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If you feel you have been scammed by a person claiming to be a U.S. Soldier, contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.

Army CID is warning anyone who is involved in online dating to proceed with caution when corresponding with persons claiming to be U.S. Soldiers currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria or elsewhere.

People who use Military Cupid tend to fall in the 25-45 age bracket. The site’s interface is dated and noticeably less user-friendly than most of the competition. Creating a profile is free but. 58. Denver, Colorado, United States. Seeking: Female 54 - 64. Service branch: Marines. Tall Glass of Wine. All i want to tell you if you are the right woman for me is that i have being single for 18 years now and after being advised i decided to re saddle the horse and ride again and that was why i signed up here,so all i want now is to be.

Army CID receives hundreds of allegations a month from victims who state they got involved in an online relationship with someone, on a legitimate dating website or other social media website, who claims to be a U.S. Soldier. The 'Soldier' then begins asking for money for various FALSE, service-related needs such as transportation costs, communication fees, marriage, processing and medical fees. Victims of these online scams have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars, with a very low possibility of recovery.

The U.S. has established numerous task force organizations to deal with this growing epidemic; unfortunately, many times the people committing these scams are from African countries using untraceable email addresses, routing accounts through numerous locations around the world and utilizing pay per hour Internet cyber cafes, which often times maintain no accountability of use.

Read the Joint Service Sextortion Brochure for more information and see examples of fake documents used by scammers.

You can also learn more about identity theft, romance scams, sextortion and online impostors at the U.S. Army's Social Media Resources site.

For more on these fraudulent acts, read the announcements released by Army CID:
U.S. Army CID Warn Citizens to Be Vigilant Against Internet, Digital Scammers
With National Spotlight on Internet Romance-Type Scams, Army CID Makes Additional Attempts to Warn Unsuspecting Victims
U.S. Army CID Pleads with Public, Warns Against Romance Scams
CID warns Army community about social media impersonation of Soldier accounts

  • - DO NOT SEND MONEY! Be extremely suspicious if you are asked for money for transportation costs, communication fees or marriage processing and medical fees via Western Union.
  • - If you do start an Internet-based relationship with someone, check them out, research what they are telling you with someone who would know, such as a current or former service member.
  • - Be very suspicious if you never get to actually speak with the person on the phone or are told you cannot write or receive letters in the mail. Servicemen and women serving overseas will often have an APO or FPO mailing address. Internet or not, service members always appreciate a letter in the mail.
  • - Many of the negative claims made about the military and the supposed lack of support and services provided to troops overseas are far from reality - check the facts.
  • - Be very suspicious if you are asked to send money or ship property to a third party or company. Often times the company exists, but has no idea or is not a part of the scam.
  • - Be very suspicious if the person you are corresponding with wants you to mail anything to an African country.
  • - Be aware of common spelling, grammatical or language errors in the emails.
  • - Be very suspicious of someone you have never met and who pledges their love at warp speed.

Saying they are on a peace keeping mission, looking for an honest woman, parents deceased, wife deceased, child being cared for by nanny or other guardian, profess their love almost immediately, refer to you as 'my love,' 'my darling' or any other affectionate term almost immediately, telling you they cannot wait to be with you, telling you they cannot talk on the phone or via webcam due to security reasons, or telling you they are sending you something (money, jewelry) through a diplomat. Finally, they claim to be a U.S. Army Soldier; however, their English and grammar do not match that of someone born and raised in the United States.

Here are answers to some of the most common types of scams:

  • 1. Soldiers and their loved ones are not charged money so that the Soldier can go on leave.
  • 2. No one is required to request leave on behalf of a Soldier.
  • 3. A general officer will not correspond with you on behalf of a Soldier planning to take leave.
  • 4. A general officer will not be a member of an internet dating site.
  • 5. Soldiers are not charged money or taxes to secure communications or leave.
  • 6. Soldiers do not need permission to get married.
  • 7. Soldiers do not have to pay for early retirement.
  • 8. Soldiers have medical insurance for themselves and their immediate family members (spouse and/or children), which pays for their medical costs when treated at health care facilities worldwide - family and friends do not need to pay their medical expenses.
  • 9. Military aircraft are not used to transport Privately Owned Vehicles.
  • 10. Army financial offices are not used to help Soldiers buy or sell items of any kind.
  • 11. Soldiers deployed to combat zones do not need to solicit money from the public to feed or house their troops.
  • 12. Deployed Soldiers do not find large sums of money and do not need your help to get that money out of the country.

Report the theft to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (FBI-NW3C Partnership). Online: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

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Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Your report helps law enforcement officials across the United States in their investigations. Online: http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft

By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY, 1-866-653-4261

By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580

Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission on Nigerian Scams. Email: spam@uce.gov.


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Better Call Harry: Stolen Heart, Stolen Identity
This Army Veteran Became The Face Of Military Romance Scams. Now He’s Fighting Back
Brown County Browser: Don’t fall for veterans romance scams
Fake US Soldiers Robbing Women Online
How a billion-dollar Internet scam is breaking hearts and bank accounts
Prince Charming' Behind Bars: Nigerian Romance Scammer Nets 27-Year Prison Sentence
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Love me don't: the West African online scam using U.S. Soldiers

Military Cupid Dating Site

Australian grandmother on drug ice charges in Malaysia: Maria Elvira Pinto Exposto may be victim of a military romance scam
U.S. Embassy Accra-GhanaReviews

First, what is a mariner? A mariner -- or merchant mariner -- is an employee of the U.S. Merchant Marine (USMM). The USMM is managed by the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) and consists of privately-owned, U.S.-registered merchant ships and vessels that provide waterborne transportation for passengers and cargo moving in domestic and international commerce. It supports international trade, disaster relief, military conflict and the general infrastructure of America's waterways. Mariners are the men and women who run it all -- from our ports and connectors, to vessel managment and shipping around the world. United States Military Veterans have a wide range of technical, logstical and managerial experience from their time in services, some of it already tailored waterborne operations. The Military to Mariner program is designed to help veterans capitalize on their experience and get on a fast-track to a role in the U.S. Merchant Marine.

Technically, the U.S. Merchant Marine isn’t a governmental service, which means there is no central hiring facility or recruiting stations. Still, there are identification and credentials issued by the federal government for standards purposes, so there is a process that requires a bit of paperwork and travel to an evaluation facility. Below, we list, step-by-step, how to apply using your Navy or Coast Guard experience. For Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps guidance, click here.

It's simple. You present your military credentials and all elements of this application to authorities of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), the regulatory agency responsible for seagoing credentials for U.S. merchant mariners. If accepted, you will receive a United States Coast Guard license or certificate and complete any with additional USCG training as needed. Then you will serve as a U.S. merchant mariner. Jump to the detailed process

That depends on your experience, training, interests, and goals. Merchant Mariners are generally divided into two categories that correspond roughly to commissioned and enlisted statuses in the military:

  • merchant mariners with licensed endorsements (an officer with a 'rank')
  • merchant mariners with unlicensed endorsements (a mariner with a 'rating')

Licensed mariners fill many of the Merchant Marine's leadership and training positions, directing the organization and making key decisions across the board. Think of them as professionals with advanced training in their field (significant maritime-related experience and knowledge) that require a special designation (a license) who provide critical functionality to Merchant Marine Operations. Like surgeons to their operating room staff or airline pilots to their flight crew.

Unlicensed mariners are the backbone of the Merchant Marine workforce, an army of skilled and newly-trained workers with little or no prior experience afloat. These mariners hold 'certifications' rather than licenses, though they can and often do advance into the licensed ranks.

After you complete the application process and pay the required fees, the Coast Guard will evaluate your experience and determine which endorsement (licensed or unlicensed) is appropriate for your skillset.

Yes. The U.S. Merchant Marine is a disciplined organization similar to the traditional five service departments (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard) under the Department of Defense. It has leadership heirarchies, codes of conduct, vast support networks, and legislative backing. The key difference is that you remain a civilian who must follow special laws and regulations designed for merchant mariners and enforced by a military body -- the U.S. Coast Guard. If posted at sea, you will only serve on commercial vessels, which can share similarities with military vessels, such as position titles and lifestyle. For example, the head of the engineering department is called the Chief Engineer and the vessel master – who commands the ship — is formally addressed as “Captain.” Your vessel will also run more efficiently than a standard commcercial vessel, and all those aboard must be ready to change course and support a United States mission anywhere in the world.

The Merchant Marine is not a government agency or a military service, so there is no central hiring agency. This means there is not a common pay scale that applies across the agency or industry roles within it. Each vessel owner or operator sets a unique pay scale, especially in the deep-sea industry, and pay is often linked to trade or labor union agreements. The Department of Labor tracks wages in over 400 industries, including those used in the merchant marine. This DOT page lists the typical wages for waterborne transportation.

Below are some documents and resources to help you with your decision.

  • “Information Concerning Employment and Training in the U.S. Merchant Marine“ (A MARAD pubication with useful summaries of paths for becoming a U.S. merchant marine)
  • Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Manual, Volume III (CIM 16000.8B) (A USCG publication with expansive details about Marine Industry Personnel)

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A few things to remember before getting started:

  1. The National Maritime Center (NMC) is the U.S. Coast Guard command responsible for credentialling Merchant Mariners. They will review your application and approve if you meet the stated requirements.
  2. NMC oversees 17 Regional Examination Centers (RECs) and Monitoring Units, located at various places around the country. You will deliver your completed application materials to any one of these locations. Do NOT send your materials directly to NMC. Your local REC should be your first step to obtaining your document, certification, or license.
  3. NMC, RECs and public access to all USCG functions are available through the Coast Guard's webportal Homeport.
  4. As you are preparing for and completing the items below, don't hesitate to contact the National Maritime Center’s Customer Service Center by email (IASKNMC@uscg.mil) or by telephone at 1-888-427-5662 (1-888-IASKNMC) with questions.
  5. Before you begin, go the NMC website and then the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) page.

Step 2a. Visit the NMC Forms page and download:

  • a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) Application checklist
  • all documents for your application type, sometimes referred to as a packet. For details on which forms are needed for each application type, visit the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) page.

Step 2b. Collect copies of your:

  • Transcript of Sea Service (TOSS)
  • History of Assignments (HOA). This includes discharges or other documentary evidence of service that indicate the name/tonnage/propulsion power of the vessels, dates of service, capacity in which the applicant served and on what waters.
  • DD-214, Report of Separation (if you’ve been discharged)
  • Records of any maritime-related courses you’ve taken that are not listed on the DD-214, Report of Separation.
  • A summary of your military record, including training. Do this by executing a Request Pertaining to Military Records(SF-180). You can request a paper copy of the form by contacting the closest VA Vet Center. Vet Centers are also listed in the phone book in the federal government pages. If you have any kind of afloat experience through your military service, write “Sea Service Transcript” in Section II, subsection 2 “OTHER INFORMATION AND/OR wp-content/uploads/pdf REQUESTED”, of your SF-180.
  • A list of any other sea-service-related experience, which the NMC will evaluate on a case-by-case basis.

NOTE for Navy and Coast Guard service members and Veterans. The NMC has determined that your recruit training meets most of the requirements for U.S. Merchant Marine Basic Safety Training. Some Navy and Coast Guard ratings will be evaluted further and potential constitute a higher level of training and sea time for merchant marine service. The list of approved ratings is the USCG’s Marine Safety Manual, Volume III.

Step 3a. Determine the USCG Regional Examination Center (REC) closest to you. A list of the 17 RECs is here. Remember, RECs perform evaluations, administer examinations, issue U.S. Merchant Mariner credentials and conduct oversight of approved courses. They will represent first and most important contact with the USCG and NMC. You can also call the NMC (1-888-427-5662) and ask for the address and telephone number of the closest REC.

Step 3b. Get a drug screen. All Merchant Mariner applicants who are required to undergo a physical examination must also pass a drug screen for prohibited substances. Methods to satisfy this requirement are found here.

Step 3c. Obtain your MMC. Most employment in the U.S. Merchant Marine requires an Merchant Mariner Credential, or 'MMC' (often referred to as a “Z-card”), is issued by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Information about obtaining an MMC is available here, or by downloading the package of forms here. The USCG is required by law to charge a fee for the MMC, 100% of which is paid to the U. S. Treasury. The fee schedule is here.

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Step 3d.Deliver your complete application package to your selected Regional Exam Center. After the NMC officially accepts your application package, which must include any required fees, the NMC’s Mariner Evaluation Division will evaluate it and contact you with their decision.

The Coast Guard will issue merchant mariner credentials only to applicants who have applied for a Transportation Worker’s Identity Credential, or TWIC, which is issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The TSA is required by law to charge a fee for the TWIC, 100% of which is paid to the U. S. Treasury. Visit the TSA TWIC page to apply.

The United States is a party to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), which sets qualification standards for masters, officers and watch personnel aboard seagoing merchant ships. Most mariners aboard U.S.-flag vessels will require some level of STCW training, even Veterans with little or no prior/formal water-based experience. The National Maritime Center certifies and/or accepts most maritime-related training conducted in the United States, and there are hundreds of courses options, from the basic classes that take someone with little or no maritime background through an apprenticeship, to advanced classes that prepares you for specialized ranks and ratings.

Where will I serve? The U.S. merchant marine has over 10,000 ships and vessels. Deciding on which vessel to sail/serve is an important decision. Click here for guidance.

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What type of work should I do? Most commercial vessels have three departments: Deck, Engine and Steward. Most mariners will spend their careers in only one of these departments. Common job descriptions are here.

As a Military Veteran, you might have access to education-training funds under the G.I. Bill, a set of education assistance programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA maintains a website to answer questions about the GI Bill, and many USCG-approved training institutions accept GI Bill benefits. These include, but aren’t limited to:

Review this complete list of Coast Guard approved courses, which includes contact/email information for institutions in your area accepting GI Bill funds.

Attend and graduate from one of the six state maritime academies or the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). This is the traditional path to become a licensed United States Merchant Marine Officer. Any one of these USMM-approved U.S.-based institutions will provide you with the following set of credentials:

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  • an accredited Bachelor’s degree,
  • a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC), and
  • a position in the United States Merchant Marine as a licensed Merchant Marine Officer (holds a United States Coast Guard license).

Join the Merchant Marine as an unlicensed merchant mariner. Like most jobs, unlicensed members of a merchant vessel’s crew are either skilled or entry-level (unskilled) or skilled. Entry-level mariners do not have afloat skills. As a Veteran with military experience that likely equates to at least some afloat skills, you can pursue and most likely achieve the skilled unlicensed mariner classification. However, to be deemed skilled, you must have a certain amount of sea-time and often some formal training.

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For questions about any aspect of our Military to Mariner program, contact the Office of Public Affairs.