Info I just got on MSC

[Navy SWO]

I just attended a school in San Diego (TRL). Met a bunch of MSC people taking classes next door and wanted to pass on the info I collected from them as it was very different then the impression I got about MSC from this site.

The people I met ranged from Wipers, OS, Stewards, Engineers and most had been with MSC for several years to a lot of years.

1. They all were happy working for MSC. I heard no complaints (and I spoke with some pretty crusty engineer types that have no problem speaking their mind...)
2. They only sail for 4 months unless they request to stay on the ship longer (which many seem to do). Occasionally a relief is a couple weeks late but I heard no stories of 2 months late or anything like that.
3. There are currently 800 people in the pool. They get paid for either basically doing nothing or going to school. While assigned to a ship they get paid while the ship is tied to the pier (which seems to happen quite often).
4. The reason so many are in the pool is eight ships are either ready or close to ready to be commisioned but the commisioning is being delayed.
5. Advice on how to get an entry level deck job when they are only hiring for engineers from an experienced engineer (female with 20 years at sea); hire on as a wiper then request a transfer to deck and you will get it.

Now before those folks out there that hate MSC start bitin my head off know this, I've sailed enough on haze grey ships, I don't want a job with MSC, just not for me. I'm simply passing on the info I collected as I thought it might be interesting/helpful to some of you out there.

Hope this info helps...

[KneelbeforeZod!]

I just attended a school in San Diego (TRL). Met a bunch of MSC people taking classes next door and wanted to pass on the info I collected from them as it was very different then the impression I got about MSC from this site.

The people I met ranged from Wipers, OS, Stewards, Engineers and most had been with MSC for several years to a lot of years.

1. They all were happy working for MSC. I heard no complaints (and I spoke with some pretty crusty engineer types that have no problem speaking their mind...)
2. They only sail for 4 months unless they request to stay on the ship longer (which many seem to do). Occasionally a relief is a couple weeks late but I heard no stories of 2 months late or anything like that.
3. There are currently 800 people in the pool. They get paid for either basically doing nothing or going to school. While assigned to a ship they get paid while the ship is tied to the pier (which seems to happen quite often).
4. The reason so many are in the pool is eight ships are either ready or close to ready to be commisioned but the commisioning is being delayed.
5. Advice on how to get an entry level deck job when they are only hiring for engineers from an experienced engineer (female with 20 years at sea); hire on as a wiper then request a transfer to deck and you will get it.

Now before those folks out there that hate MSC start bitin my head off know this, I've sailed enough on haze grey ships, I don't want a job with MSC, just not for me. I'm simply passing on the info I collected as I thought it might be interesting/helpful to some of you out there.

Hope this info helps...

Ignorance and misinformation are the cornerstones of the Command.

[Navy SWO]

Ignorance and misinformation are the cornerstones of the Command.

Wow from your short and pleasant comment it sounds like my information on MSC is all wrong. I always like to have to have the correct information so why don't you enlighten us.

Why don't you give us the actual facts on all the points I brought up so everyone on gCaptain has the most accurate and current info on MSC.

Please also let us know your source of information (as I did) and how current (8 years ago is not current...) If you are the source (if you worked for MSC) let us know when and why you left (ie we're you terminated.)

Go ahead and enlighten us, state your source and recency of the info and we'll let the others judge for themselves as to the accuracy of the information.

[New3M]

There are always going to be good and bad stories coming out of MSC. I haven't worked for them, but I know several people who have - and none of them have gotten off after 4 months. One guy played the "we're trying to find you a relief" game for 3 months, and when he was on for 8 months threatened to quit - and a relief showed up a week later. Another guy was on his ship for 11 months straight.

[Kingfysh]

I think the fact that MSC is at best a mixed bag, has been beaten to death on here..... However, I will add my two cents.

Navyswo, you are right and wrong. I last sailed with MSC in 2005 and I have a friend who is still with them, so I am relatively current. Getting relieved with MSC is always a crap shoot. It is easy to get a relief while the ship is in the US or cruising the Med. However, a ship that is deploying to the Middle East or is there currently, it is very hard to get relieved. Add to this MSC has lots of older officers on its books that have medical issues that preclude them from deploying into the Middle East. So, what typically ended up happening was that the younger healthier officers were sent to the Middle East while the older more unhealthier officers sat in Norfolk and in San Diego. Also, MSC pays night night differetial, so there is a financial incentive to not deploy overseas either.

I don't know how many people are in the pool, but let me tell you being in the pool sucks. It is horrible, you just sit there all day watching day time TV and staying in shitty hotels. You are treated like a middle school student, it is easy money, but it is one of the biggest rip offs in the government today.

That said, there are happy people with MSC, not everyone hates it. However among the junior officers there is a radical amount of turnover... MSC is fun for a little while, after a few years it sucks your soul out. It isn't all bad and it does have its advantages over commercial, but I wouldn't go back.

Oh, that cross deck you request she told you about, yes it is possible and it does happen. But, they typically hired people as steward utilities and let them languish for months some times years. I saw with my own eyes an ex Air Force guy with a college degree scrubbing toilets for months waiting for a transfer that never came. To say he was disgruntled, is an understatement.

[abergeron]

I do not hate MSC ,in fact, I made a pretty good living while working there. However, I feel before anyone considers MSC that they should have all the facts and please keep in mind that these are based solely on my own experience and conversations with other CIVMARS. The first being that no matter how long you stay on a ship or how long your relief was held up you will never get anymore then 30 days off (time at home not in the pool) unless you go non fit, even if you have more leave on the books. This was actually why I left I sailed for 9 months and was called 17 days later to report to the pool. Second the detailers lie, lie, lie and lie some more to get what they want out of you and in some cases if you get to pesky will bar you from talking to them directly sighting bs chain of command as the reason. Third quality of life aboard is not on par with most respectable operations. The food is terrible I mean this is not a matter of taste the actual quality of the food the supply department fed the crew was appalling on every ship I was on. Lastly just to repeat what Kingfysh said the pool is a awful place to be, you get up before dawn to catch a van and you sit around in a unventalated room (San Diego) from 6 am to 3pm watching daytime television.Then at the end of the day pray that you can sign out fast enough to get into the first wave of vans back to your crummy hotel so you don't have to wait another 2 hours for the next van I could go on and like I said it wasn't all bad I made a good living just have all the facts.

[Kingfysh]

Abergeron, I found the East Coast food to be much better then West Coast, but I agree with you on everything else!

[Salinity Now]

I do not hate MSC ,in fact, I made a pretty good living while working there. However, I feel before anyone considers MSC that they should have all the facts and please keep in mind that these are based solely on my own experience and conversations with other CIVMARS. The first being that no matter how long you stay on a ship or how long your relief was held up you will never get anymore then 30 days off (time at home not in the pool) unless you go non fit, even if you have more leave on the books. This was actually why I left I sailed for 9 months and was called 17 days later to report to the pool. Second the detailers lie, lie, lie and lie some more to get what they want out of you and in some cases if you get to pesky will bar you from talking to them directly sighting bs chain of command as the reason. Third quality of life aboard is not on par with most respectable operations. The food is terrible I mean this is not a matter of taste the actual quality of the food the supply department fed the crew was appalling on every ship I was on. Lastly just to repeat what Kingfysh said the pool is a awful place to be, you get up before dawn to catch a van and you sit around in a unventalated room (San Diego) from 6 am to 3pm watching daytime television.Then at the end of the day pray that you can sign out fast enough to get into the first wave of vans back to your crummy hotel so you don't have to wait another 2 hours for the next van I could go on and like I said it wasn't all bad I made a good living just have all the facts.

I dont know where to start on just how wrong you are on so many parts of you post. BUT....that being said, if you dont take action for your self and go totally along with the sheep than maybe youre not to far off.

As Im sitting in my VERY nice room, watching Direct TV, surfing the web, having just gotten back to the ship from going home this weekend (and several others in July & Aug) I have to admit MSC is not so bad. Been here 5 years now, always been relieved on time, able to make good plans during and prior to vacations, able to get off ships when I "have" to for family issues etc, had AMAZING health insurance, great savings in my TSP, made some night Diff, had all my C/M upgrade classes paid for (while getting a free hotel room at the Double Tree in Va Beach, paid S&Q all week, paid rental car) and always being able to enjoy the time I want off it, never been forced back to work (mainly because on the first day of leave I send my detailer an email telling them my plans for training, time off and when Im planning on getting back to work), not to mention sitting in the pool just long enough to enjoy some fun nights n Va Beach, or some really great striper fishing (yeah I have my own car, but its certainly worth it, to be able more or less take responcibility for myself, clear medical on my own when i first check in and not sit on my butt doing nothing expecting folks to always "tell me what to do or where to go".....all that said, Im very happy right now with MSC, Ive got my own agenda Im planning and thinking some moonlighting down the road may be in my future " ust to see.......but I would not want to ever leave MSC in anything but good standing. Theyve been good to me and I wouldnt want to do any less for them.

Not to say MSC is mistake or error free......I cant stand 75% of the non-professionals they hire and promote, but Im a firm believer in what goes around comes around and eventually those folks get whats coming to em.

See yaa

[Salinity Now]

I do not hate MSC ,in fact, I made a pretty good living while working there. However, I feel before anyone considers MSC that they should have all the facts and please keep in mind that these are based solely on my own experience and conversations with other CIVMARS. The first being that no matter how long you stay on a ship or how long your relief was held up you will never get anymore then 30 days off (time at home not in the pool) unless you go non fit, even if you have more leave on the books. This was actually why I left I sailed for 9 months and was called 17 days later to report to the pool. Second the detailers lie, lie, lie and lie some more to get what they want out of you and in some cases if you get to pesky will bar you from talking to them directly sighting bs chain of command as the reason. Third quality of life aboard is not on par with most respectable operations. The food is terrible I mean this is not a matter of taste the actual quality of the food the supply department fed the crew was appalling on every ship I was on. Lastly just to repeat what Kingfysh said the pool is a awful place to be, you get up before dawn to catch a van and you sit around in a unventalated room (San Diego) from 6 am to 3pm watching daytime television.Then at the end of the day pray that you can sign out fast enough to get into the first wave of vans back to your crummy hotel so you don't have to wait another 2 hours for the next van I could go on and like I said it wasn't all bad I made a good living just have all the facts.

I dont know where to start on just how wrong you are on so many parts of you post. BUT....that being said, if you dont take action for your self and go totally along with the sheep than maybe youre not to far off.

As Im sitting in my VERY nice room, watching Direct TV, surfing the web, having just gotten back to the ship from going home this weekend (and several others in July & Aug) I have to admit MSC is not so bad. Been here 5 years now, always been relieved on time, able to make good plans during and prior to vacations, able to get off ships when I "have" to for family issues etc, had AMAZING health insurance, great savings in my TSP, made some night Diff, had all my C/M upgrade classes paid for (while getting a free hotel room at the Double Tree in Va Beach, paid S&Q all week, paid rental car) and always being able to enjoy the time I want off it, never been forced back to work (mainly because on the first day of leave I send my detailer an email telling them my plans for training, time off and when Im planning on getting back to work), not to mention sitting in the pool just long enough to enjoy some fun nights n Va Beach, or some really great striper fishing (yeah I have my own car, but its certainly worth it, to be able more or less take responcibility for myself, clear medical on my own when i first check in and not sit on my butt doing nothing expecting folks to always "tell me what to do or where to go".....all that said, Im very happy right now with MSC, Ive got my own agenda Im planning and thinking some moonlighting down the road may be in my future " ust to see.......but I would not want to ever leave MSC in anything but good standing. Theyve been good to me and I wouldnt want to do any less for them.

Not to say MSC is mistake or error free......I cant stand 75% of the non-professionals they hire and promote, but Im a firm believer in what goes around comes around and eventually those folks get whats coming to em.

See ya out there (except on the weekends I go home for those!!!)

[abergeron]

Salinity I am glad you have had a good experience and you get lots of time at home with MSC. Unfortunately I choose to live outside of San Diego or Norfolk and was never given the opportunity to be on a stateside duty oiler, I was overseas for the most part. Like I said my experiences were my own I met people along the line that thought MSC was the best job in the maritime industry.

[captobie]

I don't know how many people are in the pool, but let me tell you being in the pool sucks. It is horrible, you just sit there all day watching day time TV and staying in shitty hotels. You are treated like a middle school student, it is easy money, but it is one of the biggest rip offs in the government today.

Oh my God, the awful memories you just uncovered. Anyone here remember the good ol' Point Marina Inn, back when MSCPAC was based in Oakland?