This subpart provides for the registration of staff officers for employment on vessels documented or numbered under the laws of the United States. Staff officers must be registered if serving on most vessels in ocean service or on the Great Lakes.

(a) Title 46 U.S.C. 8302 contains the requirements for staff departments on U.S. flag vessels.

(b) Title 46 U.S.C. 8302 does not apply to—

(1) A fishing or whaling vessel or yacht;

(2) A vessel operated only on bays, sounds, inland waters, and lakes (other than the Great Lakes); and

(3) A vessel ferrying passengers and cars on the Great Lakes.

(a) The applicant for an endorsement as staff officer is not required to take any examination; however, the applicant must present to the Coast Guard a letter justifying the need for the endorsement.

(b) An applicant for a higher grade in the staff department must apply in the same manner as for an original endorsement and must surrender the previous Coast Guard-issued credentials upon issuance of the new MMC. A staff officer may serve in a lower grade of service for which he or she is registered.

(c) Title 46 U.S.C. 8302 addresses uniforms for staff officers who are members of the Naval Reserve.

(d) A duplicate MMC may be issued by the Coast Guard. (See § 10.229 of this subchapter.)

(e) An MMC is valid for a term of 5 years from the date of issuance. Procedures for renewing endorsements are found in § 10.227 of this subchapter.

(f) Each applicant for an original or a higher grade of endorsement, as described in paragraph (b) of this section, must produce evidence of having passed a chemical test for dangerous drugs or of qualifying for an exception from testing in § 16.220 of this subchapter. An applicant who fails a chemical test for dangerous drugs will not be issued an MMC.

(a) The applicant for a certificate of registry as staff officer must submit evidence of experience as follows:

(1) Chief purser. Two years of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the purser's office.

(2) Purser. One year of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the purser's office.

(3) Senior assistant purser. Six months of service aboard vessels performing duties relating to work in the purser's office.

(4) Junior assistant purser. Previous experience not required.

(5) Medical doctor. A valid license as physician or surgeon issued under the authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.

(6) Professional nurse. A valid license as a registered nurse issued under authority of a state or territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia.

(7) Marine physician assistant. Successful completion of an accredited course of instruction for a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner program.

(8) Hospital corpsman. A rating of at least hospital corpsman or health services technician, first class in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, or an equivalent rating in the U.S. Army (not less than Staff Sergeant, Medical Department, U.S.A.), or in the U.S. Air Force (not less than Technical Sergeant, Medical Department, U.S.A.F.), and a period of satisfactory service of at least 1 month in a military hospital or U.S. Public Health Service Hospital.

(b) Employment on shore in connection with a vessel's business may be accepted instead of service aboard vessels. Related shore employment is accepted in the ratio of 2 months of shore service to 1 month of creditable service aboard vessels.

(c) In computing the length of service required of an applicant for an endorsement, service of one season on vessels on the Great Lakes is counted as service of 1 year.

(d) In the event an applicant for an endorsement, other than medical doctor or professional nurse, presents evidence of other qualifications that, in the opinion of the Coast Guard, is equivalent to the experience requirements of this section and is consistent with the duties of a staff officer, the Coast Guard may issue the MMC.

(a) This section is only applicable to those persons who will be serving or have served upon those vessels built and operated in accordance with the International Code of Safety for High Speed Craft (HSC Code).

(b) To qualify for a high-speed craft type-rating endorsement (TRE) for operating vessels to which the HSC Code applies, an applicant must—

(1) Hold a valid officer endorsement for vessels of commensurate grade, tonnage, route, and/or horsepower; and

(2) Present evidence of successful completion of a Coast Guard-approved type rating training program.

(c) A separate TRE will be issued for each type and class of high speed craft. The original route will be as specified in the approved type rating program. Additional routes may be added to an existing TRE by completing at least 12 roundtrips over each route under the supervision of a type-rated master on the class of high speed craft the TRE will be valid for. Six of the trips must be made during the hours of darkness or a “daylight only” restriction will be imposed.

(d) A TRE will be valid for 2 years. The expiration date of a TRE will not be changed due to the addition of additional routes.

(e) To renew a TRE, an applicant must provide evidence of—

(1) At least 6 months of service in the appropriate position on the type crafts to which the TRE applies during the preceding 2 years, including at least 12 roundtrips over each route, together with evidence of a completed revalidation assessment; or

(2) Completion of an approved revalidation training program.