Hank Ellis Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Last week my employer informed me that I'll need a TWIC card to go offshore to do my job. What the hell is a TWIC card? I then got a 3 page explanation of what it is and how to go about getting one. The TWIC card is the Transportation Worker Identification Credential. From the TSA website. "TWIC was established by Congress through the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and is administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Coast Guard. TWICs are tamper-resistant biometric credentials that will be issued to workers who require unescorted access to secure areas of ports, vessels, outer continental shelf facilities and all credentialed merchant mariners. It is anticipated that more than 750,000 workers including longshoremen, truckers, port employees and others will be required to obtain a TWIC." I'm in aviation that happens to land on offshore platforms and this where the maritime connection comes in. But don't worry. According to the TWIC and TSA websites once the maritime cards are up and running all truckers and aviation workers (pilots, mechanics) will be getting the card. Our customers are requiring the card effective August 01 and it's suggested to get the ball rolling now to have card in hand by that date. So being the good drone I go ahead and pre-register. An hour later of pre-pre-registering to get my user ID and password, then pre-registering by filling out the very detailed personal info I finally get to the point where I can make the first of two appointments I have to make. Two appointments because the first is where they interview you and take a photo and fingerprints. The second appointment is made when you are informed that the card is ready for pickup. They will not mail it out. The first available appointment is in late May. On the TWIC website they are saying that there are problems with the manufacture of the cards and it will take 6 to 8 weeks for the card to be completed. This takes us to late July when the card is ready and I can then make the second appointment for pickup. Geez, August 01 will have come and passed by then. Oh, and I wanted to call the enrollment center to have a question answered. No published phone numbers! The only one I found was a central information bank that had a 30 minute wait. Gave up. The scene that keeps running through my mind is from the WWII movies where someone goes to a checkpoint and presents his 'papers'. The official looks at the documents and says "Your papers are not in order" and the individual is whisked away never to be seen again. One more background check. Another set of fingerprints. Another database I'm in. More money out of my pocket. I'm tired of it all. http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 If they tell you to go to room 101 RUN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 If they tell you to go to room 101 RUN! I was thinking of the Group 'W' bench, myself.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 If they tell you to go to room 101 RUN! I was thinking of the Group 'W' bench, myself.... After they ask for his wallet and his belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Murphy Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 what the heck do they mean by "biometric"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 what the heck do they mean by "biometric"? Probably that a digital copy of your finger prints are embedded in the card. Maybe your retinal and voice patterns, but the people who come up with this haven't seen enough creepy movies. Using body parts for ID is a bad idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 what the heck do they mean by "biometric"? Biometric ID Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dajarrel Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 what the heck do they mean by "biometric"? Probably that a digital copy of your finger prints are embedded in the card. Maybe your retinal and voice patterns, but the people who come up with this haven't seen enough creepy movies. Using body parts for ID is a bad idea! That's right. Don't you remember the movie where the villian was running around biometric locks on doors with the eyeball of another guy stuck on the end of his knife? daymn dj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 "Upon approval for the new international work and travel visa an information chip will be implanted in the cerebral cortex of the brain. The rumors that it has an explosive device with it to ensure compliance has yet to be verified, however should this be the case a law abiding citizen shall be in no danger at any time - as long as rules and regulations are observed and no attempts are made to enter unauthorized areas. This along with the identification tattoo on the wrist should really help ensure our ..personal safety and individual freedom." It is nothing to worry about. Just something our goverment is considering to help keep us safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitman Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Wow how will all those illegals aliens get in and work now. Maybe they are having the cards made in Mexico like the pasports are made in Tiwan. You could always tell them you are not getting a card cause you are an illegal and if they fire you the ACLU will sue them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Wow how will all those illegals aliens get in and work now. Not a problem until they do away with cash and put us all on plastic access to our direct deposit accounts. But they'll never do that....right? Have to go now, the black helicopter is waiting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 The gist I got from the memo from my employer is that the helipad on the platform will not be considered a secure area. However everywhere else will be. Which is OK as quite often its a 10 minute idiot light fix and we're on our way. But the bathrooms are in the secured area. So if I want to relieve myself of my morning Egg McMuffin I either do it on the deck which doesn't do much for customer relations or have my TWIC card which allows me to take proper care of my business. Guess it's the ultimate hall pass. Ran by the registration office yesterday to see if I could get that question answered. The girl at the counter with the nose ring had the answer. She also suggested that I try just walking in. Most often the wait is less than an hour. Had all my paperwork but forgot my passport in the safe so I couldn't go ahead with the process. I'll give it another try in a couple weeks. Place didn't have the feel of a government office. Figured it out. Lockheed Martin is the sub-contractor from the TSA to administer this thing. Don't know about the ports but the clients we haul are a different breed than even 10 years ago. When I started this gig nearly 30 years ago the interview process for offshore workers wasn't much more than "Do you have any recent felonys?" It was well known that you could get a job offshore and hide out as long as you need to. One stayed a year and half without ever coming to the beach. Today the clients are better educated and have mostly stayed out of trouble. The background checks and the TSA No Fly and Watch lists have weeded out the less than desireables. When we started to compare names to the TSA lists there were a few arrests as people stepped off the aircraft. Usually nothing more than deadbeat dads. One funny one was a guy who was arrested as a fugitive from justice. He urinated in public during Mardi Gras and never paid the ticket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmshooter Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Sounds like the same chick that did my card!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunH Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 (edited) Eventually, they'll all dispense with the biometric cards and we'll go to a mark in the hand or forehead for identification. I hear IBM and the Germans are working on it right now, they're the ones with the most practice cataloging people. Gotta go, my soylent green is ready. Edited April 8, 2008 by ShaunH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mactiger Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 We're doing that TWIC crap here at work, too, since the plant has a dock on the river. Go figure. It's been a clusterf*** since day one. 4 months later, I still don't have a card in hand. Wonder if it will get me through the airport any faster? Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimel Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Wonder if it will get me through the airport any faster? Dream on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Wonder if it will get me through the airport any faster?I have wondered that also. Dug around and it appears that the TSA recognizes only another program where approved 3rd party vendors do the checks and issue cards. But the traveler card program doesn't allow access to the maritime world and the TWIC card doesn't allow access for the traveler even though the fingerprint, background check, and anal probes are the same. Something else to write congress about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 There are already RF implants available. I think that here was a kid in FLorida that had one volutarily implanted. I won't even get an EZ-Pass. They already know too much about where I go based upon my gas purchases on my CC. Remember, "We will not use EZPass to ticket Speeders"? Well. apparently that promise like most from Nanny has been broken. Time to wrap another layer of tinfoil around my hat. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve J Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 If everyone is getting one down to xyz piss-ant profession, then WTF good is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunH Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 There are already RF implants available. I think that here was a kid in FLorida that had one voluntarily implanted. I won't even get an EZ-Pass. They already know too much about where I go based upon my gas purchases on my CC. Remember, "We will not use EZPass to ticket Speeders"? Well. apparently that promise like most from Nanny has been broken. Time to wrap another layer of tinfoil around my hat. Jim I saw the news article about RF implants back when v***chip was doing that family. I heard a show about a month ago where people are having it removed because it's causing tumors. How do you fold your tin foil hat Jim? Anybody consider just putting 666 on your hand and showing it as ID to get through airport security faster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AikiDale Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 If everyone is getting one down to xyz piss-ant profession, then WTF good is it? It's just to make everything better for everyone. Don't worry about it. Just routine. (Did you see how he said that with a straight face???? Awesome!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Stopped by the TWIC registration office yesterday. Nose ring chick was there and signed me in. No wait, come on in. Sat in a little cubicle in front of a monitor and that strange glowing green fingerprint machine. Never did like those. Reminds me of some Romulan torture device. Or could be a Klingon sex toy. Not sure. Anyhow after handing over my drivers license and credit card it took about 3 minutes to complete the credit card transaction and print out the reciept. Some extra sheet came out and he showed it to me which had no personal information on it but he wanted me to see it before it went to the shredder. Once Lockheed-Martin was sure they were getting paid we went through the rest of the process. Fingerprints through the sex toy. Mugshot. Obviously these are for the background check and the photo for the card. Then the good one. The biometric scan. Previously I noted the TWIC dudes card was stuck in a biometric reader. So that's the process thats going to make us all safer. Stick a card in the reader. Fingerprint scan which is compared to whats on the card. Boom. I can now use the bathrooms. Worst part is that it took several tries for the biometric reader to get a good read. Seems that a little sweat will throw the machine in a tizzy. This does not bode well when I'll have turbine fuel or hydraulic fluid traces on my hands. We verified that the info I entered in pre-registration was correct. Another form which has many of the same questions as the FFL 4473 was filled out and scanned. My passport was scanned. All original documents were returned. Done. 10 minutes. Got to give the TWIC dude credit as it was done in a professional manner and steps were taken to preserve my privacy, at least at his level. Four to six weeks from now I should be getting a call that my card is ready. Then another trip to the office to pick it up. After leaving the office my next stop was to my FFL to pick up a Tactical Solutions upper for my MKII. Filled out the 4473 and of course got a proceed. In the space of less than an hour got one NICS check and rolled the ball on another check. I still have a fundamental issue with all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Ellis Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Should have updated this sooner and finished out this thread. Sorry 'bout that. Right on schedule about 6 weeks after I applied I got a recorded message that my card was ready. Stopped by the office for more festivities. Nose ring chick was still doing her thing and signed me in. Went to the cubicle and waited for the processor. Quick ID check with my drivers license and she began to activate my card. Then a scene out of 1984. A biometric fingerprint scan which the processor said is compared the the previous biometric scan to make sure I am who I say I am. After some cursing at the computer she placed my card into a device and pressed a button. She looked at me and said, "We've got 10 minutes to kill." At least the processor has a personality. My biometric scan was being digitally converted and entered into a chip on the card. Nifty. What's next? Wonder if the chip has room for DNA information. Once done we gave it a trial run with the card in the reader, a password check, and a biometric check. Done and have a nice day. Every time I see that card it still gives me the willies. I have now been scanned, imprinted, cataloged, and background checked in a way that reminds me of the propoganda from the Cold War of what the Reds were doing. I still have a fundamental issue with all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Boudrie Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 At least now you'll be able to say "I trust you'll find my papers to be in order" with confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimInFL Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Good info guys. Thanks. I was renewing my Captain's License, and they informed me that I'll now need a TWIC card also, so guess I've got to get that process underway myself. Nice to know what I've got to look forward to. Only difference is I'll be running back and forth to Port Canaveral (about 40 min on a good day). JimInFl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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