Recorded Phone Calls at the NMC

[SailComeMonday]

Just an FYI:
I had my Senator's office checking on my application for upgrade to 1600 Ton Mate and was almost shocked when a verbatim transcript of one my phone calls was returned to me during my correspondence with the Senator's office:

During the course of the call Mr. Mahoney asked for the status of his MMC application and was told that the file had been forwarded to the government reviewer. The agent went on to explain that this was one of the last stages of the process barring any errors identified by the government reviewers. She stated that after review the MMC would be drafted, printed, and mailed. Mr. Mahoney then asked approximately how long these final stages may take and the agent stated "it could be possibly up to another week or so" which is accurate depending on the complexity and quantity of files a government reviewer is assigned. Mr. Mahoney thanked her for the update and the call was concluded...

So, those of you that are frustrated with the NMC should maintain your professionalism and refrain from taking your anger and frustration out on the person that answers the phone as it may come back to haunt.

[jdcavo]

All communications with NMC are documented.

[seadog!]

No one should forget...a government "agent" shows up at your door daily to "deliver mail".
Yeah right, like we really believe he doesn't file a report every day on his findings.

I'm sure Cavo reports back anything "interesting" that pops up here too.

Dn't trsk thd bstedsz!

(sorry my tin foil hat was blocking my typing finger)

[captblighe]

I need some help here, i have 175 out of 180 days while in training for the RFPNW and was granted a 90 day extension which is up on Nov 20th 2009; the CG wouldn't accept my assesments because they were signed off by 3rd mate unlimited's. I need a job on a boat of at least 100grt run by a captain thats a 500 ton master or greater. I will sail as a OS and i dont care what the pay or the duty is so long as i can get the 5 days needed signed off. I have been approuved for my AB Unlimited and lifeboatman. Does any one have any suggestions or leads i can follow up. Also here is my email address
captblighe@yahoo.com I have over 20 yrs on the water fishing, GOM, Bering sea, carribean, and north and south atlantic

[Capt Brian]

That is a bunch of crap about the assessments. From what the NMC told me a while back, if you are the licensed direct supervisor of the candidate, then you can perform the assessments. 500 Mate or 1600 Mate assessing an OS for RFPNW assessments. Guess the NMC wants to thoroughly read policy letter 14-02, but not 01-02. So I take it a 3rd Mate is not qualified to perform the assessments for RFPNW but, a 3rd Mate is qualified as OICNW. My head is spinning of all this. If I did not have morals I would just sign them off. Unfortunately for you captblighe, I have morals. Sorry. Good luck with this. I would APPEAL the call from NMC, because I know for a fact that as a 1600 Mate I have assessed many an OS for RFPNW. Maybe the USCG needs to go back and perform an audit of ALL the mariners holding AB and higher that have had assessments for RFPNW. Sounds like a hell of a task.

[jdcavo]

That is a bunch of crap about the assessments. ... So I take it a 3rd Mate is not qualified to perform the assessments for RFPNW but

The qualifications are clearly laid out in Policy Letter 14-02, the same one the assessments came from. See Paragraph 7. of Enclosure 1, it states "The assessor must be a licensed deck officer holding an unlimited second mate or higher level license."

[Capt Brian]

The qualifications are clearly laid out in Policy Letter 14-02, the same one the assessments came from. See Paragraph 7. of Enclosure 1, it states "The assessor must be a licensed deck officer holding an unlimited second mate or higher level license."

I guess that was inappropriate wording on my part "bunch a crap". I apologize to all.

Yes - I am aware of Paragraph 7, Encl 1. This makes it rather difficult for an OS to complete the RFPNW assessments if he/she is always on watch with a 3rd Mate or lower. It is plainly stated in the policy letter and one can not refute that. Just another hurdle for the US Mariner.

My question then Mr. Cavo is, can a 1600 Master be an assessor for RFPNW? Is a 1600 Master a higher level license then a unlimited second mate?

[anchorman]

I guess that was inappropriate wording on my part "bunch a crap". I apologize to all.

Yes - I am aware of Paragraph 7, Encl 1. This makes it rather difficult for an OS to complete the RFPNW assessments if he/she is always on watch with a 3rd Mate or lower. It is plainly stated in the policy letter and one can not refute that. Just another hurdle for the US Mariner.

My question then Mr. Cavo is, can a 1600 Master be an assessor for RFPNW? Is a 1600 Master a higher level license then a unlimited second mate?

There are many vessels that require AB RFPNW and are less than 3000 ITC and have no unlimited mariners at all......500 ton Masters and 1600 ton Masters are OK to sign, but as far as a mate, you have to be a 2nd or Chief.

It's on the checklist.
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/checklists/M...W.pdf&B1=GO%21

[anchorman]

Just to add, you can't take everything verbatim. If you read the "deck guide", it explicitly states all mariners must be administered an exam when changing tonnage groups (during upgrades), and when you read further within the exam modules required for the applicable licenses, you don't have to test, particularly as OICNW.

[Shellback]

There are many vessels that require AB RFPNW and are less than 3000 ITC and have no unlimited mariners at all......500 ton Masters and 1600 ton Masters are OK to sign, but as far as a mate, you have to be a 2nd or Chief.

It's on the checklist.
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/checklists/M...W.pdf&B1=GO%21

The following passage is taken, from the Assessor's Manual For Conducting Mariner Assessments. Page one , third paragraph..BTW, this manual is from the Coast Guard.

An Assessor should hold the level of license , endorsement, or professional credential required for the proficiency being assessed.

I agree with anchorman...

[Capt Brian]

Shell/Anchor - I agree, but because 14-02 specifically states "unlimited second mate", the NMC will not allow a 3rd mate to sign off on the assessments. So hence the "conflict". Seems this thread got side tracked from documented conversations with the NMC.......

[Shellback]

Shell/Anchor - I agree, but because 14-02 specifically states "unlimited second mate", the NMC will not allow a 3rd mate to sign off on the assessments. So hence the "conflict". Seems this thread got side tracked from documented conversations with the NMC.......

Yes, Capt Brian, you are of course correct..It's stated on the first two pages alone..

The funny thing that gets me is, that it says that " the sea going service for the qualification, is an 8 hour day under training carrying out duties associated with navigational watch keeping functions under the direct supervision of the master,the officer in charge of a navigational watch or a qualified rating( STCW Regiulation II/4 ). A qualified rating for training purposesis an able seaman holding an STCW certificate."

So according to that you can stand your watches and train under a Master,Mate OICNW, or a qualified AB, get you sea going time in..but you can't get the assessments signed off by any of them?

and your right, we completely hi jacked this thread...

[jdcavo]

...This makes it rather difficult for an OS to complete the RFPNW assessments if he/she is always on watch with a 3rd Mate or lower... [C]an a 1600 Master be an assessor for RFPNW? Is a 1600 Master a higher level license then a unlimited second mate?

A 1600 Ton Master can sign. I also don't think it's that hard to make arrangements wiot the 2nd Mate/Chief Mate/Master to do the assessments, and on some ships (e.g. all the ones I sailed on) the ABs rotate watches each month (although on others they don't). The idea was that we did not want a green 3rd Mate with little or no experience performing assessments.