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In an unusual turn of events the TSA (United States’ Transportation Security Agency) has launched a blog! While the review on NPR’s show “On The Media” was positive, with the agency reportedly solving problems identified by readers, you have to wonder about the name, “Evolution Of Security“, and the bloggers themselves. You can find the blogger profiles HERE but the following is an example;

Ethel
Hi! My name is Ethel and I’m from Wisconsin. I like music, I love ice cream, and I adore weird facts: Did you know that elephants can smell water from as far away as three miles? I joined the TSA about a year ago - prior to that I attended MIT where I earned degrees in Biology, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and had the amazing opportunity to work on projects like designing artificial gravity systems for NASA.

Noticeably missing is a total lack of coverage about issues related to TWIC - the Transortation Worker’s Identification card. We have also failed to find any discussion related to Maritime Affairs.

We only have two questions… When will the NMC or MARAD launch a blog? Will they be responsive to reader comments?

Related Links:

• Evolution Of Security Blog
• Maritime Licensing Blog
• NYTimes Review

For those mariners awaiting license review at the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center ( USCG NMC ) here’s a breakdown of the status of all applications.

Capt. David Stalfort has published a memo with the following comments that might help you figure out what this all means.

The Quality Assurance Division at NMC conducted a nationwide analysis of 11,619 applications
that are over 60 days old to identify the cause of delays. The results show that 45% of these
pending applications are sitting on shelves waiting for mariners to send missing information to
their evaluator. A large number of applications (28%) are currently being undergoing security,
medical and professional qualification evaluations. A good number of applications (16%) are
sitting idle waiting for mariners to come to the REC to be tested.

You can download the memo HERE and find out “What’s New” at the NMC HERE.

The USCG just announced efficiency newsletters from the National Maritime Center. They tell us:

The Coast Guard maintains an active public and industry awareness outreach program aimed at communicating information about the Mariner Licensing and Documentation Program. These mailing lists are one of the innovative ways in which the Coast Guard relays important information.

Here are the lists:

National Maritime Center Updates
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Information concerning the National Maritime Center’s (NMC) operations, process improvements, and important information on merchant mariner credentials.

NMC Performance Reports
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Information from the National Maritime Center on credential production performance statistics, including processing time, application inventory, and customer satisfaction. These reports will communicate the results of improvements to credential production processes and customer services.

MLD Program Policy Updates
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Information from the Mariner Licensing and Documentation program manager at Coast Guard Headquarters on changes to regulations, Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVICs) and other policy guidance.

REC News/Announcements
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Announcements concerning Regional Examination Center (REC) locations, hours of operation, contact information and other pertinent REC operations information.

Mariner Information/News
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Information for individual mariners seeking licenses and/or Merchant Mariner Documents, including changes to the credential application, medical physical and other forms, revisions to checklist, information packets, instruction guides, information for healthcare professionals, selected Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s), NMC Point of Contact (POCs), and other pertinent information.

Coast Guard Approved Courses
[Subscribe/Unsubscribe][Archives]
Information on Coast Guard approved training, courses, examinations, course audits, and other pertinent information.

I’ll been signing up for the “NMC Performance Reports” first as their stats should be unfavorable skewed this month after loosing my wife’s 2/m upgrade. To their credit the application was approved in record time once she was able to get them on the phone.

Looking for some insider information on NMC activities? CLICK HERE for their internal updates and newsletters.