Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
Performing and supervising LCAC craftmaster operations provides directly relevant experience for civilian vessel operations.
How to prepare: Before enrolling in training, assess existing qualifications against the MMC officer endorsement for your intended vessel, route and role, and submit an official sea-service transcript or assignment history with vessel particulars, underway time and duties for USCG evaluation; a DD-214 is not acceptable sea-service evidence. Use that evaluation to identify remaining sea-time, approved-training, medical, examination and drug-testing requirements, confirm applicable citizenship and age eligibility, and arrange a TWIC where required.
What the civilian work involves
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.