When it becomes your work duty to write a technical paper, it becomes harder to keep writing outside of work. Fortune has it, though, that I had been working on a Vibe Coding project this week, and had some fresh insight to share from the maritime world. I have never "html"ed, or hand-coded a website, but I've used various web building systems. I even remember when we had free, quality options like matmice and webs.com. Today, the ability to build apps and websites through AI has been a game changer. Instead of clunky click-and-drags of the mouse, I can narrate what I want to see on the page. Some readers may find this to be filler material, but I tell them: the blog must go on! The content below was written by me, not AI. Now that you know which courses to take and what wickets to accomplish to get your maritime license, you may be wondering, how do I pay for it upfront? Course Fee Funding Mechanisms Current Maritime Employees: Training Courses or Fee Reimbursement may be provided by Employer or Maritime Union. Veterans with GI Bill: Courses may be covered at approved training centers, such as the Maritime Institute in Norfolk, VA. As a bonus, the GI Bill may also offer a housing allowance payment during your training period. Active Duty: The Navy’s Tuition Assistance Program can assist active duty enlisted members with course fees. Other popular strategies include bootstrapping the course fees with cash, use of a rewards-based or lower-interest credit card, or a gift or loan from family. License Fee Funding Mechanisms Veterans with GI Bill: The VA will reimburse testing and evaluation fees. Note that you may be personally responsible for license issuance fees, as these are not authorized for GI Bill reimbursement. Active Duty and Recently Separated: USCG offers waiver of fees during and within 180 days of service. Be prepared to provide your endorsed orders. Strategic Sealift Officers have benefitted greatly from this program, but be mindful of the 180 day threshold from your last Active Duty for Training period. Active Duty: In addition to the USCG’s statutory fee waiver program, active-duty Navy personnel may participate in the Navy COOL program. Note that this program should only be used if fee waiver is not applicable to your particular situation. Victims of Natural Disaster or Maritime Casualty: Credential mariners may be able to replace lost credential documents at no cost. Be prepared to provide a notarized statement as to the nature of the loss. Compared to the cost of maritime training, licensing fees are more approachable. While the rewards of earning your maritime credential are significant, we advise against taking high-interest loans to do so.