The Transportation Worker Identification Credential

B

Byrdman

New member
WOW... Just what us legal folks need.... What would be wrong with just adding a boat to our drivers license for $15...?

Now, I have not spent much time looking into this....but for those of us holding a Captains lisence of anytype...we may be soon effected....spend more, and have just one more card to keep in our boat...

What is yall's take on this???

http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm


Byrdman
 
Hey brother Byrd,

From the wording, it sounds like we're going to have to have it (by September). I am going to the port office tomorrow to check into it, so I'll let you know more when I find out.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Byrdman":33h0t8rb said:
WOWWhat is yall's take on this???

Byrdman
Click to expand...

TWIC was established by Congress through the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and is administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Coast Guard.

IOW, TWIC was established by TWITs to create yet another level of selectively enforced horsepucky and a whole bunch of finger pointing opportunities.

Bleah
 
OK, I just returned from the TWIC enrollment office... $105.25 lighter. According to the very nice young lady in the office, this will be a requirement if you hold any kind of captains license or merchant mariners document. My take is that it is another illusion of security, but if you want to use your license, you're going to have to enroll. I was told that even fishing guides who hold an OUPV (6 pack) and will never be near an industrial port or have concerns with "secure" areas will be required to have this credential.

If you have a recent authorized background check (I recently upgraded/renewed my license), you qualify for a "discounted" price of $105.25, and the card is good for the duration of your license. If not, you will have to go through the background check and the cost will be $132.50; good for 5 years.

You have to show your license (if applicable) and a passport. If you don't have a passport, you will need to show a photo ID (drivers license or military ID) AND a certified birth certificate or a original social security card or some other certified type of document proving your citizenship. You apparently can't come in and say, "Just ask my Mom, she'll tell you I was born here." :wink: They also do electronic fingerprint scans and take a photo.

It will be one more thing to be carried. If you are strictly a recreational boater, of course, none of this is necessary. As Sneaks said, it is administered by the TSA and the USCG, but it appears to be run by Lockheed Martin.

Realistically, I don't understand why this same thing cannot be done as the same time as getting or renewing a license. If the USCG is going to require this, what is the point of going through essentially the same process twice (and paying for it twice).

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

PS - The young lady doing this was very pleasant and professional. However, when I asked her how long it would take before I would get the card, I mentioned that the website says 6 to 8 weeks. Her response, "Oh no, it is taking much longer than that - maybe a month and a half to two months." :mrgreen:

Apparently the hold up is in the production of the card itself, not the background check. And you have to go back to the enrollment office in person to pick up the card after they notify you that it's ready.
 
What a pain in the a$$....I had a full background check completed by the Department of the Interior within the last 4 months but I'm sure in typical government fashion one branch cannot talk to the other and I will need to repeat the process. :\

I have not heard anyone talk about this in Boston and supposedly it was being rolled out last November.

Captains keep your receipt...at least it's tax deductible as a business expense.
 
Hi Folks,

I am a Coxswain in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and have been cleared by Home Security. I wonder if the ID is good enough to get access, and if anybody knows about it? It gets me free admission to some places where GI's can get into.

Fred
 
I DID A SEARCH AND FOUND A TWIC OFFICE LOCATED JUST TWENTY MILES FROM MY OFFICE. I CALLED THE 1-866-347-8942 NUMBER AND AFTER 30 MINUTES AND 11 SECONDS OF HEARING, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, YOUR CALL IS IMPORTANT TO US, WE WILL BE WITH YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE", I HUNG UP.
WHAT A CROCK!
GUESS I'LL JUST SHOW UP ON THEIR DOOR STEP WITH AS MUCH DOCUMENTATION (AND MONEY) AS POSSIBLE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
MY LICENSE EXPIRES JAN. 15, 2009. I AM SIGNED UP FOR THE RENEWAL CLASS, BEING HELD ON MARCH 27, 2008. GUESS ALL WILL GO WELL.
PATRICK, "BYRDMAN", THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
PAT
 
Fred,

My understanding of this is that if you already have been cleared by certain government agencies, you will just have to pay the $105 and get your new card. You still have to get the new card, but the screening process is shorter. When I renewed my Masters license last year, I had to go to the USCG office, get fingerprinted, fill out some more forms and so on. That process was the new screening, so if you renewed your USCG license within the last year, the screening has been done.

You will have to go twice, once to get processed and once to pick up the actual card.
 
i spoke to another uscg captain and he stated this requirement is only for those who have the mmd card. this conversation occurred over email so i was not able to ask, what the hell is a mmd card. i'm sure it's something simple but maybe you guys could shed light on this information.
what gives?
thanks
pat
 
C-brats,
Remember this is all for your protection. If this would have done in Aviation prior to 911 every airman on those stricken jets would have had security clearance and proper documentation. Those crazies that were flying at the time of impact could never obtained the clearance. Although,they could have come up with the $132.50
Dah,
Gary
 
Well, here's a quote...

Merchant Mariner's Document (MMD), or Z-Card, is issued by the United States Coast Guard in accordance with the STCW guidelines, and is the standard documentation required for all crewmembers of U.S. ships with a Gross Register Tonnage of over 100. An entry-level MMD allows one to work on the deck as an Ordinary Seamen (OS), in the engine department as a Wiper, or in the steward's department as a Food Handler (FH). With experience and testing, qualified ratings such as able seaman (AB) or qualified member of the engine department (QMED) can be obtained.

The document is the size of a driver's license, and contains the sailor's information regarding date of birth, the location of issue, nationality, and the shipboard duties he or she is qualified for. Crewmen on any vessel over 100 gross tons are required to have one by United States law.

The documents were created shortly after World War II ended in 1945 to maintain security in ports around the world when sabotage was still a major concern. Today, the document still serves this purpose, and is regarded as a proof of identity as well as a passport when a sailor is in a foreign country. The document must be renewed every five years, and is obtainable by applying at any of the 17 United States Coast Guard Regional Examination Centers in the United States.

Prior to the early 1990s, Z-Cards were obtained free of charge and were good for life, but increased safety standards in the maritime industry sought to keep all active mariners renewing these documents and constantly training to stay abreast of any advancements in their field. All applicants for a Z-Card are required to apply, take a drug test, and wait for a criminal background check to complete before receiving their documents, which may take anywhere from a few weeks to 6 months.

The name Z-Card comes from its early days in use where the sailor's ID number always started with the letter 'Z'.

The Coast Guard has announced a proposal to replace the Merchant Mariner's Document, STCW Certificate, and Certificate of Registry with a new credential, the Merchant Mariner Credential. This proposal is related to the upcoming requirement for mariners to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential.

---------

Back to me writing. As I mentioned, I specifically asked the woman at the TWIC office if boat captains at every level were going to be required to have the TWIC credential, and she said, "Yes, effective September 2008."

I've now read this in other places, but I find it interesting that there has been no contact for license holders by the USCG to confirm this. When I get a chance sometime, I'll call the USCG center in Houston.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
garyk,

I sure hope your post is sarcasm. It is a joke, right?

I am sure we all know that the persons flying those planes on 9/11 were hi-jackers and did not need to get any credentials!!

Sometimes it is very difficult to tell from the printed word what is truly meant.

Assuming you are joking, it is true that the bad guys won't get this credential, but will the lack of a credential actually keep the baddies away from sensitive areas.
 
The better question is, will the additional credentials keep the baddies from the sensitive areas? Of course not! The tail keeps waging the dog. Just another form of taxation
Gary
 
Gary,

It also adds up to 1,000,000 people to the federal identity database. And at $132.50 per person, takes $132,500,000 from the working folks and gives it to Lockheed Martin? (the contractor running the TWIC system)and the federal government.

Larry H
 
This is amazing, Licenced people are already on the books. They have been checked out. Would a terrorist apply for a license or a permit? Did the 911 idiots have a pilot license? They learned enough to crash the planes. If boating, would they need a Captains License to crash a boat?
God all Friday, what in the he----- is this government coming too? Does having a drivers license keep terrorists from driving a car?

I got an idea....Lets past a law that requires a terrorist to get a license to run a boat, fly an airplane, and drive a car. If they don't have one, lets give them life in prison. With tv, place to work out and stay strong, allow conjugal visits, eat really good food, and maybe give them a work release on week ends.

Our people incharge just might go for this idea.

captd
 
Well, I don't look at TWIC as another form of taxation... especially since there was no "representation" regarding this credential. I mentioned "the illusion of security" in an earlier post, and still stand by that. Much like the TSA making little old ladies take off their shoes before boarding an airline, or not allowing you to have a pen-knife in your pocket.*

For every other type of license (drivers, pilots), the license is a size that can be carried in a wallet; easy to access and show. But a captain's license is like carrying around a diploma. 8.5x11. And it's supposed to be carried when you're operating a vessel for hire. The TWIC credential will give the professional mariner something more convenient, but as I understand, you will still have to carry the license. Duplication of credentials. Just as with the MMD. And in most circumstances there will be no "checkpoint" (like security at the airport) for those restricted areas in a ship.

Regarding every port worker to have this credential, likewise will not make the port secure. An insane person with a high speed small boat and an agenda would be hard to stop. Brownsville is an example of a commercial port that no longer allows recreational boats to enter... but there is no "gate on the water" to stop boats to check.

I don't have a solution. Throwing money at it, making the law abiding folks carry another card... simply another hoop for the good guys to jump through that gives the perception that it will protect us from the bad guys. I have been fingerprinted twice in the last six weeks. I paid for each, but I don't see how the country is safer now.

I don't see that this will trickle down to the recreational boater, but some sort of state licensing is likely in our future. Will that make people safer boaters?

Best wishes,
Jim B.

* I had the solution to airline security long before our current world situation: everybody flies naked, and they issue you a large knife before you get on the plane. One small carry-on, made of clear plastic. Make luggage a standard shape (easier and faster to load/unload and inspect), not a fashion statement. I also advocated a heavy steel cockpit door many years ago. Besides first class, there should be a "screaming and kicking section" (for those with small children)... OK, that one won't make things more secure, but it would make commercial flying more tolerable.

Yeah, I'll shut up now.
 
Captains Cat":zw6t2dbl said:
Heck, if they did that, they could give you anything they wanted, no one would notice!! :embarrased

Charlie
Click to expand...

You, on the other hand, would (with good reason) be permanently grounded.

:wink
 
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