Coast Guard License Overhaul

I agree, Ted. I don't look forward to the next time I renew my license or decide to upgrade. One of the things I looked forward to when getting my last license was seeing the document itself and being able to frame it. However, I'm not surprised the licenses were reduced to this. I think it would be better to give a mariner the option of having a license printed for framing, along with the mandatory credentials. I think a license is something that should be posted for everyone to see.

A " Classic " Pilot's License !

Greetings Again From New Orleans ,
This is what I call a real Pilot's License ! I am not sure if you will be able to make out all the writting on this old classic but it was issued in 1875 and should be an example of what a great license should be !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

Ted Davisson;17399 wrote: Greetings From New Orleans ,
For those of us that actually hold and work under a Coast Guard license on this nation's waterways , there has been a major overhaul of both the appearance and application requirements to both attain and renew this license . Up until recently the Coast Guard license that was issued was both attractive and easily read and very suitable for framing not only at home on a wall but on a boat as well . Now however , this same license has been reduced to something that vaguely resembles a passport and is not really easily read and not something that I would or could place in a frame on a wall and in a place of prominence . This is now my 9th. license renewal and unfortunately it's appearance is something that I for one am no longer especially proud of and under the very best of circumstances will never be framed much less proudly mounted on a wall . Futhermore , rumor has it that this is just a step along the way to futher reduce the appearance of the Coast Guard license to something resembling a driver's license with a personal identification " chip " in it . Just imagine , how would that look framed and on a wall . Personally , I also believe that this is another means by the Coast Guard to indirectly reduce the stature of a Master's or Pilot's license and of the individual that has earned and works under this license . What a shame !
Food for thought !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson

I agree, Ted. Even though my last issue of license expired in 1994 I still proudly display it on my office wall. Has the rule been changed that REQUIRED officers' licenses to be displayed? If it has, then how can any interested person know a boat has even one officer aboard? Are passengers now allowed "frisking" privileges to find out?
When I took my last renewal test more than half of the questions were about deep-tea trawlers. I called Memphis and was told that the exam was the correct one. I sarcastically remarked, "This is so that I will know what to do if I meet a trawler in the Cincinnati Harbor, I suppose." The examiner blandly replied, "Yes."

Luckily, I was one of the last to get a "real" license; also my ninth. Of all my tickets, I was most proud of # 1, my Inland Mate of All Gross Tons Upon Rivers license. But that first Unlimited Master and First Class Pilot's license looked mighty sweet framed under glass and displayed next to the Big E's in the Aft Cabin Lounge of the DELTA QUEEN.

I agree that the mariners' license will eventually look like a credit card, or better yet, the TWIC card. Some day, licensed officers will wonder how in the world we dealt with those pesky paper thingys we had to put into a frame, and then take out and move every time we got on, or off, a boat.

The good thing about the new licenses is: they work... and allow the holder to do the same.
.

Sam, amen about the "allowing to work"!

I, too, got one of the last real ones...mine was issued in April, just before they made the changeover, but only number 8.

'Tis indeed a shame that the framed document appearance of the license is about to become a thing of the past. Perhaps a market is soon to exist for a skilled graphic arts type to produce a sharp-looking document based on the information in the "passport".....? It would have no regulatory value, of course, but at a minimum would be of value for posting onboard. I remember reading the licenses posted on the "Belle" in the very early '70s.....seems to me they were on the aft wall of the purser's office, facing the ballroom.....but must admit I haven't been able to find them on the "Belle" in recent years.

I agree. I think the Coast Guard should continue to issue the frameable version along with the new "passport" style to each license holder. Seems to me that it would be an easy matter for them to do this, since they have always been setup to print the frameable version. It's low-cost (just paper and ink) but it means a lot to the license holders.

Where's Cap'n Blum?

That would be nice for the license holder, but the whole point for the Coasties, I believe, is to get away from that piece of paper. I foresee the time when the passbook goes away, and as I said before, the license-holder is given a plastic TWIC-like card suitable, not for framing, but for carrying in the wallet.

Sure, I like my beautifully computer-generated license (as apposed to the engraved ones we used to get), and maybe we can start a campaign with the CG to also issue applicants a license suitable for framing if one is ready to pay an additional fee for the paper copy.

I'd like to hear Captain Blum's take on this issue.

Keith I believe nowadays they're posted on the wall just inside the door leading up to the roof and pilot house on the BoL.

Ahhhh - that would explain why I've not seen them, as I dwell almost exclusively on the main deck during my visits onboard the "Belle"......!

I just received a notice from the USCG (undated) via my office yesterday concerning the posting of licenses:

"The Coast Guard recently released the new Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), a passport style document that replaces the legacy licenses and documents. The current statute in 46 USC 7110 requires that the license be displayed in a conspicuous place on the vessel which he/she is serving has not been changed by this new style credential. Those mariners previously required to post a legacy license should now post their MMC in accordance with the guideline below."

It goes on to say that "... Officer endorsements could be contained on opposing pages and would not contain personal privacy information so that the credential could be opened to that page for posting aboard vessels to satisfy the requirements of 46 USC 7710." It also warns that "As a security measure, mariners should not post their credentials while the vessel is visiting foreign ports." HUH!!!

I still think the old licenses were better for framing and display. Capt. Blum, is this not something that could be done as a supplement to the new documents, for an additional fee?

That notice is the 2nd dumbest thing I've heard yet from the CG.

I thought one of the reasons for going to the passport style was to make it easy for the mariner to carry the license with them, and could then show it to an official as proof of license, upon request. Thus not requiring the display of the 8.5" x 11" glass/framed license in a prominent location, or the awkward handling thereof.

How many mariners will want to flatten the bindings of their new passport-style license and "stick-pin" it to a corkboard for display? And how many will want to open the license to a certain page and put that "under glass" to hang on the wall (defeating portability) ?

Regarding this whole license format change -- If the licenses are still to be displayed prominently, why couldn't the Coast Guard just leave what worked for decades alone?!

This new type of MMC is really a step forward in the right direction, it's been the talk at the academy all year. It's going to make it a lot less work for individuals going through the licenses process (myself) who have to apply for 4 different types of credentials along with the giant check list of STCW requirements and what have you, with this new MMC it's going to be all combined into one, and as long as we already have our TWIC we don't need to go to one of the USCG exam centers for the MMC. Plus the advantage of having all the information in one place, when traveling outside of the US, it made things ten times easier.

But I do agree with you that those that are required to post there licenses, this is not the most beautiful thing to hang up, but on 95% of US registered vessels, the captain and officers are the only people that would even see them hanging up anyways; since they are all working vessels.

I agree that the new format will definitely be more convenient. It would be nice if the CG would also issue the standard 8.5" x 11" MMD for framing. But for identity theft/security reasons, I can see why they would resist issuing two forms of ID.

My assumption is that in the not too distant future, all info will be on the computer chip embedded in the TWIC card, and how useful will it be to hang that tiny card on the wall?

Seems like an easy solution is to drop the requirement of hanging these things on the wall. Now that the traditional MMD is no more, other traditions associated with the old document should probably change as well.