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

Executive Order 13860 of March 4, 2019

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

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and to promote employment opportunities for
United States military veterans while growing the cadre
of trained United States mariners available to meet
United States requirements for national and economic
security, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United
States to support practices and programs that ensure
that members of the United States Armed Forces receive
appropriate credit for their military training and
experience, upon request, toward credentialing
requirements as a merchant mariner. It is further the
policy of the United States to establish and maintain
an effective merchant marine program by providing
sufficient support and resources to active duty and
separating service members who pursue or possess
merchant mariner credentials.

A robust merchant marine is vital to the national and
economic security of the United States. Credentialed
United States merchant mariners support domestic and
international trade, are critical for strategic
defensive and offensive military sealift operations,
and bring added expertise to Federal vessel operations.
Unfortunately, the United States faces a shortage of
qualified merchant mariners. As our strategic
competitors expand their global footprint, the United
States must retain its ability to project and sustain
forces globally. This capability requires a sufficient
corps of credentialed merchant mariners available to
crew the necessary sealift fleet. Attracting additional
trained and credentialed mariners, particularly from
active duty service members and military veterans, will
support United States national security requirements
and provide meaningful, well-paying jobs to United
States veterans.

Sec. 2. Definition. For the purposes of this order, the
term “applicable service” includes any of the “armed
forces,” as that term is defined in section
101(a)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code.

Sec. 3. Credentialing Support. (a) To support merchant
mariner credentialing and the maintenance of such
credentials, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of Homeland Security, with respect to the applicable
services in their respective departments, and in
coordination with one another and with the United
States Committee on the Marine Transportation System,
shall, consistent with applicable law:

(i) Within 1 year from the date of this order, identify all military
training and experience within the applicable service that may qualify for
merchant mariner credentialing, and submit a list of all identified
military training and experience to the United States Coast Guard National
Maritime Center for a determination of whether such training and experience
counts for credentialing purposes;

(ii) With respect to National Maritime Center license evaluation, issuance,
and examination, take all necessary and appropriate actions to provide for
the waiver of fees for active duty service members, if a waiver is
authorized and appropriate, and, if a waiver is not granted, take all
necessary and appropriate actions to provide for the payment of fees for
active duty service members by the applicable service to the fullest extent
permitted by law;

(iii) Direct the applicable services to take all necessary and appropriate
actions to pay for Transportation Worker Identification Credential cards
for active duty service members pursuing or possessing a mariner
credential;

(iv) Ensure that members of the applicable services who are to be
discharged or released from active duty and who request certification or
verification of sea service be provided such certification or verification
no later than 1 month after discharge or release; and

(v) Ensure the applicable services have developed, or continue to operate,
as appropriate, the online resource known as Credentialing Opportunities
On-Line to support separating service members seeking information and
assistance on merchant mariner credentialing.

    (b) The United States Committee on the Marine
Transportation System shall pursue innovative ways to
support merchant mariner credentialing, including
through continuation of the Military to Mariner
Initiative as appropriate, and shall provide a yearly
status report on its efforts under the provisions of
this order to the President through the White House
Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    March 4, 2019.