In the months following a federal indictment in which four men were charged with selling phony U.S. Coast Guard credentials from Mid-Atlantic Maritime Academy (MAMA), the service has established a task force to identify mariners who obtained a merchant mariner credential (MMC) or endorsement by fraudulent means and to initiate enforcement action against them."The United States Marine Transportation System remains one of the safest in the world, in part by holding professional mariners to rigorous standards," said Cmdr. Martha Mannion, chairwoman of the Merchant Mariner Credentialing Fraud Task Force. "Licensed mariners are entrusted with the safety and security of commercial vessels, and the vast majority are dedicated, safety-conscious individuals who work hard to earn their professional credentials and endorsements. By submitting fraudulent course completion certificates, some merchant mariners succeeded in having MMCs and endorsements to MMCs issued without the requisite confirmation of professional competence."
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