The main reason I want to become a merchant marine is to be able to live in Puerto Rico during my time off. I'm now learning that unions make you be physically present to get jobs.
Is there no online union option for third mate+ ranked sailors? This is a huge bummer. Will joining a single company solve this issue?
Hi all, I am planning to go to TAMU masters program for deck next year, and am looking at the current poor(er) 3M hiring market. My plan would be to go Mil. Sealift Command to get lots of sailing days quickly and the high pay for 3M (~$180-200k). I understand I would be sailing like 9-10 months at a time for this pay.
But since Mil. Sealift Command supposedly caps pay a bit above $200k, I plan to get my 2M and maybe Chief Mate with Mil. Sealift Command then switch to a union for the rest of my career and work 6 on 6 off until retirement.
Please poke holes in my plan if there are any; I am excited about this career change and just want to hear from more experienced people if I am naive here. I come from a high finance background so I am used to 65+ hour weeks but they were spent behind a computer.
So I am deferred due to marijuana abuse over a decade ago. I was asked to undergo a substance abuse intake/evaluation by a HIMS approved substance abuse facility.
My HIMS AME stated "there is no list of approved programs from the FAA" and then referred me to a consultant that wants to send me to a 5 day in-patient program for $5,000. This seems wrong.
Anyone got any thoughts or experience here?
Anybody else experiencing this?