MSC Going from 4/1 to 4/2 Rotation & Virtual Pool

If you haven’t heard below are the latest updates from Military Sealift Command;

  1. MSC will be going full blown virtual pool. Civmars will be flown from/to their ship assignments from their home of record. All civmars will be required to have a government credit card in order to use the virtual pool from their home of record. Those without the government credit card will be allowed to use the East & West pools until they get their credit card. This also applies to civmars who lives abroad.

  2. MSC is changing the rotation from 4/1 to 4/2 (4 months on, 2 months off). This will begin the next fiscal year in around October 2023

  3. MSC will be hiring 700 more civmars to help curb the relief issues

  4. The MSC app is coming back where civmars can access the sea service letters and etc.

  5. There’s no mandatory covid vaccination for CIVMARS anymore.

What your thoughts and opinions? You think this will solve the relief issues and bring more people back to MSC? I think it’s a good move.

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My reaction is WOW. I never would’ve thought they could be brought to change.

It’s a great first step but in this economy, I’m not sure it will be enough. But hey, you gotta start somewhere.

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Good luck with that!

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Welcome to 2004. Congratulations you morons.

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4/2 is way better than 4/1, hopefully they are able to retain the 700 people they plan to hire and relieve the mariners on time. While they’re are at it, they should also also curve or atleast modify the shaving policy. One thing also that would make msc better is if the detailers were to give the mariner ship options to chose from.

Btw, I’m currently with MSC, but I’m planning on going the union route. More money and more freedom! Either way this is good msc news.

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Too little, far too late.

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Way too little. Compared to even-time, 4-and-2 is still laughable. Better than 4-and-1, but still laughable. It’s also really dumb that they don’t hire limited-tonnage mariners for the vessels on which those licenses would be applicable (the tugs and salvage vessels). MSC is their own worst enemy. These changes will barely amount to a drop in the bucket towards fixing their problems. I’m tempted to say that I hope someone in MSC management is reading this, but I genuinely don’t believe any of them are that situationally aware. Government at its finest.

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They only have 1 limited tonnage tug left. The 2 salvage ships remaining are unlimited tonnage. And all 8 of the new ATS they’re building will be unlimited tonnage and DP2.

Everything else you said is spot on. Just left there after giving up on my long term pipe dream of the new boats.

Either way, dumb way to manage a fleet if you already know you have massive manpower issues. There as many if not more limited-tonnage mariners out there as there are unlimited-tonnage. Why not try to find a way to include them so that you have more to choose from? If there is a niche in the fleet where limited-tonnage vessels could excel (like tugs and salvage craft) then it should be exploited.

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It is very dumb. And the navy is already including limited tonnage mariners by contracting work out to commercial companies that MSC ships used to do. Upper management (navy and civ) seem to be actively trying to bring an end to MSC. If they’re not, they’re just that dumb.

I think they’re just that dumb :joy: :rofl: :sweat_smile:

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Amen. MSC had potential, they just hate us pesky mariners who fuck up their little spread sheets and make little red boxes appear.

Talk on another thread was that changing rotations would require an act of Congress. So it was just talk?

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They are going to issue all the CivMars govt credit cards??

That’s going to be a shit show. :rofl:

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No kidding. The number of misuses of govt. cards is commonplace even with employees way more highly vetted than MSC deckhands. From innocent mistakes to personal firearm purchases to luxury vacations and everything imaginable.

They’re not what you might think. The bills are sent directly to the cardholder, not the Federal government. And the cards are very limited in what they can be used for, generally only transportation, meals, and lodging. The card will be rejected if the holder tries to use it for other purposes. I do not believe, but am not sure, that the credit card issued has any recourse against the Federal government if the holder does not pay the bill.
(I have had my government card rejected more than once for lodging at union facilities during official USCG meetings as the facility does not show as a lodging and/or meals provider with the issuing bank).

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Part of my experience with govt cards is based on a co-worker, a COE hydrographic survey technician who bought a rifle, a leather jacket and some other stuff with no problem. He had to reimburse his account. That’s when we were lectured on the abuses.It sounds like the rules have been tightened.

We get more than lectures. It’s required training that has to be repeated annually.

Ah…the good ol’ days

My question is this- Will the Civilian Mariners in this “Virtual Pool” be paid to sit at home? Those of us who have sailed for MSC are familiar with the “Pool Rats” who used sit in the “Pool” and collect wages without shipping for long periods of time… A complete waste of money…

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