32 FOGHORN FOGHORN FOCUS ing to hire veterans and understand how their experience can translate to the civilian maritime industry. There are additional programs available to active-duty ser- vice members and veterans, including MilGears, SkillBridge and the Veterans Employment Outreach Program (VEOP). These programs often work in conjunction with the COOL programs. The MilGears program offers a military to mari- ner component. MilGears allows service members to deter- mine the credentials for which they may be well suited by uploading the appropriate documents to the MilGears por- tal to identify gaps in training or experience that may hinder the service member in their pursuit of the credentials. It should be noted that while MilGears helps service mem- bers pursue merchant mariner credentials, it is the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center that has final say as to the service member’s ability to obtain the credential. The Coast Guard is working to develop NAVITA (Latin for ‘mariner’), a web-based mariner credentialing portal which will allow merchant mariner applicants and others to apply for, track status of, and otherwise manage their merchant mariner cre- dentials and medical certificates. With this new capability, the Coast Guard aims to provide maritime industry custom- ers with a modern application system that greatly improves efficiency, consistency, and customer service. Commercial software programs do exist to help mariners navigate the cre- dentialing process; one example is MM-SEAS, which states that it offers step-by-step licensing guidance and support for electronic sea service form generation. SkillBridge is a military offering that assists active-duty mil- itary the opportunity to gain real world experience in 180- day apprenticeships prior to separation. The program offers prospective employers the opportunity to train and hire excellent candidates. All service members separating or retir- ing from service also have access to the Transition Assistance Program, which assists service members transition from mil- itary to civilian life. The program is about a week long and features everything from explanations of veterans’ benefits to a Department of Labor (DOL) employment workshop. DOL also runs VEOP, which connects employers with vet- erans, active-duty service members, and military spouses. One thing I am very excited about is CMTS agency par- ticipation in the implementation of the Maritime Action Plan (MAP). Along with shipbuilding and goals to im- prove the Maritime Industrial Base, the MAP devotes an entire section to reforming workforce education and training, placing an emphasis on quality of life, housing, and affordability. Pillar 2 actions include modernizing the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and increasing sup- port for our state maritime academies, expanding appren- ticeships, talent pipelines and regional training partner- ships, and investing in effective workforce development programs for retention, surge hiring and long‑term skill demand. The MAP specifically notes M2M as a way to increase the number of credentialed mariners, including by maximizing credit for military training and sea ser- vice, expanding fee exemptions, formalizing equivalency guidance and approving reciprocity for military courses to meet training requirements. The MAP also directs outreach and investment to diversify workforce devel- There are myriad reasons to hire veteran mariners, not least of which is their strong work ethic, proven leadership and leadership readiness, strong performance under pressure, adaptability, and experience working in diverse teams and organizations. Many of these skills are transferable to the merchant marine and passenger vessel operations.
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