Military sealift command

[KneelbeforeZod!]

It is more like that while you are in the pool a ship will request you. You can tell you detailer that you want a tug or you want an oiler but they really don't care, they just need to put names in empty boxes on spreadsheets. If you are a hard worker with a good reputation, the ships will know when you are in the pool and a request will be made. The detailers / pool staff listen to Captains/Chief Engineers/Chief Stewards and they attempt to accomadate them.

On the flip side if you are a dirt-bag lazy bum you wil find yourself in the pool a long time. Ships know you are looking for work and they know your reputation and when the detailer e-mails your name to the ship you will be "denied".

MSC is a very small outifit and everyone knows everyone, everyone has a reputation here.

I'm not sure if "dirt-bag lazy bum" is the politically correct term. Perhaps we should refer to them as "work-shy" or "The disinclined" or maybe even "The Indolent Peoples of America".

[HawspiperJeff]

• Ammunition Ships (T-AE)
• Combat Stores Ships (T-AFS)
• Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships (T-AKE)
• Fast Combat Support Ships (T-AOE)
• Fleet Ocean Tugs (T-ATF)
• Fleet Replenishment Oilers (T-AO)
• Ships (T-AH)
• Rescue/Salvage Ships (T-ARS)

What do all the abbreviations mean????? I know T stands for government owned but what do the other mean?

[Ordinaryseaman]

U.S. NAVY SHIPS -- Listed by Hull Number

The U.S. Navy's system of alpha-numeric ship designators, and its associated hull numbers, have been for several decades a unique method of categorizing ships of all types: combatants, auxiliaries and district craft. Though considerably changed in detail and expanded over the years, this system remains essentially the same as when formally implemented in 1920. It is a very useful tool for organizing and keeping track of naval vessels, and also provides the basis for the identification numbers painted on the bows (and frequently the sterns) of most U.S. Navy ships.
The ship designator and hull number system's roots extend back to the late 1880s, when ship type serial numbers were assigned to most of the new-construction warships of the emerging "Steel Navy". During the course of the next thirty years, these same numbers were combined with filing codes used by the Navy's clerks to create an informal version of the system that was put in place in 1920. Limited usage of ship numbers goes back even earlier, most notably to the "Jeffersonian Gunboats" of the early 1800s and the "Tinclad" river gunboats of the Civil War Mississippi Squadron.
It is important to understand that hull number letter prefixes are not acronyms, and should not be carelessly treated as abbreviations of ship type classifications. Thus, "DD" does not stand for anything more than "Destroyer". "SS" simply means "Submarine". And "FF", the post-1975 type code for "Frigate", most emphatically is not translated "fast frigate"!.
Left Column -- Auxiliary and Amphibious Warfare ships (A, I & L prefixes) :

• AB -- Crane Ships
• AC -- Colliers
• ACV -- Auxiliary Aircraft Carriers
• AD -- Destroyer Tenders
• AE -- Ammunition Ships
• AF -- Store Ships
• AFS -- Combat Store Ships
• AG -- Miscellaneous Auxiliarys
• AGB -- Icebreakers
• AGC -- Amphibious Force Flagships
• AGER -- Environmental Research Ships
• AGF -- Miscellaneous Command Ships
• AGMR -- Major Communications Relay Ships
• AGP -- Motor Torpedo Boat Tenders
• AGTR -- Technical Research Ships
• AH -- Hospital Ships
• AK -- Cargo Ships
• AKA -- Attack Cargo Ships
• AKS -- Stores Issue Ships
• AKV -- Aircraft Ferrys
• AM -- Minesweepers
• AMc -- Coastal Minesweepers
• AMS -- Motor Minesweepers
• AN -- Net Laying Ships
• AO -- Oiler, or Fuel Oil Tankers
• AOE -- Fast Combat Support Ships
• AOG -- Gasoline Tankers
• AOR -- Replenishment Oilers
• AP -- Transports
• APA -- Attack Transports
• APB -- Self-Propelled Barracks Ships
• APD -- High-Speed Transports
• AR -- Repair Ships
• ARS -- Salvage Ships
• AS -- Submarine Tenders
• ASR -- Submarine Rescue Ships
• AT -- Ocean Tugs
• ATA -- Auxiliary Ocean Tugs
• ATF -- Fleet Ocean Tugs
• ATO -- Ocean Tugs, Old
• AV -- Seaplane Tenders
• AVD -- Seaplane Tenders (Destroyer)
• AVG -- Aircraft Escort Vessels
• AVP -- Small Seaplane Tenders
• AVT -- Auxiliary Aircraft Transports. Also Training Aircraft Carriers
• AW -- Distilling Ships
• "ID" -- World War I Acquired Vessels
• IX -- Unclassified
• LCI(L) -- Landing Craft, Infantry (Large)
• LCT -- Landing Craft, Tank
• LCU -- Landing Craft, Utility
• LKA(L) -- Amphibious Cargo Ship
• LPA -- Amphibious Transports
• LPD -- Amphibious Transports Dock
• LPH -- Amphibious Assault Ships
• LPR -- Amphibious Transports, Small
• LSD -- Dock Landing Ships
• LSI(L) -- Landing Ships, Infantry (Large)
• LSM -- Medium Landing Ships
• LSM(R) -- Medium Landing Ships (Rocket)
• LST -- Tank Landing Ships

Right Column -- Combatant, Patrol and Mine Warfare Ships (B, C, D, F, M, P and S prefixes, plus "ACR" & "TB"):

• "ACR" -- Armored Cruisers
• BB -- Battleships
• BM -- Monitors
• "C" -- Protected Cruisers
• CA -- Armored Cruisers
• CA -- Heavy Cruisers
• CB -- Large Cruisers
• CBC -- Large Tactical Command Ship
• CC -- Battle Cruisers
• CC -- Command Ships
• CG -- Guided Missile Cruisers, also including CAG and CLG.
• CL -- Light Cruisers
• CLAA -- Antiaircraft Light Cruisers
• CLC -- Tactical Command Ship
• CLK -- Cruiser-Hunter Killer Ship
• CM -- Minelayers
• CV -- Aircraft Carriers
• CVA -- Attack Aircraft Carriers
• CVB -- Large Aircraft Carriers
• CVE -- Escort Aircraft Carriers
• CVL -- Small Aircraft Carriers
• CVS -- Antisubmarine Warfare Support Aircraft Carriers
• CVT -- Training Aircraft Carriers
• DD -- Destroyers
• DDE -- Antisubmarine Destroyers
• DDG -- Guided Missile Destroyers
• DDR -- Radar Picket Destroyers
• DE -- Escort Ships
• DEG -- Guided Missile Escort Ships
• DER -- Radar Picket Escort Ships
• DL -- Frigates
• DLG -- Guided Missile Frigates
• DM -- Light Minelayers
• DMS -- High-Speed Minesweepers
• FF -- Frigates
• FFG -- Guided Missile Frigates
• MMD -- Minelayers, Fast
• MSC -- Coastal Minesweepers (Nonmagnetic)
• MSC(O) -- Coastal Minesweepers (Old)
• MSF -- Minesweepers, Fleet (Steel Hull)
• MSI -- Minesweepers, Inshore
• MSO -- Minesweepers, Ocean (Nonmagnetic)
• MSF -- Minesweepers, Fleet (Steel Hull)
• PC -- Submarine Chasers
• PCE -- Patrol Escorts
• PE -- Eagle Boats
• PF -- Patrol Frigates, or Frigates
• PG -- Gunboats
• PR -- River Gunboats
• PT -- Motor Torpedo Boats
• PY -- Patrol Vessels, Converted Yacht
• SC -- Submarine Chasers
• "SP" -- World War I Patrol Vessels
• SS -- Submarines
• SSBN -- Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines
• SSG -- Guided Missile Submarines
• SSK -- Antisubmarine Submarines
• SSN -- Submarines (Nuclear Powered)
• SSR -- Radar Picket Submarines
• "TB" -- Torpedo Boats

from http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/s...o/usnsh-no.htm

[HawspiperJeff]

OS great reply!!!!! So basically since they are not acronyms it's just made up letters that mean nothing??? cool I guess

[Ordinaryseaman]

I had been wondering myself- so I googled it:-) I guess the government likes codes that don't make sense

[skycowboy]

It is how we confuse the enemy

[HawspiperJeff]

Besides the 38$ a day for food we get, how much is neo and training pay?

[jayfromthebay]

Hello everyone,

I too got the call from MSC back in January for the position of S/U and I gladly accepted.....I have completed all the requirements and now waiting for a NEO date. But I do have a question for anyone who might know. I just went IRR from the reserves because I do not want any inteference while in training for NEO but, I want to return to the Navy reserves once training is completed and when I am assigned to a ship. I was told by MSC that they do have Navy reservists that do their drills on the ship and I was hoping to do the same but, how does that work? Can anyone shed a little light about that if possible or will I get all that information during NEO.

[SailorDaniel]

Hello everyone,
I was told by MSC that they do have Navy reservists that do their drills on the ship and I was hoping to do the same but, how does that work? Can anyone shed a little light about that if possible or will I get all that information during NEO.

I was wondering the same thing. My reserve unit is pretty cool though and said I could just make up the time when I'm in port. I even pointed out that I could be gone 4-6 months and they still say I can do it but we'll see how sure they are once the time comes around.

I do know they told me that I would only get day for day credit if making up though(most reservists get 4 days pay for a weekend).

Basically I will have to come into the reserve center, for 4 days, for every weekend I miss. I know that you only need so many points per year though, so if you just volunteer for a month or two of ADSW or any of the other programs that let you do extra time then you will be good for the year(except for your AT) if your CO is ok with it. My unit told me I could easily volunteer to do 5-6 months on active every year if I wanted through various programs. The time is there if you want it (or need it for the points to be able to miss a few months).

[CMA_Decky]

Besides the 38$ a day for food we get, how much is neo and training pay?

Your base wages.

[jayfromthebay]

I was wondering the same thing. My reserve unit is pretty cool though and said I could just make up the time when I'm in port. I even pointed out that I could be gone 4-6 months and they still say I can do it but we'll see how sure they are once the time comes around.

I do know they told me that I would only get day for day credit if making up though(most reservists get 4 days pay for a weekend).

Basically I will have to come into the reserve center, for 4 days, for every weekend I miss. I know that you only need so many points per year though, so if you just volunteer for a month or two of ADSW or any of the other programs that let you do extra time then you will be good for the year(except for your AT) if your CO is ok with it. My unit told me I could easily volunteer to do 5-6 months on active every year if I wanted through various programs. The time is there if you want it (or need it for the points to be able to miss a few months).

I hear ya...I talked to a reserve recruiter and she told me the same thing....she called it flex drills where I can come back from being out for 4-8 months at a time and do all my drills in a row. But, I rather find out if I can do them on the ship that I am assigned to. Because when you come back from lengthy cruise all you want to do is relax and be with your family....not go to another job. MSC recruiters told me that there are reservists and Naval personnel on MSC ships so, hopefully NEO will have the answers. SailorDaniel or you waiting for NEO date also? It has been about a month now that medical had cleared me fit for duty and I am still waiting for that call from the NEO dept about when to report to orientation. I told CIVMAR support I am ready to roll let's get this show on the road.