<p>I saw on one of a threads about parent's weekend that there is no money for the Kings Pointer to sail this year. Admiral Worley assured the NJ alumni association and Parent's association last Spring that he had plenty of fuel for the ship. What is the truth here?</p>
<p>The issue is not fuel, and not neccesarily money (though we could certainly use more!) The current issue resticting use of the Kings Pointer is crew. The full time crew currently consists of 2- a chief mate and a chief engineer (who are both employees of NOAA, as it was determined that the Maritime Administration is not autherized to hire mariners.) Traditionally the ship also had a full time master, that position is under review by the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, as we may not be authorized to hire that position either. Also for the last ten years were two assistant engineers who maintained the vesseled, and served as licensed engineers to fill the USCG COI requirements. These positions disapeared last year when the NAFI employees were dismissed. Other billets required by the COI for mates were normally filled by marine transportation instructors, but since they are not authorized to get overtime for time spent on the ship, and since that department is 6 professor short- well you can see where I’m going. The ship needs a full time staff available to get it underway. I’d love to see it underway every weekend! We have been fortunate to have aquired our ex-Navy YP training vessel shortly before running into all of these problems, and have used that heavily to replace time on the Kings Pointer. An interesting point is that the Navy has three full time staff aboard each 108’ YP boat. Our YP has none, and our 224’ Kings Pointer has only 2.</p>
<p>I am speechless. What a way to run a railroad.</p>
<p>Oh, the pitfalls of contracts, guidelines,laws, orders, etc. </p>
<p>The true intent of what is to happen and what was written describing what is to happen.</p>
<p>Who would have ever thought that the greatest obstacle in the world would be a piece of paper?</p>
<p>Hang in there Deep Sea. We appreciate all of the hard work you do with the limited resources that you have.</p>
<p>You have to love our Federal Government.</p>
<p>Efficiency at it’s finest!</p>
<p>luv2fly</p>
<p>To me the travisty is/are the way this is basically kept quiet and what I consider to be “lies of omission” that the Admiral and Dean are “selling”/"spreading when they talk to the Alumni Groups, including the Alumni Chapter Presidents Alliance.</p>