MARINE ENGINEERS' BENEFICIAL ASSOCIATION (AFL-CIO)
         "On Watch in Peace and War Since 1875"

MEBA TELEX TIMES       FEBRUARY 22, 2008

The Official Union Newsletter

NUMBER 8

In this issue...
Jobs with Armada...More TWIC centers open...PEARY christened...Advent of eLORAN...In a heavy-duty, spin-free edition, we work ourselves into a lather and cycle up a laundry list of maritime items. Don't get hampered by washed up newsletters that get on their soapbox and put you through the wringer! They just don't pass the smell test! We do the dirty work, take them to the cleaners and hang them out to dry. Get a load of the wrinkle-free, stain-resistant Telex Times -- our reputation is spotless!

JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH ARMADA
Armada Companies, LLC is a crewing and engineering company with some very unique shoreside covered employment opportunities for M.E.B.A. engineers.

They are looking for Licensed Engineers with any of these qualifications:
Professional Engineer Certification (PE); Certified Energy Manager Certification (CEM); Mechanical/Electrical Design Experience; Masters or Doctorate of Science Degrees in Engineering.

Any of these qualifications is enhanced by a USCG Chief Engineer License and Security Clearance.

Armada Companies, LLC conducts energy audits onboard vessels and creates shipboard & company energy management plans. The work entails a CEM riding various vessels while conducting an energy audit of the vessel. This information is then analyzed and distilled into a report by engineers in the Norfolk Office.

Armada is also are involved in design of ship equipment installations. This work includes equipment selection, ABS design submittals, and specification development.

Engineers with a high level of electrical/electronic troubleshooting s{blocked} or hydraulic experience should submit resumes. Armada will supply engineers to work onboard ships during port stays and while in yard.

Armada Companies, LLC anticipates growth during 2008 that will allow them to hire a number of new engineers. These jobs may be temporary initially and develop into full time positions. At this time Armada is trying to create a pool of engineers who can be available to work between other assignments or on demand as work becomes available.

If you are interested in working for Armada Companies, LLC in these unique jobs, please e-mail your resume to info@armadacompanies.com.  For more information contact Pete Ryan at peteryan@armadacompanies.com 

NEW TWIC CENTERS KEEP POPPING UP
A handful of new TWIC Centers opened up this week with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announcing the establishment of several more in the near future. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential program has been implemented to ensure that those who have unescorted access to secure areas of ports and vessels are not security threats. Members must obtain a TWIC by September 25, 2008 or they will not be permitted to sail.

Last week, centers opened in La Plata, MD; and Portland, ME; As of this week, centers are now open in Lorain, OH; Tampa, FL; Cincinnati, OH; Richmond, CA; S. Louisiana, LA; Anacortes, WA; and Sault Ste. Marie, MI; With the addition of the Port of Sault Sainte Marie, 72 ports are currently enrolling people through the program, which began on Oct. 16, 2007. Ultimately, established fixed enrollment centers will be in place at 147 ports along with mobile enrollment centers at dozens of other locations as needed.

Next week, the center in Norfolk, VA is set to open up. The week after, center openings are scheduled in Marine City, MI; St. Louis, MI; St. Ignace, MI; and Palm Beach, FL. The other centers set to open by the end of March include Bangor, ME; Gulfport, MS; Key West, FL; New London, CT; Newport News, VA; Panama City, FL; San Diego, CA; and Traverse City, MI. Use this link to learn the street address of the TWIC center nearest you: http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/schedule.jsp.

To make it easier, members should pre-enroll for TWIC on the TSA website at www.tsa.gov/twic.  Pre-enrollment speeds up the process by allowing workers to provide biographic information and schedule a time to complete the application process in person. This reduces waiting and in-person enrollment times for each individual. More information on the TWIC program is available at www.tsa.gov/twic and additional information on port security is available at the U.S. Coast Guard's Homeport site at http://homeport.uscg.mil  by clicking on the Maritime Security link.

PEARY GETS CHRISTENED
USNS ROBERT E. PEARY, the Military Sealift Command's newest ship in the Lewis-and-Clark-class of dry cargo/ammunition ships, was christened a week ago Saturday in an afternoon ceremony at the NASSCO shipyard in San Diego. Attending the ceremony for the Union were Government Fleet Representative Randi Ciszewski and Chief Engineer Steve Burdi. The ship was launched Oct. 27, 2007 during the wild fires that ravaged southern California.

The 689-foot PEARY is the fifth in the Navy's new T-AKE class of combat logistics ships designed to deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to U.S. and coalition forces operating at sea.

"PEARY represents a lifeline to the Navy and is instrumental in our meeting our mission," said Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, III, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet in his keynote address. "These ships are the backbone of the Navy's mission - ensuring that we can go where we need to go and do what we need to do."

This ship is named in honor of Rear Adm. Robert E. Peary, who led the first expedition to the North Pole. Peary's great-granddaughter and ship's sponsor, Peary S. Fowler, broke the traditional bottle of champagne across the ship's bow in the time-honored Navy tradition intended to ensure the safety of ship and crew.

The first ship of the T-AKE class, USNS LEWIS AND CLARK, just completed its first operational mission to the U.S. Central Command area of operations where it delivered 5,856 pallets of food and supplies and nearly 15 million gallons of fuel to U.S. and coalition naval forces operating in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

PEARY is one of a projected 14 T-AKEs, the first 11 of which will serve as combat logistics force ships and three of which are slated to be part of MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Force (Future), which will strategically position U.S. Marine Corps supplies at sea.

USCG PLANS TO MODERNIZE LORAN AS GPS BACKUP
The Coast Guard's 2009 Budget includes funding for the modernization of the Long Range Navigation (LORAN) system to serve as the primary backup to the satellite-based Global Positioning System. The system is used for navigation to determine location and precise timing information. The updated version of the familiar LORAN-C would be called enhanced LORAN or eLORAN. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said that using eLORAN would "mitigate any safety, security or economic effects of a GPS outage or disruption." The budget recommends that $34.5 million be earmarked for the development of eLORAN. It also transfers budget authority for the LORAN-C system from the U.S. Coast Guard to the DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate. This is a process that began early last year when the DHS and Department of Transportation sought comment on whether to upgrade LORAN or shut it down.

The International LORAN Association says the modernization boosts position accuracy to between 8 feet and 65 feet, with availability measured at 99.9 percent and integrity at 99.99 percent.

MARAD RIDS GHOST FLEET OF ANOTHER RUSTBUCKET
Thanks to the rising value of scrap metal, the Maritime Administration is finding ways to rid the aging Ghost Fleet of another obsolete vessel. This time, MarAd has unloaded the 38-year old vessel S/S BAYAMON which had been rusting away in the James River for years. In its heyday, the BAYAMON was owned by Puerto Rico Marine Management and crewed with M.E.B.A. officers.

All Star Metals, LLC purchased the rotting hull for $12,221 and plan to dismantle the ship at their facility in Brownsville, Texas. The Roll-On/Roll-Off vehicle carrier was built in 1970 by the Sun Shipbuilding Corporation of Chester, Pennsylvania. It was towed away this week.

TEXAS MEMBERS COULD GET M.E.B.A. LICENSE PLATE
M.E.B.A.'s Union hall in Houston is trying to seek out members, applicants and retirees who live in Texas and might be interested in a special M.E.B.A. license plate. A specialty plate is already available to members in Maryland. You can take a look at that one by visiting the following website: www.marylandmva.com/VehicleServ/SpecialtyPlates/displayPlateDetails.asp?PLAT  EID=753. The cost for such a plate in Texas would be $30 a year.

If you have a valid driver's license for the state of Texas and want an M.E.B.A. license plate on your family vehicles, please contact the Houston Hall's Branch Agent Dana Woodruff by e-mail at dwoodruff@d1meba.org. 

CAR & BIKE SHOW WILL BENEFIT MEMORIAL
The M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation is having a Car & Bike Show that will take place at the School on May 24, 2008 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be raffles, food, live music, and trophies for winning contestants all for a $5 admission fee for those not entering a car or motorcycle in the show.

If you are showing in the event, there will be a $25 Registration Fee for a Car, $15 for a Motorcycle. All proceeds go to the M.E.B.A. Merchant Marine Memorial Foundation, Inc. to help with further maintenance on the Memorial. Registration begins at 10 am on that day with the judging beginning at noon. A band will rock out the show starting at 1 p.m. The Burn Out begins at 2 p.m. with the raffle and door prizes at 3 p.m.

If you want to register or just plain donate - or need to ask about vending opportunities, please contact Jessica Milligan at (410) 822-9600, ext. 306 or jmilligan@mebaschool.org.  Checks should be payable to MMMMF, Inc, P.O. Box 4332, Easton, MD 21601. Visit the Memorial section of the School's website (www.mebaschool.org).

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monday, March 3 - Boston, Seattle;
Tuesday, March 4 - Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville, San Francisco;
Wednesday, March 5 - Calhoon School, Charleston, New Orleans, Portland;
Thursday, March 6 - L.A., New York, Norfolk, Tampa;
Friday, March 7 - Honolulu.

--------FINISHED WITH ENGINES---------