Lt. Jeff Brooks, Training Officer of Pre Commissioning Unit MOMSEN, had the PCU Bridge Watch Standers attend USCG-approved Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA) and Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (ECDIS) courses at MarineSafety International's Newport Simulator Training Complex (MSI-Newport) this past August.
Those successfully completing the courses will receive certificates that are recognized by the USCG as applicable to merchant marine licenses and STCW 95 endorsements. MSI-Newport has provided these and similar courses to mariners from commercial companies and the USCG for several years, but this is the first time USCG approved ARPA and ECDIS courses were given to Pre Commissioning Unit Navy personnel.
MOMSEN will be commissioned in Panama City Florida in August of 2004