USCG Testing Scandal

Wow, $3,500 to get the ticket without taking the test.
It is not that hard, I would study a bit more, then put the money in the bank.
(In fact I did, took the course and the test twice: Don’t let your ticket expire)

Hope the culprits goes to jail for a long time.

"If convicted, each of the 31 defendants could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, prosecutors said."

Is that all? What about the companies who were screwed by the illegal licensed operators?

The same has been prevalent in the flying business with third world countries like India and Pakistan:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12857742

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/business/pakistan-fake-pilot-intl-hnk/index.html

Disappointed to see the same cr@p in the US especially with the US Coast Guard.

It happens anywhere there is testing and I do believe is quite rare in this industry. In most cases, regardless of the industry or the requirement, word gets back to the authorities.

As to companies damaged, they'd have to prove their damages in a civil court unless they were able to get word to the authorities and get restitution added to the criminal cases. As to all those who were passed over for jobs, they won't get compensated.

You may want to check the meaning of the word "prevalent". And, apples and oranges. As you well know don't get the keys to a commercial airplane after showing your license. Each company has its own training programs and check rides whether in house or farmed out. You can't fake those, even if you got a fake intermediate license somewhere along the way. That said, every one is one too much.

Thx for the heads up.
Prevalent, as in not rare, in third world countries, where corruption and cheating is uh, prevalent .
The shocking news however is the issue on this here thread: You pay to play, rather than study and take the test in THE USA.
As far as taking tests, I got tickets from 4 different nations flying airplanes, never paid a dime but I am well aware of what is going on.
Got Merchant Marine papers from 2 countries, all good. (I love taking tests and getting licenses, no idea why people need to pay, not that hard)

Here in Canada, the Gov't allowed "licensed" individuals to give the boaters card test, I sat and watched the tester give his two friends a pass and temp ticket without taking the test, one of the takers was a Professor and knew diddly about running a boat, just disgusting.

Boaters Card..?
Is that a recreational ticket up North?
The issue on this here thread is about a Proffesional license, as in driving boats for a living with paying passengers aboard.

That being said, we should have a recreational license in the US, as in a Boaters Card, too many idiots on too many boats who is clueless, but the lobbyist on the payroll for the marine industry keep convincing the law makers that no boating license is needed, hence we have credit card captains doing stupid stuff and killing people way too often.
Sad.

36 States do.

He will now tell you those tests are a joke. I took one, even though I didn't have to. It wasn't.

Not in Florida, but badly needed.

Who will tell OB these tests are a joke?
If you got a beef, spit it out.

Who will tell you the facts that FL does now have a test and license and it's required if you were born on or after January 1, 1988, and you will be operating a motorized boat of 10hp or more.

Seems too many people were borne before 1-1-1988.
A license should be required for everybody operating on the waterways.

As far as the regular boating license is concerned, before they happened I suggested in a Yachting magazine survey that it be a one question test, i.e. 'Have you taken a basic boating course?' And yes the instructor should do everything they can to help the students pass. Their goal is to get people on the water with at least basic knowledge. I had my wife take the course when I first got her into boating (I took it for the 2nd time with her). She did everything she could to fail. She had no interest and hated it, but the instructor wouldn't let her fail. He all but surgically implanted the knowledge in her. But get the knowledge she did and eventually she became one heck of a good boat handler, safe boater and eventually a working captain. The goal of a basic boating course and licensing is simply to start the learning process.

As far as the self-certifying is concerned, this is why I recommend never hiring a first issue licensee (first 5 years) or less than 50GT master to run your boat. He or she may have extremely little experience. However, during my 30 year career I was never asked to show my license except for commercial work and a couple of times for insurance companies. Unfortunately you can't make people smart and I've known a lot of very wealthy people who were incredibly stupid. I don't think many even did a criminal background check on me before putting me in charge of their family's safety.

Testing and licenses only get a person in the door. From there it's up to employers to do their due diligence. Look at all the people on the road with driver's licenses. Even with a road test does it mean they are good drivers?

You mean to say that you have to take a test to get a driver's license? Judging by the incompetent fools on the road in TX, I think they sell the license at Walmart.

They walk and drive among us everyday and everywhere, and many run boats. Some even fly.

Geeze that’s crazy. I just passed the tests for my 100ton masters with a USCG approved school. Even though I run my own PrincessV72 with my wife and have no intention on using the license for commercial purposes, I studied my butt off and passed first time just for the knowledge. It’s a sad state when people stoop to such lows to pass a test but I'm sure it happens all the time in a multitude of different fields.

Lack of honor is all too common.