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CURRENT DECK WATCH OFFICER EXAM POLICIES
The latest version of COMDTINST 16672.5 (series) states the current policy with respect to the Deck Watch Officer examination and its use to qualify for duty as a shipboard Officer of the Deck (OOD), boat coxswain, afloat commanding or executive officer (CO/XO), officer-in-charge (OIC), executive petty officer (XPO), operations officer/petty officer. ALCOAST 244/11 (dated 12 May 2011) was published to let everyone know about the new instruction, and ALCOAST 514/11 amplifies it. Here are the main points.
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The Coast Guard Institute’s “Rules of the Road” course and related EOCTs are no longer authorized for BM advancement or coxswain certification (para. 5.c).
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Prospective afloat COs, OICs, XOs, and XPOs must pass the appropriate test (DWINTO/DWINTR) before executing their orders. (para. 6.a.(1))
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Prospective afloat OPS officers and petty officers (i.e., those being assigned to PAL-designated OPS billets) must pass the appropriate test (DWINTO/DWINTR) before executing their orders. (para. 6.a.(2))
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Those designated by their commands as underway OODs and PAL-designated Deck Watch Officers must pass the appropriate test (DWINTO/DWINTR) before they can perform underway OOD duties. If they don’t pass the exam within 6 months (vs. 9 months in the previous version) after reporting, that fact will be noted in a Page 7 and the person will be transferred during the next assignment season. (para. 6.a.(3))
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To advance, BMs must remain current with respect to the DWINTO/DWINTR test. BMs who don’t meet this requirement can’t advance or be put on a supplemental or striker eligibility list. (para. 6.a.(4))
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All prospective coxswains (regardless of rate) must pass the appropriate test (DWINTO/DWINTR) before they can be certified as a coxswain.
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Coxswains who don't re-take and pass a DWINTO/DWINTR test within five years of previously passing such test lose their certification. (para. 6.a.(5))
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There's also a new link to a short list of sample DWO test questions and answers.
And here's other information from the previous version of the COMDTINST that hasn't changed:
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A passing score on the Deck Watch Officer International/Inland - Original (DWINTO) is good for five years. (This is a closed-book test; the passing score is 90%.)
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At any time during that five-year DWINTO certification period you can take the Deck Watch Officer International/Inland – Renewal (DWINTR) open-book test. If you pass (90% is a passing score), your DWO certification clock is re-set and you have another five years before your certification expires.
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If you fail any end-of-course test (EOCT) ‒ including DWINTO and DWINTR ‒ you must wait at least three weeks (21 days) before you can take another EOCT with the same title.
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That means that if you wait to take the DWINTR test until three or fewer weeks remain in your five-year certification period and if you fail it (or if five years and one second has elapsed since you passed the DWINTO test), you have to take the DWINTO test to become certified again.
If you’re preparing to take the open-book DWINTR test, be aware that the only reference material you can use during the test is a corrected-to-date, copy of the Navigation Rules: International – Inland (COMDTINST M16672.2 (series)).
No highlighting, diagrams, drawings, comments, personalized tabs, indexes, notes, or anything else is allowed.
You can find the current corrections to the Nav Rules book by going to the Coast Guard Navigation Center's web site and following this path: Nav Rules > COMDTNST M16672.2D - Navigation Rules. Links to both a corrected version and the individual pages with changes on them are in the paragraph below the list of bullets at the top of the page.
This is consistent with COMDTINST 16672.5 (series), which sets policy for deck watch officer testing.
Requirements for Boatswain's Mate Advancement & Coxswain Certification
The current policy is laid out in COMDTINST 16672.5 (series). It incorporates changes to the previous versions of the COMDTINST.
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To qualify for advancement, BMs must remain current with respect to the DWINTO/DWINTR test.
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BMs who aren't current with respect to the DWINTO/DWINTR test are ineligible for advancement by any means (including via a supplemental advancement list or striking).
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The NAVRUL tests can no longer be used to qualify for advancement.
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All prospective coxswains (regardless of rate) must pass the appropriate test (DWINTO/DWINTR) before they can be certified as a coxswain.
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Coxswains who don't re-take and pass a DWINTO/DWINTR test within five years of previously passing such test lose their certification.
Alternate Route to Satisfying Deck Watch Officer Test Requirement
If you’re considering a career as a mate in the U.S. merchant marine, or in any career that requires a Coast Guard mate’s license, this will be of interest to you. Training you’ve received through a commercial school can be used to satisfy both the Coast Guard merchant licensing requirement and your Coast Guard Deck Watch Officer requirement.
To kill two birds with one stone in this manner, COMDTINST 16672.5C (paragraph 5.b.) states that the course must clearly indicate that it's a completion of the Merchant Marine Rules of the Road Exam (Module 054XX). You will not be credited the DWINTO examination if it doesn't meet this requirement.
After you complete this exam you must submit to the Coast Guard Institute a copy of the signed letter from the National Maritime Center or Regional Exam Center attesting to your score and request DWINTO credit for it. You can do this through your ESO. The Institute will then make sure the required information is posted in DirectAccess.
There is no merchant marine equivalent of the DWINTR test. If you satisfy the DWINTO requirement via Module 054XX, for your initial qualification, must take the Coast Guard Institute DWINTR exam within five years of passing the merchant marine test period to remain current.
Check out the list of approved schools and courses that meet the requirements of completion of the DWINTO examinations.