezing water has on your hands, feet, and other ….parts… is amazing.  Dr. Gordon Geisbrecht – the project’s medical director and the world’s leading authority on environmental injury – had lowered the max immersion time (thanks Doc) to insure that the pain was not accompanied by real damage. Still, me and the other idiots who signed the release form were in considerable pain and discomfort.  Looking up at the professional medics, firefighters, Coast Guard, and other municipal rescue workers ; I realized exactly what the hell I was doing there.  We were all learning things.

Being recovered from Lake Eerie – December 2010

It turns out that there are as many misconceptions about the treatment of hypothermia as there are myths about the condition itself, and if this project would help save lives like Cold Water Boot Camp did before it, then that was reason enough to be cold and wet just one more time.

The National Water Safety Congress released the DVD last winter, but I thought I’d share to gCaptain readers what we  learned about caring for victims of accidental cold water immersion.

Important Note: What follows is advice about caring for victims pulled from cold water – specifically tailored for mariners at sea.  This is because “at sea” is a place that often also means “hours, if not days, from a advanced care”.  That makes “at sea” a much different place than say “at the marina – or beach” where professional medical assistance is nearby.  As working mariners – the average gCaptain reader may need to handle victims from the water to full recovery – so this advice is for you.

Be careful getting them out: Approximately 20% of those that die from accidental cold water immersion – do so during the rescue phase. There are ways to get victims out of the water right and ways to do it very wrong.  That’s because depending on a number of variables including time in the water, age, health, and half a dozen others – victims of cold water immersion may be in a very fragile physiological state.

Just being in water does things to the human body that change it. The pressure of the water on the limbs – particularly the legs (because they are deeper) – forces blood out of the legs and into the core and this raises blood pressure. When the water is cold, we get the added effect of constricting blood vessels in the outer skin layers and extremities (vasocontriction – see The Truth About Cold Water) and this also raises core blood pressure.  The body is trying to keep the core warm and more blood in the core and less every where else helps.

Without digging in too deep – you should know that when a person spends long periods of time in cold water, they have changed physically.  Their bodies contain warm blood and very cold blood; their heart has a decreased ability to speed up when it needs to, and veins and nervous systems have been temporarily altered in such a way that may have them on an edge very close to significant heart malfunction.  They are fragile – and must be treated carefully: Here are some best practices for the recovery from the water phase:

• Recover them as horizontally as possible: If you can avoid lifting them out of the water vertically, do it.  If you must lift them out vertically, get them laying down immediately once on board.  The hydrostatic pressure on their body has made it easier for their bodies to maintain blood pressure – as soon as they are removed, the heart has to work harder – and a cold heart doesn’t do well at working harder.
• No walking: They shouldn’t be walking around until the are completely recovered.  There is some very cold water in those limbs and for the time being, you want it to stay there.
• Don’t make them work for it: Don’t ask them to “pull” or to exert themselves in their own rescue if it can be avoided.  Remember, they are in a fragile cardiovascular state and climbing that net after being in the freezing water may be the last thing they ever do.
• Remember – None of this is as important as getting them out: If you’re at sea, and the only way to get them aboard is by hauling them over the rail like so many pounds of tuna – then haul away. Just do it….carefully, and be very gentle with them once they’re aboard.
• Stay calm – move slow: They do have to get out of the water – but doing things slow will make them smooth and smooth is what you want. If recovered to your rescue boat, do not rush at full speed back to the ship.  Pounding through waves is just as bad for them as any other rough handling.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Get Them Dry:

Just because you got them inside and out of the elements, doesn’t mean that they aren’t still cooling off.  Wet clothes will continue to cool them off and hinder their recovery.  Getting them dry sounds easy enough, but this is another area where there is a right way and a wrong way to do things:

• All modesty and dignity can be reserved for another day – once you have them inside the cabin – absolutely every stitch of wet clothing comes off.  It is also better to cut clothing off (safely – medical bandage scissors are best) rather than have them endure the flexing and stretching of the limbs that occurs by pulling it off the regular way.  You want them laying down and moving as little as possible.
• Use towels to gently pat the water from their skin and hair – NEVER rub them dry.  Trying to rewarm a victim by vigorous rubbing of their skin actually has the opposite effect.  It makes them colder.  A victims skin contains the coldest blood in their bodies and by rubbing it, you essentially push it back into play before the body is ready for it.
• Thickness equals warms:  wrapping them in layers of loose fitting blankets and keeping them inside a warm, dry place is the first goal after removal from the water.  Everything you have done so far has been about preventing further heat loss: If they are out of the elements, dry, and covered up – you have done at least that.

To get an idea how being wet in a cold environment can effect the human body, watch this video shot during the first day of “Beyond Boot Camp”.  This section was filmed to show rescuers how to remove a victim from the water and to a waiting ambulance.  I was only in the water for a minute – but after exposure to the 24 degree air and blowing wind for just a few moments – my wet clothes really did a number on my ….comfort…the intense shivering is not an act.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Keep Them Down

Now that they are dry and out of the elements – the recovery can begin.  If they are intensely shivering, that’s good.  But for those who have never seen it before, it is a little disconcerting.  It looks awful and feels even worse, but it is just the body trying to regulate temperature.  What I can tell you from experience is that the first ten minutes out of the water is far more painful than any ten minutes in it – but that if they are down and dry and shivering – things are looking very good.  What you want to do next is help them….wait for it…keep shivering

Get Them Calories:

If your recovered victim has been in the water long enough to be shivering violently, then they have been burning an awful lot of calories.  Depending on when they last ate, they may be running low on available fuel and need a boost.  Knowing that, what do you think is better for your freezing – shivering – crew member; a warm cup of water, or an icy cold soda?  (pick the soda) A warm sugary cocoa is better, but the point is that calories are more important than the temperature of the drink.  They need the calories to fuel the shivering until they are fully recovered.

Warm Them Up (maybe):

There are many methods and devices for adding heat to help rewarm hypothermic victims.  They range from complex medical devices like warm air infused blankets to simple heat packs or hot water bottles.  But if it was my ships hospital, I’d just make sure I had a simple heating blanket.  Put on low to medium they will provide radiating heat and everyone knows how to use them. Forced air systems have lots of parts to go bad, and heat packs can cause problems – even blistering – if they stay in contact with very cold skin.  Simply cranking the heat up in the cabin is another way to assist in recovery.  A warm bath or shower may seem like a good idea, but it isn’t.  Remember, the blood in their skin will be cold and not moving for a while.  What feels warm to you may be scolding hot to them.

One of my favorite myths about treatment is the old “climb in the sleeping bag with them” idea.  Don’t – do not – back off.  That may be a good idea to stay warm but not a good idea to re-warm a victim of cold immersion.  They do not need anyone pressing up against their cold skin and agitating their cold muscles.

Watch Them:

People recovering from cold water immersion can look miserable.  Their skin may be a red like a bad sunburn, they can shake violently, and they just sound like they are in pain – and they are.  But here is the thing: If you have done everything above and they are red and shivering and complaining about how miserable they are – they are probably just fine.  They are as uncomfortable as they have ever been in their lives, sure, but they are fine.  All you can do is let them lay there and get over it. Just watch them  until they are absolutely bored from laying there.  None of this “get back to work” stuff until hours have passed.  Of course, contact your medical authority and pass all pertinent information for recommendations.  Did they injest or inhale sea water? If they did, it can cause problems unrelated to the cold that may require a medevac just the same.

Continued Training:

To view the entire video series from Beyond Cold Water Boot Camp, USA – or to order the DVDs for use as a training tool at sea, please visit www.coldwaterbootcampusa.org.  Though produced primarily for professional medics and rescuers – the series is full of useful advice for anyone who works on or near the water.

disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Schooner Bowdoin Encounters Rough weather in the Laurentian Channel, image by Roberto Riveira, Maine Maritime Academy

In this modern age, all maritime schools are spending a great deal of money and time buying and training our students to operate the latest technologies in ship operations and management.  Why then would Maine Maritime Academy want to also train them to sail an eighty year old sailing ship?

The answers are many, but first let it be said that we don’t require all of our students to sail on our sail training vessel, the 1921 built, wooden, two-masted schooner Bowdoin.  We require our Vessel Operations & Technology students (candidates for 500 or 1600 ton licenses) to do so, and we encourage all others to do so.

The primary reason we encourage all students to take advantage of this training is that we consider it the finest basic training there is for a career at sea.  It is training with consequences.

How many mates, standing watch in the enclosed, air conditioned bridge of a container ship or tanker, do you think would be able to answer the question “What direction and strength is the wind at this moment?” without having to look, either out the wheelhouse windows, or worse, at the anemometer?  It would be a rare mate on a sailing ship who couldn’t tell you immediately, without even glancing at the compass.  Most of them could tell you even when they are off watch.  And most of them will notice, even when down below having dinner, if the wind shifts by more than a point.

Why?  Because such information has consequences on board a sailing ship.  It has consequences on board a container ship or a tanker as well, but too many mates are too far removed from their environment to notice such things.

A training program on board a sailing ship requires no contrived input from the “trainers” since the environment provides the curriculum.  If you simply require the trainees to plan and execute the voyage they will get plenty of training.  That is what makes it such a powerful training tool.  There need be no lecture on the effects of a wind shift on your planned route.  It will be obvious when it occurs, and it will demand a solution immediately.  There will be no grade to debate.  You will either arrive on time, and without damage, or you will not.  It will be quite clear if you have passed the final exam.

The consequence of each and every decision is obvious…sometimes painfully so.  A delayed decision about reefing might be made out of laziness, inattention to the changing conditions or simply out of decision-making paralysis.  Regardless of the reason, such a delay may easily require all hands to be called in the middle of the night to tie in a reef (shorten sail) in the midst of a squall, increasing the risk to all.  All hands will know who didn’t pass that test of seamanship.  There are consequences to even the smallest things.  A furled sail incorrectly secured to the spar will find its way out of its lashing in a squall, perhaps causing the loss of the sail.  The consequences of that mistake are more than financial.  Shipmates on some vessels will have to be put at risk to climb aloft to secure the damaged sail before more harm is done.  Then the vessel will have to proceed at reduced speed until a sail repair lesson is completed.

Auxiliary Sail class practicing reefing with MMA’s second, smaller schooner Puritan in Castine harbor, with the Bowdoin and many of our small boats in the background.

Every aspect of seamanship is revealed in its purest and most demanding form.  Some examples:

Meteorology:  You must understand the minutest details of meteorology if you are to take advantage of every slant of wind between departure and arrival.  To miss the signs of an approaching storm or squall can have severe consequences.

Marlinspike Seamanship:  You will use knots and splices, bends and beckets, deadeyes and lanyards, wire and rope, canvass stitches and patches, and rigging techniques that though old, are still important today.  For what is modern cargo gear (yes, even a container crane) but a refinement of the old sailing ship rig?  It may be nearly unrecognizable now, but the basic principles are exactly the same, and an understanding of the basics will help the mate understand the most modern equipment.

Stability:  A sailing ship is a stability model in motion.  You see and feel every force.  You are engaged in a perpetual inclining experiment.  You must constantly monitor the forces of the sails and the seas so as to stay within the safe limits of your dynamic stability curves.  While a sailing ship’s generous stability may be forgiving, the crew may not be when you cause them to be thrown from their bunks by misreading the approaching wave, or failing to slack a sheet.

Shiphandling:  As master of a modern containership, car carrier, or LNG ship you will be carrying more sail area than the largest sailing ship ever built.  If you don’t understand the effects of wind on a sail you will forever be at a disadvantage when handling your vessel.  If, however, you have learned to handle a sailing vessel you will find it intuitive to use the wind as an assisting force whenever possible.  Even when not under sail, a sailing ship is a strict teacher of shiphandling, for such vessels are typically under-powered, carry a large amount of windage, and have very delicate projections at each end (bowsprits and boomkins and such).

Cargo Stowage:  Given the amount of heel that sailing vessels typically carry when under sail, cargo stowage is arguably more demanding than on any other type of vessel.  Imagine being told to stow your cargo for a voyage that will be conducted with an anticipated list of ten degrees, which will alternate every few days from port to starboard.  And expect to roll deeply on a regular basis.  Your cargo lashings and shoring will be severely tested.

Navigation:  Gone is the notion of laying down a trackline in advance and following it for days or weeks on end.  Under sail there is no such thing as a rhumb line or a great circle track from departure to destination.  Every day is spent going in every direction but the one you desire, hoping to make good, on average, a track approximately toward your destination.  Your navigation is constantly challenged as you carry each tack as close to danger as circumstances and good seamanship permit, in order to take advantage of a good slant of wind.

Navigation instruction on board the Bowdoin, at Bras D’Or Lakes, Nova Scotia

Merchant Navies of many countries have long recognized the value of a traditional sailing vessel to train men and women to sail on power driven merchant ships.  Some of our students will benefit by this training for a merchant marine career.  But with all the traditional sailing ships operating in the world today, we are in fact training many of our students to be the mates and masters aboard these sailing vessels.  Tall Ships America (formerly the American Sail Training Association) lists over 150 such vessels in their directory, and all of them need qualified and certified mates and masters.  Maine Maritime Academy is the only school in the US where a student can get a college degree, a license, and all the necessary international certificates to sail in these positions.  We have a large number of faculty and staff with extensive experience in this field, and as a result we have assembled a concentration in Sail Training.  This curriculum includes courses dealing with topics such as rigging, sail handling, and sailing vessel stability.

In August of 2003 we determined by poll that forty percent of our incoming mate candidates considered sail training to be a “major” factor in their choice of MMA over other maritime colleges.  It is a niche market, and we are proud to be in the lead position in this unique field, especially since it compliments our core mission so well.

Details about MMA’s Sail Training Curriculum can be found at:  http://sailtraining.mma.edu/

Fast Rescue Boat training is one of the most enjoyable classes mariners need to take. Open ocean and fast boats combine with great locations like San Diego and Fort Lauderdale make FRB training a highlight of STCW certification. But all this may end with Kongsberg’s introduction of the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) Simulator. The company tells us:

Konsgberg Maritime is shipping in its Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) Simulator for the inaugural Nor-Shipping Campus, a new event introduced to engage students, the media, politicians and the general public with the maritime industry. As the company’s fastest boat simulator, the spectacle is expected to attract a lot of attention, especially as Kongsberg Maritime is allowing visitors to try it out for themselves.

The inclusion of the Kongsberg Maritime RHIB simulator at the Nor-Shipping Campus will provide young people, training institutions, shipowners and others a glimpse into the world of high technology maritime training systems. It
simulates faithfully the movement of a small, fast military boat using cutting-edge graphics, high-fidelity sound and six degrees of movement thanks to its full hydraulic motion.

“It’s certainly one of our most eye-catching simulators and we’re pretty sure that the people visiting the Nor-Shipping campus will agree when they see it and indeed get behind the wheel,” comments Marketing Coordinator Anne Voith, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation and Training. “We hope that the noise, vibration, action and high-fidelity visuals persuade students and others to come over and talk with us, so we can explain just how exciting and rewarding a career in the maritime technology industry can be.”

If the new simulators become popular you’ll miss out on the sunny beaches and fast boats but, at least, you’ll still have fun.

So, I’m writing this no reason other than to help other Navy guys that wish to transfer over to the Merchant Marines. I’m a newbie myself, but this is just some advice and experiences.

So a brief Background. I served 8 1/2 years in the US Navy. The first 18 months in Nuclear Power School, the following 7 years as a mechanic on board Fast Attack submarines. I left the Navy as a Chief and started my transition.

So up to speed, I started this whole process in Febuary 2010, It’s now Dec 2010 I just completed testing and should have my 3 A/E STEAM in about two weeks. Following issuing I still need to get a one month course to add HFO diesels to my license. End result about a year to be fully licensed to sail on all vessels.

Now, Much of this time delay was due to me not knowing how to get things done and nearly all of it was waiting on one thing or another. Hence me writing this to help others avoid the same mistakes I made.

Step 1) If you are even considering this career before you get out of the Navy, get your TWIC card. You need this to even apply to the US Coast guard for evaluation. It takes a few weeks to a month and can save you some time if you start early.

Step 2) Get plenty of character/Professional recommendations while you are in service. As all military members know the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I waited nearly a month to get the Letters of recommendations I wanted. You need at least 3 to apply for a Merchant Mariner Document. If you have them in hand from Chiefs, Div o’s, Department heads, CO’s ect early you have saved some time. These people may have appreciated you when you were there, but are very hard to get to things from when you are out of the service.

Step 3) Get a Sea Service Transcript before you get out….. I don’t know if this is even possible. Mililington writes them once you are out, but will not recieve your record until after you are DISCHARGED… This doesn’t mean terminal leave. I had to wait 3 months after my EAOS to receive mine. So 60 days terminal + 3 months = 5 months waiting on a stupid piece of paper…. My advice. Your Current CO can write a sea service letter for the time served at your current command…. But not previous commands. Get PSD to figure out what a Sea Service Transcript is, Have them write one to date and have the CO sign one when you leave your ship on terminal…. Send BOTH into the coast guard for evaluation.

Step 5) Send your record into the NMC for evaluation. Request the Highest thing you can reasonably imagine you deserve. Then send them as much supporting paperwork as possible, Schools, Evaluations, Letters of Commendation/ NAMS ect. I was approved for 3 assistant Engineer STEAM only… I know others who have slid by and received a Diesel endorsement too. But request anything you can.

Step 6) This is debatable and really depends on your dedication to become a Merchant Mariner at all costs and how rapidly you want. The NMC will take up to 60 days to evaluate your application and determine what you are eligible for. If you recieve an officer endorsement you will need certain classes before you take an exam…. I can’t tell you what these are so you will just have to wait. I needed a one week Fire Fighting course. HOWEVER, if you plan on doing any work outside of the US international law requires a series of courses for a STCW 95 certification. These are basic courses everyone needs so you could spend some money while you are waiting and take these. These requirements are going to change soon (2012 i think) but any for profit maritime school will be able to help you figure out what you need. Mine were as follows

1 week Basic safety training (Personal survival technics, First aid/CPR, personal Safty Social responsibility, and Fire fighting) – Cost $950

Furthermore on training, If you want to ASSUME what the NMC will approve you for, You could take more STCW courses. This may save you some time but could also become a costly mistake if you assume wrong.

In total I had the following classes

Basic Safty training mentioned above $950
Proficency in Life Craft – $995
Medical First aid provider – $650
Basic and Advanced Fire fighting – $750

I also took a non-required 3week Exam Preparation course – $2000

Step 7) After you complete all you classes and are ready to take an exam, Take your exam and get your credentials!!!

Other tips and Advice. Marine schools are expensive but food and lodging can be expensive too. PRICELINE dot com saved me a ton on hotels and such (although I only need them 4 days a week as I lived about 3 hours from the school). But Crew houses are another good option. Search for a crew house with shared accomodations and I would guess about $300 a week with everything included.

once the coast gaurd (NMC) approves your application for some rating QMED, Engineer, Mate, etc call around to a few unions. I found one that offered to pay for all my room, board and schools if I commited to working for them 3 years…. I politely declined, based off my financial situation and the whole being afraid of contracts now…. But it was a great opportunity, schooling paid for and an employer all at the same time.

I know this is a long and drawn out post with mostly personal experiences but maybe it can help someone. If anyone has any further advice or feels I am off basis please comment. Like I said, I’m very new and lack experience in the industry and could be wrong on a few points.

Happy sailing,
-Matt

We’re sure that there quite a few readers of gCaptain that have fond memories of the T.S. State of Maine (ex USNS Upshur), which is why we wanted to pass along the link to the Facebook page that was recently set up by Captain Larry Wade, Master of the T.S. State of Maine, commemorating the history and memories of the the vessel that served as Maine Maritime training ship for 17 years.  From the “T.V. State of Maine, ak ‘The Grey Ghost’” facebook page:

The last ride of the state of Maine USNS Upshur.  USNS UPSHUR, STATE OF MAINE III is underway to the ship breaker in Brownsville Texas.

Attached is a final photo taken by Carl Castiglioni. Interestingly Carl worked with me on the Harkness final days prior to starting the TANNER conversion into the current STATE OF MAINE IV.

I must say that the Drydock Photo certainly looks better than the Photos while in USCG possession on the beach in Mobile.

Sad day for a grand ship that provided the Merchant Marine with a long string of Licensed Officers.

Larry

For those of you who spent some time on the vessel, be sure to “Like” “T.V. State of Maine, ak ‘The Grey Ghost’” page and share some stories.

[Image courtesy Facebook]

It is safe to assume that most sea farers at one time or another have wanted to be a captain; command a ship, boat or vessel at sea. If this goal is pursued in government service it is achieved by committees in a selection and promotion process and in the private sector, a license is required followed by a less complicated purpose-biased process. Being a product of both processes, two essential elements are recalled: 1.Except in rare circumstances noone becomes a ship’s captain without expressing the desire. 2. In preparation one must display interest, knowledge and ability and be recommended.

As a youngster at sea, command was beyond my thoughts. I was involved in a great war in which survival was primary. By 1944 the drudgery of deck seamanship and hours of boredom with occasional periods of excitements created a yearning to move up. Standing around in a cool, well ventilated pilot house for four hours seemed ideal. Many shipmates had become officers as opportunities were available for experienced seaman. By wars end I was an officer with experience, along with some thousands of others.

Shortly after, jobs at sea were a matter of luck; one day a shortage next day a surplus. However, the government needed experienced sea going officers in both the Navy and USCG. The academies and programs did not satisfy the fluctuating need. The U.S. Merchant Marine Naval Reserve (DML) served two purposes: provided the merchant marine with naval knowledgeable mariners and the Navy with a resource of experienced mariners if needed; a corollary to the concept with medical persons.

The secret to succeeding is not alone in the seeker, but also in the finder; the one who recognizes the hidden talent, sees a person that wants to move-up, maybe a captain, but mostly a possible leader and has the raw material to achieve. As I look back not all seniors were talent scouts, some, unfortunately were discouraging and resentful of any identifying traits. However there were many exceptionally clairvoyant shipmates, officers, captains, admirals, seaman and cooks that were mentors and are remembered. They help as one stumbles, they take extra time, provide encouragement and appropriately apply kicks. Some candidates display no early signs of brilliance or exceptional ability, just sparks of dedication and persistence and later interest, study, inquiry and observation..

The sea always called me; any job at sea was better than a job ashore. My navy experience is best recalled because it is recorded in evaluations and records and in the memories of interested persons. As an Ensign USNR, DM on active duty in a fleet oiler I was superfluous although I had years of experience. I spend a year being an assistant to almost everyone however, my commanding officer, a senior navy Captain noticed. Soon I was utilized as an underway OOD in formation steaming. A competent, trustworthy watch officer on the 0000-0400 is a Captain’s dream After an adventurous cruise to sea I was encouraged to request destroyers.

In destroyers I was again assigned to time consuming and wasteful employment as an assistant. The Squadron Commodore relied on the ship’s Executive Officer for navigation and weather information; otherwise a competent officer he was not skilled. Again my knowledge and skill was recognized and I was “loaned” to the SQUAD DOG when the division deployed and traveled overseas. I did well as an OOD and Navigator. In 1950 I was ordered  to a Pacific Fleet destroyer in Korea. By 1953 I had impressed four senior Captains, four commanding officers, been promoted to Lieutenant junior grade and acquired some everlasting friendships (important). In departing from the oiler and two destroyers I departed with a clean slate i.e., no unfinished business or hidden problems. My replacements were well briefed and understood what they inherited, as did the C.O. (Evaluations were written after one departed.

Where ever I went my USNR status was no problem but seniority was. I was always several years junior, but some how my Captain’s found a slot for me. Seniority is a navy problem that probably stalls many careers. When the Korean thing ended I was in excess and returned to the merchant marine only to be “overstowed” by licensed masters mariners. I was promoted, demoted, relieved, discharged and rehired but some how always employed on a ship. As a Lieutenant, USNR, Merchant Marine Naval Reserve while at sea I was selected for augmentation into the U.S. Navy.

Steady employment with career opportunities was foreign to me and a shocking revelation. My life and expectancies had changed overnight. One day I was a merchant marine officer unloading coffee in San Pedro, California and the next day I was a Lieutenant, USN ordered to report as Commanding Officer USS ESTERO AKL 5. This unexpected selection was probably based on four years of outstanding evaluations by three navy Captains and three Commanders and “the needs of the service.” A later review showed no other documentation.

During the next 20 years I learned a number of critical selection criteria.
1. It is more effective to impress his advisors than it is the boss.
2. Share the honors, it is noted.
3. Heroism is rewarded, outstanding performance acknowledged and recorded and misconduct punished, each according to the merits.
4. If it is wrong don’t look for blame, seek solutions.
5.There are no “off-the cuff,” “not for publication” or “ between us” comments with anyone.
6. Competition ends at burial.
7. Real friends are unsuspected.
8. The last word is YES SIR!

Lastly command is not a reward, it is an investment by well meaning persons.

One of the most fun and rewarding aspects to a career a sea are the classes mariners get to take. From small arms training to fast rescue boat, we get hands on practice doing things others only dream about. But some classes are certainly more compelling than others so here are the Top 5 most interesting maritime training classes sponsored by GMATS.

5. Crisis Management & Human Behavior

One of the courses being most widely discussed in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy is crisis management. Another topic being actively reviewed by all is online learning. But there is only one place where you can take Crisis Management from bridge of your (internet equipped) ship. The Calhoun MEBA Engineering School tells us:

CMES Learning Management System (LMS), the first true Distance Learning System to be approved for training mariners. The LMS is a Virtual Learning Environment, which is a suite of functionalities that deliver, track, report on, and manage the learning content, trainee progress, and trainee interactions with the course and instructor. The LMS provides the instructor with the method to deliver course content, monitor student participation, and assess performance. (More Info)

4. Chemical, Biological & Radiological Defense (CBRD)

Ok so no one enjoys walking around in a CBRD suit, especially during a heat wave in New York but toughen up guys, it’s only a one day course and you never know when the local nuclear power plant goes on high alert (oops). GMATS tells us:

TOPICS INCLUDE: Introduction to MOPP Levels Introduction to Radiological Warfare Introduction to Biological Warfare Chemical Agents/Chemical Compounds and Skin/Eye Decon MCU-2/P Protective Mask & Chemical Protective Clothing CBRD Decon Procedures (Personnel) Chemical Detection and Ventilation Ship Monitoring and Ship Design (More Info)

3. Shiphandling Aboard Manned Models

Even if you’re not crazy enough to build a full scale toy battelship, just getting out on the water is incredible fun and, with Dynamic Positioning systems becoming more common, what mariner couldn’t use more practice in ship handling? gCaptain tells us:

To the casual onlooker, it may look like a group of overgrown children sailing in rather extravagant model boats.

But, in fact, they are some of the shipping industry’s most experienced sea captains on one of the world’s most unusual safety training courses.

The lake in Marchwood, near Southampton, Hampshire, boasts a fleet of seven scaled-down model cargo ships on which veteran captains, pilots and senior deck officers can hone their skills.

The ships, which are big enough for two people to sit in, behave exactly like the real thing as they negotiate the 13-acre lake’s artificial channels and tides.

They range from a scaled version of a 300,000 tonne vessel that itself weighs in at six tonnes to a radio-controlled model tug.

So is this simply an excuse for taking some time off work to muck about on the water?(More Info)

2. Advanced Machine Shop

Advanced machine shop…. the shop class you dreamed up in High School is perfect for those interested in making tools and gadgets of all types. Considering that every ship has a full array of machining tools that lay mostly unused this is your opportunity to build the ultimate home brewery or parts for your ultralight plane. GMATs tells us:

Sharpen your skills and improve your machining abilities. Advanced techniques using lathes, milling machines, drill presses and precision grinders will be covered. The advanced use of specialized tooling, clamps, and jigs is covered. Machining techniques requiring special applications such as steady rests, lathe bed extensions and centering techniques will be addressed. Students will learn the various techniques of working with stock to produce repair parts from drawings, plans and sketches. Hardening, tempering and basic metallurgy will also be covered. (More Info)

1. Masters Classes Online

It was not long ago that a mariner’s only option for communicating with the outside world was a $6 per minute IMARSAT call. But today a wide range of ships are being outfitted with advanced communications suites. For those lucky enough to get broadband satellite service you have the option of positioning yourself for a shoreside job, without leaving the ship! GMATS offers one of many programs aimed at the mariner. They tell us:

GMATS has established a cooperative agreement with American Military University (AMU). AMU is accredited by the Department of Education, Distance Learning Council and the School specializes in Distance Education programs.

Under the degree granting authority of AMU, a Master’s of Arts degree in Transportation and Logistics Management is offered.

This degree is particularly relevant for transportation professionals and military reservists. The majority of the degrees can be completed in a distance learning format at home, at sea, or abroad. GMATS courses can be completed in one and two-week increments which are ideal for the busy professional and for military reservists completing two-week annual training programs at GMATS. Read More…

What has been the most interesting training you have taken during your career? Let us know in the comments section below.

This blog post has been sponsored by GMATS. Click HERE for a full listing of courses offered at their state-of-the-art New York campus!

There is a powerful belief these days that you absolutely must have an advanced higher (formal) education to be of any real value in the workplace, unless you are functionally serving only as a draft animal doing the “unskilled” grunt work that no one else wants to do. The justification for this is usually made along the lines of “today’s complex work environment demands more technical training and skills, blah, blah, blah.” To be sure, virtually all of our systems appear to be caught up in the death-grip of ever-increasing complexity that just keeps feeding off itself: we struggle to solve problems caused by today’s over-complexity by, you guessed it, adding even more of it tomorrow, ad infinitum. Even worse, the pace of this continual transformation steadily increases as well and we’re expected to regularly “upgrade” our knowledge and skills in a vain attempt to keep up. We’re perpetually behind that curve, always outrun by the increasing rate of change, and there are human limits to our ability to keep up that aren’t being acknowledged, let alone allowed for.

In the U.S. Merchant Marine, and elsewhere, this has had serious ramifications. The powers-that-be at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have continuously ramped up the training and education requirements for virtually all licenses to impractical levels, apparently without much if any regard for the practical, economic and social impacts that come with it. Manning standards, in contrast, remain flat or are reduced to make the bean counters happy. This has made the traditional hawsepiper an endangered species on a long skid towards extinction. It has become extremely difficult, if not impossible, to pursue a career as an officer by your own efforts and resources alone. This, along with a long-standing disregard for the quality of life of working mariners, has caused serious shortages of younger seafarers. While there have been some  uneven improvements in living and working conditions in recent years it still has not checked the decline. Inertia can be very tough to overcome…..

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