Supporting the Transition of Active Duty Service Members and Military Veterans Into the Merchant Marine

This executive order directs the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to streamline the process for active duty service members and veterans to obtain merchant mariner credentials, including identifying transferable military training, waiving or paying fees, covering security card costs, and providing timely sea service verification. It aims to address a shortage of qualified U.S. merchant mariners needed for national security and economic purposes.

Federal Register Open PDF 84 FR 8407

Impact dates

Mar 4, 2020
Identify and submit military training/experience to National Maritime Center for credentialing determination
Mar 3, 2020
Yearly status report on Military to Mariner Initiative efforts to President
Apr 3, 2019
Provide sea service certification/verification to separating service members upon request

Key directives

Identify all military training/experience qualifying for merchant mariner credentialing and submit to Coast Guard National Maritime Center within 1 year
Waive or pay merchant mariner credentialing fees for active duty service members to fullest extent permitted by law
Pay for Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) cards for active duty service members pursuing or possessing mariner credentials
Provide certification or verification of sea service to separating service members within 1 month of discharge/release upon request
Maintain Credentialing Opportunities On-Line (COOL) online resource for separating service members
Continue Military to Mariner Initiative and provide yearly status report to President through White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Policy declaration on military training credit toward merchant mariner credentials
Direction to maintain Credentialing Opportunities On-Line resource

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

Identification and submission of military training/experience for credentialing determination
Yearly status reports on Military to Mariner Initiative
Ongoing fee waivers/payments and TWIC card coverage

Risks & tensions

Subject to availability of appropriations may limit implementation if funding not secured
Fee waiver language is conditional ('if authorized and appropriate') creating uncertainty about universal applicability
No enforcement mechanism for service members—explicit disclaimer of enforceable rights in Section 4(c)
Coordination requirement between Defense, Homeland Security, and Committee on Marine Transportation System may create bureaucratic delays
Vague: 'innovative ways' and 'as appropriate' in Section 3(b) grant discretion without concrete benchmarks