When will it end???

[Shellback]

I submitted a new application a few weeks ago, at the local REC..I had everything laid out ,all was in order..The guy taking my papers had a real hard time getting over all the assessments for RFPNW..Mainly because he had no idea what the hell they were or what they were for...I was very careful that I got my originals back and that they made the correct copies..

This morning I took a look at my status, " AWAITING INFO" WTF?? so I call the help desk..For some reason my course certificates for RFPNW and upgrade 100 Ton to 200 Ton Master are both missing..I personally witnessed both of the certificates being copied and that they were with the rest of the paper work..

I don't know what more I could have done but this just seems to be the standard and not the exception these days..

Okay, I sound like I'm bitching..I'm not really, I'm very grateful that we don't get all of the Government that we pay for...

[seadawg]

feel your pain..it doesn't "end"..remember the "wagon wheel"..fear that the "system" has and will always be "broken"!!

**that said: were you able to get the evaluator's name, get an direct e-mail address..if you haven't already, send the evaluator what is needed and politely request that they "fast tract" considering it was their "faux paux".. it worked for me..hope it works for you!!

GOOD LUCK!!Shellback

[Shellback]

feel your pain..it doesn't "end"..remember the "wagon wheel"..fear that the "system" has and will always be "broken"!!

**that said: were you able to get the evaluator's name, get an direct e-mail address..if you haven't already, send the evaluator what is needed and politely request that they "fast tract" considering it was their "faux paux".. it worked for me..hope it works for you!!

GOOD LUCK!!Shellback

Thank Seadawg,

I did get the name and faxed over the certs along with a cover letter..I hope it finds the correct person..I didn't get an email though..I guess that will be my mission for the morning...
This reference to the wagon wheel has me perplexed however...Your not suggesting that they are thinking of reinventing it are you? No offense, but their track record hasn't been so good up to this point...

[Jeffrox]

"I'm very grateful that we don't get all of the Government that we pay for"

Standby, it's coming....

[seadawg]

This reference to the wagon wheel has me perplexed however...Your not suggesting that they are thinking of reinventing it are you?

**refers to a very old saying I like to quote..have quoted it on here a few times.."it's like wiping your ass with a wagon wheel, there is no end to it!!

keep us advised on your delimia..again good luck!!

[Shellback]

Seadawg. I have heard that one before...very fitting..!

Well it just keeps getting better..My status went to print this morning..I was very excited but since I'm a hands on person I had to call the help desk just to check on things..

100 Ton Master,200 Ton Mate, sailing and assistance towing endorsements were all in order as was AB -Sail, AB anywaters..That must be AB unlimited I guess...But no mention of RFPNW..

So the help desk lady calls the evaluator and he says yes,I have RFPNW, but" look out" duties only...WTF?? ...........Here we go again...

I ask her how this could be I have everything that they want..She comes back on the line and says the assessments are incomplete...No way !!.I say..She says the evaluator is going down to the print department and is going to take another look at the file...

I immediately send off an email to the help desk, explaining my confusion and then decided to fax all 21 pages of the assessments to them ...I'm glad I did..I received an email a few hours later that " ALL" my assessments were received and my MMC was on hold until the evaluator could review them..I am to call back in the morning..

I have a very bad feeling that the guy at the Oakland REC that took my very nicely prepared application, did a very bad job at sending everything to the NMC..I had to insist that he make the copies in the first place..

I can't prove it yet but I have since found the email address to my evaluator ,thanks to a friend here on gcaptain...I have since requested an inventory of what they received at NMC and what they didn't receive..It may not do any good but if I find out that little shit at the REC didn't do his job properly I'm gonna do all I can to let his boss's know about it...time will tell....

[Capt. Fran]

Holy crap, what a friggin' nightmare.

[seadawg]

Shellback..just a couple of points that will most likely add to the confusion:

**RFPNW=STCW code II/4=deck/support (rating)..this maybe what they are refering to as "look out" duties??

**master 100grt/mate 200grt is "non STCW 95".

**what about radar, lifeboatman, wiper, stewards dept.(FH) and VSO?

BTW..able seaman-any waters-unlimited is how it is noted on my document.

hope this helps..be cool and hang in there!!

[danzante]

100 Ton Master,200 Ton Mate, sailing and assistance towing endorsements were all in order as was AB -Sail, AB anywaters..That must be AB unlimited I guess...But no mention of RFPNW..

So the help desk lady calls the evaluator and he says yes,I have RFPNW, but" look out" duties only...WTF??

Policy letter 14-02 is a bit of a bugger with regards to full RFPNW. You can get lookout duties only with the assessments, but to get the full deal, you also need to have 6 months of "training and experience" to go along with it.

Here's the relevant paragraphs:
"Applicants for the STCW certification must provide evidence of:
Encl.1, 3.a. ... six months of approved, seagoing service that includes training and experience associated with navigational watchkeeping functions and involves duties carried out under the direct supervision of the master, officer in charge of the navigational watch or qualified ratings;"

Like I said, it is a bit of a bugger.

[Shellback]

Thanks for the responses all..

I carry a couple of copies of 14-02 around with me for my reading enjoyment, as this has been a particular thorn in my side..I used to be a leading quartermaster in the Navy and having to do the assessments was no big deal as I used to train Jr. personnel on most of them..

It would just be nice that when a person goes to a REC that the material that you provide them should be forwarded on to NMC..I don't think the person collecting the material should be allowed to decided what goes or what doesn't..As in this case they were obviously mistaken..

I talked to NMC twice yesterday and now it may take up to a week before I get an answer ...

Seadawg, I have wiper,SD,(FH) any unlicensed deck rating including AB on my current MMD..Lifeboatman on my STCW...Thats what threw me when the guy said AB any waters...I hadn't heard that one before...As for Radar, that one is next on the list..

[Shellback]

Shellback..

BTW..able seaman-any waters-unlimited is how it is noted on my document.

Seadawg, I finally received my MMC and mine is worded exactly like yours..

Does anyone know if the NMC still requires us to send in, our old licenses? I called the help desk and the girl there didn't think they wanted them back anymore...

[jdcavo]

Seadawg, I finally received my MMC and mine is worded exactly like yours..

Does anyone know if the NMC still requires us to send in, our old licenses? I called the help desk and the girl there didn't think they wanted them back anymore...

See 46 CFR 12.05-1(c)(1). "...any waters-unlimited" is how the credential is described in the CFR.

As for surrendering the old credential, see 46 CFR 10.227(d)(4) and
46 CFR 10.231(c)(5).

[Shellback]

See 46 CFR 12.05-1(c)(1). "...any waters-unlimited" is how the credential is described in the CFR.

As for surrendering the old credential, see 46 CFR 10.227(d)(4) and
46 CFR 10.231(c)(5).

Thanks JD, I didn't receive a request in writing to send it back..Could this have been an oversight?

[stevefoster]

Seadawg, I finally received my MMC and mine is worded exactly like yours..

Does anyone know if the NMC still requires us to send in, our old licenses? I called the help desk and the girl there didn't think they wanted them back anymore...

I renewed the 26 March this year and they asked me to send in my Zcard but not my license or STCW cert...........

[dougpine]

Does anyone know if the NMC still requires us to send in, our old licenses? I called the help desk and the girl there didn't think they wanted them back anymore...

They never did require that. Back in the day, they would stamp your license "canceled" or some such, and give it back to you. And only in the last few years did they start demanding your old z-card. I'll be damned if I'm going to send that in to them. I've got a few in a drawer, and they have sentimental value.

[stevefoster]

They never did require that. Back in the day, they would stamp your license "canceled" or some such, and give it back to you. And only in the last few years did they start demanding your old z-card. I'll be damned if I'm going to send that in to them. I've got a few in a drawer, and they have sentimental value.

Watch out Doug, they will be coming to your door to get it.......it's not like they are real busy doing evaluations........

[Shellback]

Watch out Doug, they will be coming to your door to get it.......it's not like they are real busy doing evaluations........

LMAO..Thanks Steve...

[tengineer]

I personally have had good luck with the new crop of evaluators but I understand it's the luck of the draw.
I often wonder what goes thru the mind of some of these 'evaluators' in West Virginia when we call. West Virginia has never had a really large sea port or maritime heritage, yet the USCG and certain of our moron congressional leaders decided that our fates, licenses not to mention livelihoods would be headquartered in a state populated and staffed by people who for the most part have never even seen a body of salt water larger than that contained in an epsom enema.

[studbuzzar]

"
You can get lookout duties only with the assessments"

I just spent the last 10 days or so hung up over this exact issue! After taking the "SMART Simulator Assessments" course down at MPT in Ft Lauderdale. I sent in the 21 completed and signed assessments with my application for AB Unlimited. Within a few days I get a letter saying my evaluator needs RFPNW info. I call and am told that she needs 180 of documented proof of being "trained in the duties and responsibilities associated with navigational watch keeping functions and involved the performance of duties carried out under the direct supervision of the master, a licensed officer of the navigational watch, or an able seaman"! I am still scratching my head on the able seaman part (I guess a trained AB can train me and sign off on the training sheets)?

Not having the "documented" training, I was informed that the RFPNW Look out Duties was an option. The assessments certificates were not acceptable as proof of proper schooling. I would need certificate stating completion of 16 hour Rating Forming Part of a Navigation Watch - Lookout Duties. While the assessments will be needed after the 180 days are completed, they were not needed, nor could they be substituted for the 16 hour Lookout Duties course!

After doing my homework late on the issue, it is important to know exactly what the school course is approved to train you for. This whole RFPNW thing feels like the USCG is taking out a jet ski with an ASROC missile carrying an acoustic homing torpedo or a Nuclear Depth Bomb!

Maybe a basic AB or OS need training certification due to lack of time at sea in general. But when unlimited or mate/captain licenses are being applied for. One would think that after 700 -1000 days of accumulated sea time, one would be as well versed in steering and watch keeping as other common duties such as cooking, cleaning, chipping and painting, line handling, and general marlin spikeship! To somehow think that by forcing mariners to run down paper trails is going to make the industry safer is silly. Why don't they certify us on flushing heads?.....probably shouldn't have brought this one up!




NMC stands for "No More Credentials"........4u

[seadawg]

Does anyone know if the NMC still requires us to send in, our old licenses? I called the help desk and the girl there didn't think they wanted them back anymore...

Shellback..still have all my old documents..no one at NMC said anything about sending them in..read on!!

**this might be something of interest to others..just checked my MMLD credential verification "statis"..both my "old" documents and my "new" MMC are listed on the site as valid..guess that is just in case I lose one??