When I turned 17 years of age, I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. At a very young age, I was given huge responsibilties and leadership opportunities. I was also taught to operated vessels from 44 feet to 378 feet in length. But I think the most valuable knowledge that I acquired was while attending the International Motorlifeboat School at Cape Disappointment on the Columbia River Bar (Washington State). Later, I was trained as an engineering officer which now, in the yacht industry, is a very marketable commodoty; engineer qualified captain. And while you may be a foreign national, you are able to enlist in the USCG. Go to
www.uscg.mil and look for the enlistment icon.