Military sealift command

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Weasel RE:jobs 3/17/2006 7:26:52 AM

That is fine, get yor AB ticket, but I would suggest you not stop there... Besides the qualifications I am talking about are the biggest value add with the smallest amount of time for the largest return. It sounded like you were dissatisfied with the pay scale you were on and I provided a few suggestions to get off it and get your career on track. take it or leave it, no skin off my nose and good luck.

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mmariner2185 RE:jobs 3/17/2006 2:04:16 PM

I would love to advance faster than I am right now, I should have mentioned before but I am a full time college student working parttime on a ferry while I am pursuing an AB ticket. I worked on larger vessels before, but since going back to school work has ground to a near halt. If I get my AB ticket and can get into a union without being forced to reattend deck training school I would hop on the opportunity to work on an ocean going vessel. As I said before, I never in my days working inland ever came across a Maersk ship with American crew, lest it be one of the few remaining SEALAND vessels they own. I wish Moore McCormack or APL were still large fleets

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mmariner2185 RE:jobs 3/23/2006 11:16:25 PM

And I would join a Union, such as SIU, if it weren't for the idiotic fact that they force people participating in their training program to train in each of the three shipboard departments.... I have no desire to be a steward or engine man, therefore, what's the point of knowing their jobs if I want to work in the deck force? (I have no desire especially to learn Steward Department duties.) The SIU even refused to acknowledge my 200 some-odd days of seatime from the deck department at my last jobs, adding that they only accept 'Navy and Coast Guard seatime.' Which is funny, seeing as I did more seamanship in 200 days than Navy sailors do in their 4 years of service. The Unions themselves need to shape up as well, cause they make it a pain in the ass to get trained and prepared to ship out. If a person seeking entry wants deck and HAS that time, let them get to work instead of wasting everyone's time by forcing them to understand departments he or she would otherwise obviously not be interested in working in at all. Getting STCW on your own is expensive and damn near impossible, and the Unions (especially SIU) make it a wild goose chase

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xylene RE:jobs 3/24/2006 4:11:33 AM

I would think it would make you more versatile to be qualified in all three departments. Deck department maybe preferable, but there maybe times you need to be employed irregardless of your preference. There are some other benefits to being in Steward or Engine department. Most likely you will be a dayworker instead of watchstander and may have more free time. For engine department you may be able to get more overtime. You mentioned you were also attending college. Is going to sea just a temporary second job or is you intention to make a career of it? Just asking because if you don't plan to pursue going to sea after college, then that money would probably be better spent on graduate school. You already realize already the expense of getting all STCW , PIC, etc. Don't forget when they expire , you need to take refresher courses too.

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Weasel RE:jobs 3/24/2006 12:59:12 PM

This has been an education for me... Who TF still uses stewards? (No offence) That was an eye opener. I would definitely look at the specialist ROV and offshore courses if I was in your shoes MM... Look around and get the skillset everyone needs especially in Offshore i.e. the oil industry. If you can walk into the home office and show that you know something that will make them dollars then THEY will put you through all the courses you need to satisfy local and international regs. So maybe drill bit operations?? (being the guy controlling where the drill bit goes)... another example might be dive medic... everyone is always looking for a diver who also specs out as a para-medic. the other thing you could look at, is transferring to MIT next year and Woodshole Oceanographic Insitute...So you can leverage your degree towards a maritime occupation. Anyway, don't get caught up in the Union thing... the SIU are puppy dogs compared to others... Of course they won't accept your sea time if it is not in their interest to do so. Just as no one will employ you if it is not in their interest to do so. So sounds like you have to scan the horizon and make a few strategic desicions about what you want to do... Where are you BTW? On the East or West coast?.... I presumed the East Coast because you made reference to lakies.... cheers W

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mmariner2185 RE:jobs 3/25/2006 2:51:48 PM

I'm on the East Coast, worked for McAllister (I will never work for a McAllister or on one of their vessels ever again), and K-Sea Transportation. Right now I am looking at U.S. Steel in the Lakes to grab 60 sea days quickly. SIU really does suck... they are accepting military seatime, but not merchant marine seatime. (Navy guys are pathetic at seamanship, 20 people handle or splice a line at any given time when they put to sea). And I think it should be unlawful to force experienced seamen seeking entry to a union to spend 30 days in the Steward Department. Chances are I'll be shuffled out of the industry after college, since its so hard to find commercial shipping work.

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mmariner2185 RE:jobs 3/25/2006 2:56:10 PM

Regarding STCW expenses, it is expensive, and it's extremely frustrating to get on your own, making Unions almost a necessary thing to join. One of the reasons why I think I'll seek seafaring refuge in the Great Lakes is they require no STCW and the Unions there are structured easier.

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Weasel a couple of ideas and selling your soul 3/25/2006 8:59:14 PM

I think you might be talking to the wrong SIU union guys.... Are these guys US? As I agree, it is bizarre that they take military sea time over merchant sea time as a military v/l might not be on a "voyage" as such. I was trying to remember if I was ever a member of the SIU?... I think I had to be for one of the companies I worked for, but it was just a rubber stamp operation. The company didn't give a rats a$$ so long as they got me on the boat and quick. Do you sail?.... If you do, what's your experience there? As I have a few contacts in the blue water racing scene and they are always looking for good seamanship. None of it (BTW) counts as sea time, but you get a good wage and its fun! Anyway, there is always lots of delivery work on the East Coast and across to the Medi. I would also really look at the gulf right now... not every oil company is going to be enmeshed in unions... or like I said, it is a formality.... but again, its not graded as sea time as such because a tender is too small, but seamanship again, is the name of the game. As a last resort you can always give your name to a guy on the australian forum AMPT10E (?) or something and tell him you want to become an Ozzie and sail in submarines..... you will be lost forever though. just a few ideas cheers w

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gf0012-aust RE:a couple of ideas and selling your soul 3/25/2006 9:24:06 PM

"or something and tell him you want to become an Ozzie and sail in submarines....." we've got a couple of yanks in the RAN - and one of them is on a sub. so, it's not going to be difficult (assuming that you become an Oz citize, pass the ASIO check and don't have any criminal record that would preclude citizenship or employment by ADF)

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mmariner2185 RE:a couple of ideas and selling your soul 3/25/2006 10:18:38 PM

What are the requirements (years of residence) required to become an Australian citizen anyway. The experience I have is decking on harbor tugs and later working aboard a 400 foot coastal articulated tug and barge. After that I got time while in college working for 8 months or so parttime as a deckhand on the Long Island Ferry. And this summer I hope to put 60 days on a Great Lakes freighter. The SIU information came straight from a phone convo I had with the Union admissions and training personnel. They informed my unless I had Navy or USCG seatime, my 200 Merchant Marine sea days was useless to the Able Seaman program..... of all the nonsense! But, they told me either get STCW on your own and spend a lot of money and time getting it, or get it thru us... take it or leave it. How long is U.S. Naval Reserve officer training if I join the Reserves when I get my bachelors degree? Anyone know?

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