# Hospital Ship XO/CM Take 2

**URL:** <https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662>\
**Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\
**Created:** [July 20, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662 "2022-07-20T02:59:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![jbtam99](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jbtam99/32/65499_2.png) [@jbtam99](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jbtam99)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/21 "2022-07-20T17:21:27Z")

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> [@Slick\_cam1](#):
>
> And yes, the Chief Mate is “The Mate.”

I mean, even the writers of Gilligan’s Island got that one right… it can’t be that hard to not call the Chief Mate “Chief.” 😆

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/22 "2022-07-20T17:34:13Z")

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> [@tengineer1](#):
>
> I am still wrapping my head around GOM supply boats having 3 captains on board at the same time.

They’re not onboard at the same time. They’re in a 2:1 rotation so that there’s always two of them onboard.

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/23 "2022-07-20T17:38:22Z")

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> [@New3M](#):
>
> > [@Xavier6162](#):
> >
> > The CIVMARS refers to the Chief Mate as Chief Mate or Chief for short.
> 
> This is even more egregious than calling him XO

Yet not all that uncommon in my limited deep sea experience.

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/24 "2022-07-20T17:38:53Z")

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> [@Xavier6162](#):
>
> Most of the Navy calls/refers to the MSC Chief Mate as ……”XO”

Thanks for that clarification. That’s very enlightening.

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**Author:** ![LI\_Domer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/li_domer/32/768_2.png) [@LI\_Domer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/LI_Domer)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/25 "2022-07-20T18:05:53Z")

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> [@Capt\_Phoenix](#):
>
> They’re not onboard at the same time. They’re in a 2:1 rotation so that there’s always two of them onboard.

That makes no sense. Only of of them is the captain at any given time. If they swap out that’s fine but one of them is the captain and the other is the mate until that guys swaps into being captain. I love the food but I’ll never pretend to understand GOM mariners.

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**Author:** ![tengineer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@tengineer1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer1)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/26 "2022-07-20T18:10:57Z")

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> [@Capt\_Phoenix](#):
>
> They’re not onboard at the same time. They’re in a 2:1 rotation so that there’s always two of them onboard.

Which one is THE captain? AKA Master?

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/27 "2022-07-20T18:11:48Z")

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> [@LI\_Domer](#):
>
> That makes no sense.

I know. It’s an ego thing.

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**Author:** ![tengineer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@tengineer1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer1)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/28 "2022-07-20T18:14:16Z")

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> [@LI\_Domer](#):
>
> I love the food but I’ll never pretend to understand GOM mariners.

I agree. They are in another world, so is the food!

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/29 "2022-07-20T18:14:31Z")

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> [@tengineer1](#):
>
> Which one is THE captain? AKA Master?

The master. You have the master, relief master, and third captain. The third captain is the chief mate, though on those boats you have more responsibility than a normal chief mate. You’re expected to not wake the master up unless it’s an emergency so the chief mate makes executive decisions that on ships world only be made by the master.

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**Author:** ![tengineer1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@tengineer1](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer1)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/30 "2022-07-20T18:25:24Z")

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> [@Capt\_Phoenix](#):
>
> The master. You have the master, relief master, and third captain. The third captain is the chief mate, though on those boats you have more responsibility than a normal chief mate. You’re expected to not wake the master up unless it’s an emergency so the chief mate makes executive decisions that on ships world only be made by the master.

Thank you for that. Many years ago I caught rides to rigs on AHTS boats in the GOM and noticed the cabins labeled as 1st, 2nd and 3rd captain but no mate cabins. It was a brief WTF moment. Though it was confusing to me I didn’t care what they called themselves as they fed me well and could back up to a rig in sketchy seas like a champ.

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**Author:** ![jbtam99](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jbtam99/32/65499_2.png) [@jbtam99](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jbtam99)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/31 "2022-07-20T18:36:59Z")

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> [@Capt\_Phoenix](#):
>
> They’re not onboard at the same time. They’re in a 2:1 rotation so that there’s always two of them onboard.

Oh, you weren’t around for the packed wheelhouses then. There were no “mates” on some of the more ego driven boats. I saw 4th and 5th captains a couple times with 4 on board at all times (two officer bridge watches by client request). Had a couple folks get pretty butthurt when they were sent to my boat as “3rd or 4th Captain” and I told them “I don’t do that bayou bullshit. On here, you’re a mate.”

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/32 "2022-07-20T18:39:32Z")

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> [@jbtam99](#):
>
> Oh, you weren’t around for the packed wheelhouses then. There were no “mates” on some of the more ego driven boats.

I was there but I never worked on boats like that. I did have a guy I worked with who as soon as he got his Master 1,600 he made a label for his coffee cup that said “Capt. So-and-so” and it was hilarious.

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**Author:** ![texastanker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e4f/32.png) [@texastanker](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/texastanker)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/33 "2022-07-20T18:46:03Z")

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> [@LI\_Domer](#):
>
> I love the food but I’ll never pretend to understand GOM mariners.

Only worked supply boats a bit going through school for Nicor - we had a 60 something year old Cajun biker woman as cook, with the nasties mouth i have ever heard at sea. It was by far the best food I was ever served on a ship - and it is not even close.

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**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/34 "2022-07-20T20:43:12Z")

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Worked as, and was paid as, The Mate. There was no body behind me working 6 on 6 off. Had pilotage exemption for port entry and departure and anything else that occurred in my watch.  
I was shortchanged and could have been wearing one of them hats.

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**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 8:51pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/35 "2022-07-20T20:51:51Z")

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> [@Hogsnort](#):
>
> Worked as, and was paid as, The Mate.

So is the third captain. They just get the title to stroke their ego.

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**Author:** ![Boat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Boat](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Boat)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 9:56pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/36 "2022-07-20T21:56:51Z")

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John you said Hospital Ship XO when you know nobody refers to an MSC Chief Mate as such. Just say yea I missed on that. This is Gcaptain everyone knows what a Chief Mate is. You tried to pander to the navy crowd and get more clicks because XO plays more than Chief Mate. Zero accountability taken by you still.

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**Author:** ![Hawespiper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ebca7d/32.png) [@Hawespiper](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hawespiper)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 10:17pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/37 "2022-07-20T22:17:45Z")

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> [@Boat](#):
>
> you said Hospital Ship XO when you know nobody refers to an MSC Chief Mate as such

Apparently some do

> [@Xavier6162](#):
>
> This is from someone who is actually aboard the Mercy and have been aboard for several months.
> 
> …Most of the Navy calls/refers to the MSC Chief Mate as ……”XO”

Even though they do so erroneously.

The difference is that the ‘navy guys’ are, 1, not experts on the topic of the US Merchant Marine (i.e., they are ignorant and have a plausible excuse for using wrong job titles), and 2, are not _reporting that a certain position on the vessel has been accused of a serious crime_ in a published article while using a wrong job title. In my opinion as a non lawyer, if one meets criteria 1 and 2, then one should be very precise with one’s wording.

Additionally, as non lawyer, I would be interested in listening to a discussion regarding:

1. why a simple correction ("a previous version of this story incorrectly…) as I have read any number of times on published articles on major news sites.

2. What is the liability, i.e.,

> [@john](#):
>
> comments posted on public forums are not free from liability.

> [@john](#):
>
> Just note that lawyers are involved with this case and we can not protect you legally.

of posters who come here to discuss this or any other issue.

A scenario based example might be good for us non lawyers.

_Correction: wording has been changed from a previous version of this post for clarity and accuracy_

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![joepilot](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/joepilot/32/249_2.png) [@joepilot](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/joepilot)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 11:09pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/38 "2022-07-20T23:09:35Z")

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> [@Boat](#):
>
> This is Gcaptain everyone knows what a Chief Mate is. You tried to pander to the navy crowd and get more clicks because XO plays more than Chief Mate. Zero accountability taken by you still.

You snowflakes just can’t stop can you? Talk about butthurt bullcrap

I’ve been a pilot since you were in diapers and have heard chief mates called lots of different things

Chief Mate  
First Mate  
First officer  
Executive officer  
The mate  
The cheif  
Cheif  
Deckboss  
XO  
The boss  
Bossman  
Deck captain  
Deck dick  
Ahole  
Rear master

I’ve never heard anyone bitch so much over a title than todays millennials.

Who cares what the CM is called?

John’s doing a great job but you come in and start shoveling woke bullshit getting the crowd to turn on him. FU. Its not just that you give him shit over a title but you snowflakes refuse to stop until you shut everything down.

Bunch of woke bullshit.

John don’t give a shit about clicks or what your title or gender is. Nobody cares snowflake. Stop trying to make this into a federal investigation dude

Is anything going to be left left once you snowflakes millennials are done?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![joepilot](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/joepilot/32/249_2.png) [@joepilot](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/joepilot)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 11:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/39 "2022-07-20T23:10:44Z")

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> [@SappaCreek](#):
>
> We’ve seen this before. You get pushback on something that you said and you claim that we’re all personally attacking you and low-key threaten to ban people for violating forum rules. This is the first time I’ve seen you threaten to ban the whole forum though

Woke bullshit

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**Author:** ![cmjeff](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/cmjeff/32/124_2.png) [@cmjeff](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cmjeff)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2022, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/hospital-ship-xo-cm-take-2/63662/40 "2022-07-20T23:35:06Z")

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I go on vacation for 10 days and hell breaks loose just like offshore. You even got boomer joe worked up Hahahahahha

John you’re an idiot but not wrong. If you apologize to @Alan_Newport and his special snowflake navy buddies I’ll never let you forget it. Ever. That’s a promise from your old buddy XOJEFF

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