Renewal

[tekdvr2]

Just got my renewal (MMC) and after hearing all the horror stories about the NMC,
I think it flew through in record time (20 days from REC to issue). I did use a license consultant out of Boston, and he caught some omissions in the application that I will pass along here...........

The new 9 page medical (719K) is now required. There is no space or mention of the Doctor/Clinic's Address and Phone number to be included. Just add it to the last page where they signed off. Omit it and it bounces back. Also don't forget the BMI
(Body Mass Index) You can calculate it with height and weight (just Google BMI). I have a slightly irregular heartbeat....I included the ECG and they took it.

Make sure you include a compliance letter from your drug consortium.....mine was post dated so I had to have another one sent.

Make sure you are listed as a "Merchant Mariner" with TWIC or the information is not
transferred to the CG. To check call the TSA Helpdesk at 1-866-347-8942. After pressing “1” for English, then press “4”. Tell the operator that you wish to verify/change that your occupation is listed as "merchant mariner.
They will give you a reference number indicating the status.
Keep it handy.....just in case

If you want to keep your present license date (or close to) ask for a delayed issuance at the time of application.

The letter they sent along also stated that you should plan on 2 months for a renewal...... 6 months if there's a medical issue.

Earlier this month we had our annual Marine Industry Day here in Chicago.

A License consultant was there reiterating the bottlenecks at the NMC.
It's basically run by contractors with CG over-site. The contract was recently rebid and low and behold the lowest bidder got it........and with that all new people with 0 maritime experience and 2 weeks of training.

Some of the examples he gave.....
Application gave Lake Erie as Geographic Location on the sea service form.....
The reviewer bounced it back. When questioned if he knew where Lake Erie was he had no idea it was part of the great lakes.

Husband & wife team 100ton renewal same time. His app gets bounced back..."drug testing consortium letter is no good" drops $65 on a new drug test...gets letter right after wards that states "Oh never mind the letter is good." $65...Gone!

This one is my favorite.........

Engineer sends in his renewal with 21 vessel discharges attached. Reviewer kicks it back stating that "you didn't include the propulsion type on the application".
When questioned...she didn't know that MV meant motor vessel....."Gee, I was wondering why all the boats had the same first name."

Most License Consultants are retired CG. They charge around $200. This is not a commercial to use one. But if there is a snag at NMC they can get it fixed quickly.

In short if you're going it alone, give your self plenty of time, go over it with a fine tooth comb, and maybe have another set of eyes look it over.

You can also email the application......scan at 300DPI and save as a PDF. Still some bugs in the system though.

Use PAY.GOV for the renewal fee.

Copies of documents are also OK to use now.

If you need to verify a document or check application status you can go to...

homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/home.do

click Merchant mariners on the left.

They will also email you the app status as it goes through the system

Hope this helps.

Safe Driving and Diving to all this season!!!

Best regards,

Cap'n Tony Bach
LEN-DER.com


Best reason to bring back all the divers.......
"I don't want to fill out the paperwork!"

 

[aikiguy]

Why didn't you post this two weeks ago before I joined this forum, so that I could have had the information!? ;-)


Both my DR and I noticed there was no where for Dr address and phone.. So we didn't put one in... Now I have to go get another one signed!

Guy

 

[tekdvr2]

You don't need to get anything signed.......You'll either get a letter in the mail or hopefully an email...asking you for the information/clarification. They will NOT send the entire packet back. They might even catch it at the REC.
Let us know how it goes.
If they really jerk you around, make a call to your Senator / Congressman. Let him know what's going on. I think the NMC is already under a lot of scrutiny these days.
The NTSB is also starting to stick their fingers into this pie. If you were considered "overweight" according to the BMI......some applicants had to get sleep studied done at $3000. a pop. And there was nothing about it in the CFR's, just some do gooder trying to make a name for himself. Some one finally got a hold of a higher up and basically told them that they can't make up the rules as they go along. Not that it won't rear it's ugly head again.

tb

 

[Akyla]

Greetings,

I just did my 6th renewal and had a few issues, even though I carefully went through the whole package of instructions and read all the info on the CG website.

First thing is make sure your physical is on the NEW 9 page version of 719K. The old physical form is also 719K and could still be found on the CG website and was sent to me in a package of forms from them back in Dec. (think it would have been smart to use a new number for the new verison?) I did my physical in Dec and submitted it in early Jan - you guessed it the change was in Jan and they would not accept mine done in Dec because I sent it in Jan. I had to get another one in on the NEW 719K even though I had made a call before hand and asked to make sure that I was going to be using the right form because I had heard about the change. This issue with the wrong form should go away with time, but watch out for it now.

Also as was mentioned you must put the doctors address and phone info on the form, even though they don't ask for it. This page came back to me in the mail with a note and I just wrote it in and sent it back.

There are a lot of questions on the med form that are not even on my FAA flight physicals. I was told the change is in reaction to marine casualties that have occurred in the last several years, supposedly due to med issues but the person I spoke with at the REC did not know of the specifics. Lucky for me I have nothing that would cause me issues with this but if I did would not bet that the CG had any of my needs or interests at heart and would prepare for a fight with them.

Once we did the back and forth with a few pages of the application with me adding info that was not originally asked for, the app moved forward. The NMMC did send regular emails letting me know the app had moved from one desk to the next and then that it was approved. Has not yet arrived as I asked not to loose 4 months of time in the process, so there still may be a surprise in the future.

I really respect the CG and their mission and I am really glad to have them around. But this process, though improved from years past when you had to go in person to the REC, is not without issues and really does not have to be as problematic as it is.

 

[bottomfinder]

I just want to say thanks, I just did an upgrade class. I'm getting ready to submit my packet. Some of the things you went over were very insightful, thanks again.

 

[CaptEsteban]

It all is starting to be not worth the hassle to ME . Not sure if I will renew this time. I am already retired & don't really need the income.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I'm lucky enough to work across the street from the USCG license office downtown NYC. And in the building next door is a TWIC office. I walk in, chat, get the forms, chat some more. Usually in 3 weeks I'm all done without any paid help. My last renewal was last year. It was my 5th or 6th.
What do these consultants charge? Maybe I have a new busines oppertunity.

 

[captndale]

I just got my new MMC in the mail on Friday. The Coast Guard had my application for less than two weeks. It was received in Toledo on March 24 and my MMC went out from West Virginia on April 6. Thanks to those who gave me good pointers, including Tony (tekdvr2) and Mike Fiedler I had all my materials together on the proper forms with all the t's crossed and i's dotted without having to go through a consultant to get the job done.

I am disappointed that we no longer get a certificate, the passport style book MMC does not have the old language "License, To U.S. Merchant Marine Officer" and there is no longer an issue number. This would have been issue number 5 for me.

 

[aikiguy]

I too was amazed at the quick turn around time for my latest MMC renewal. I did like that part. However......

I am hugely disappointed in the new format, and the new language seems to reduce us to the same level as licensed beauty technicians.

I think that as our society continues to believe more and more that anyone can learn anything, and the all you need is some training and a certificate to accomplish any given task. We keep seeing more and more "Licensed" what-evers. Are we loosing the art of a master of his or her craft in favor of the blind procedural followings of a technician? I feel missing issue number is part of this same thinking.

Although I like the fast turnaround of the renewal, I am also concerned with the rumors that the whole process has been outsourced to companies not related to maritime matters. As a Master of a vessel, I am concerned that others who may not meet the minimum criteria, but have overlooked deficiencies, may be out on the water with me.

A large part of my disappointment is probably due to the Department of Homeland Security going from a really pretty certificate with sailing ships worthy of being hung on a bulkhead in a frame, to something that looks like it came out of a cracker jack box.

Each of the owners that I have worked for in a position which I interfaced with the public have asked me to post a color copy of my certificate on the bridge. I have always enjoyed the pride of being able to do so. Now to do so would be to invite the question of why the framed item was out of date.

Guy

 

[nolatom]

I don't know as anyone likes the new passport-type format compared to the lovely frame-size Licenses (except the new one is easier to carry around), but I don't know as I'd extrapolate that into changes in how they evaluate qualifications of an applicant.

The new regime takes a much harder look at the medical exam (you can thank the Staten I ferry and Cosco Busan wheelhouse guys for that, at least in part), so it's less likely you'll meet a mariner who's taking too many prescription meds, or the wrong ones, or hasn't disclosed the ones he's taking.

But yeah, I miss the old license certificates, and see no reason why the license issue number was deleted, they could have at least kept that.