My boyfriend was notified on Nov 28 that he was selected for an OS position with the MSC. He completed his eQuip on Nov 30th. He was called the following week to do a drug test for Dec 7th. I’m betting that he’ll be on his way to NEO within the next month (hopefully). Now, my real questions are about the daily life. I understand that after NEO he goes to New Jersey for training and then back to Virginia to the pool. Once selected for a detail, does he stay on that ship until he goes on annual leave or does he switch ships every time it comes into port? I have read that someone could be in the pool for days or weeks- if they have family in Norfolk, are they allowed to go home instead? Since we currently live in Atlanta, I’m trying to determine if it’s worth selling the house here and relocating to Norfolk so he can come home when in port instead of just seeing him the few times a year he’ll be on leave… Suggestions? Is there any blogs that I can read?
He will stay on the ship for a 4 month assignment beofre he can avail of his meager leave balance and would be up for assignment to another (or the same) ship after leave. He can be sent straight to a ship in the Western Pacific or Gulf of Oman etc etc and be gone the entire 4 months and after leave it could happen like that again. Do Not move to Norfolk till after he’s sure he’s at least on a ship that operates from that port, if he like that ship and it is a Norfolk ship, he can homestead it and remain assigned on it for years. He may never be assigned to a ship in Norfolk, he could always get assigned to ship on the west coast or alway to one deployed.
The pool is a working hours thing, so yes if one lives in Norfolk they go home at night, in fact if on a Norfolk based ship, they can go home at night when the ship is in port and it isn’t during their working hours. Folks in the pool go to an MSC paid for hotel while in the pool if they live greater than 50 miles away from the pool.