# The ups and downs with MSC **URL:** \ **Category:** Military Sealift Command\ **Created:** [November 22, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946 "2010-11-22T21:02:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![904Buddyrowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/a87d85/32.png) [@904Buddyrowe](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/904Buddyrowe)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/1 "2010-11-22T21:02:26Z")
I am a new hire with MSC and i am a new hire as a wiper in the engine room. What is some good and bad things about MSC? How is Life with MSC? After 6months of work how much pay should i be looking forward too? ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/2 "2010-12-04T09:43:19Z")
Welcome to MSC…by far the best shipping company to work for in America. You are very lucky to have a job with this outfit. Working in the Engine Dept is good, much more overtime than everyone else, the Chief controls the $$$ on the ship. So when everyone else is knocked off you engine folks will still be working OT. Everything about MSC is good! The pay is great, you get FREE everything!! Free work clothes, free work boots, free food, free ride to WalMart & the mall & the Seamans Center & the NEX, free rides to the doctor, free medicine from the MSO, free airplane tickets home, internet at sea, e-mail at sea! MSC is the best company to work for! ---
**Author:** ![Cmannoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b38774/32.png) [@Cmannoia](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Cmannoia)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/3 "2010-12-04T10:54:53Z")
Anyone have any info on SIU? I am an ex trucker, and just got my AB (unlimited), Lifeboatman, RFPNW, OS, Wiper, and FH; I got all this and have like no hits at all with all the resumes and applications I’ve put out; a buddy of mine suggested joining the Seafarers International Union, and shipping out with them. But before I spend another 400 or so dollars, can anyone on here tell me how long the average wait at a (I’m going through the Norfolk VA) SIU union hall for a ship is? Thanks all, happy holidays… ---
**Author:** ![KneelbeforeZod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@KneelbeforeZod](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KneelbeforeZod)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/4 "2010-12-04T15:57:00Z")
[QUOTE=UnRepKing;44493]Welcome to MSC…by far the best shipping company to work for in America. You are very lucky to have a job with this outfit. Working in the Engine Dept is good, much more overtime than everyone else, the Chief controls the $$$ on the ship. So when everyone else is knocked off you engine folks will still be working OT. Everything about MSC is good! The pay is great, you get FREE everything!! Free work clothes, free work boots, free food, free ride to WalMart & the mall & the Seamans Center & the NEX, free rides to the doctor, free medicine from the MSO, free airplane tickets home, internet at sea, e-mail at sea! MSC is the best company to work for![/QUOTE] You make me sick! ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/5 "2010-12-05T00:31:03Z")
[QUOTE=KneelbeforeZod!;44501]You make me sick![/QUOTE] You must work for them Zod. Between your comments and the King I have no idea what to expet when I go. Something like a hot broad and finding a package. ---
**Author:** ![KneelbeforeZod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@KneelbeforeZod](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KneelbeforeZod)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/6 "2010-12-05T04:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=Seaman;44509]You must work for them Zod. Between your comments and the King I have no idea what to expet when I go. Something like a hot broad and finding a package.[/QUOTE] I think it’s just sarcasm. It’s either that or somebody dosed the bug juice. Your lucky to be sailing wiper. I wish I had that job. Get yourself enough time to sit for QMED and start looking for work elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/7 "2010-12-05T09:25:57Z")
I’m an AB. I have a set date for NEO and my plane ticket so I’m going unless santa puts a better gig in my stocking. ---
**Author:** ![Jeffrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@Jeffrox](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jeffrox)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 9:35am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/8 "2010-12-05T09:35:52Z")
[QUOTE=UnRepKing;44493]Welcome to MSC…by far the best shipping company to work for in America. You are very lucky to have a job with this outfit. Working in the Engine Dept is good, much more overtime than everyone else, the Chief controls the $$$ on the ship. So when everyone else is knocked off you engine folks will still be working OT. Everything about MSC is good! The pay is great, you get FREE everything!! Free work clothes, free work boots, free food, free ride to WalMart & the mall & the Seamans Center & the NEX, free rides to the doctor, free medicine from the MSO, free airplane tickets home, internet at sea, e-mail at sea! MSC is the best company to work for![/QUOTE] the tickets home, email and internet at sea are less than stated,the email will be send only for the 1st month or more on the ship and the internet is restricted to a VERY short list of web sites. ticks will be back to the “pool” (office) Norfolk or San Diego, if you live elsewhere you pay to and fro… ---
**Author:** ![Q695](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@Q695](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Q695)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/9 "2010-12-05T11:45:04Z")
I was told they kick you off the ship, but when they do what happens if you decide to stay in the pool waiting for another job? ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/10 "2010-12-05T13:16:13Z")
[QUOTE=Jeffrox;44512]the tickets home, email and internet at sea are less than stated,the email will be send only for the 1st month or more on the ship and the internet is restricted to a VERY short list of web sites. ticks will be back to the “pool” (office) Norfolk or San Diego, if you live elsewhere you pay to and fro…[/QUOTE] Email is send only for the first month!? So is there anyway to connect with family or make bill payments while underway? Might be a weird question but do the ships have a fax number you can use? I’m in the process of having to short sale my home from being out of work for so damn long and it sounds near impossible to try and get it done. I’ve been near coastal all my days and in the dark about deap sea. Heading out in four weeks to start with MSC. ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/11 "2010-12-05T19:26:51Z")
No no no, it is all true. I am sitting in the lounge on my ship typing this right now. The e-mail always works. There may be a day or two where there is a problem with it, but 99.9% of the time at sea you always have e-mail. Internet may be “slow” but you can to every website except facebook and porn. The internet sit “white list” has not been put into effect and may not at all. Even if they do that you will still be able to go to most eevry website, all banking sites will always be accesible. If you live in Boston and want to fly there you are free to do that. MSC checks the ticket price to Norfolk (always lots of $$$) and then they look at Boston…if it is cheaper then you fly to Boston, no problem, free ticket from MSC. If Boston is more than Norfolk (doubtfull), then you give the Purser the difference. Norfolk =$500 Boston= $575…then you give Purser $75 and fly to Boston. But believe me, it is always very expensive to fly to Norfolk. By flying to you own home airport you save MSC $$$. I think a lot of these people do not actually work for MSC. ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/12 "2010-12-05T19:29:18Z")
Find a shipping company with better benifits than MSC. Please try. When you do let me know about it. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/13 "2010-12-05T21:21:12Z")
Good news…thanks. I’m trying to get as much information as I can before reporting. ---
**Author:** ![AB\_Murph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@AB\_Murph](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/AB_Murph)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/14 "2010-12-05T22:10:22Z")
20 years and you can retire also. Think it has the same Bennies as the military. I would have went with them but I have spent to much time u/w in the navy. 2 retirement checks was tempting but I need some time to spend the money also. ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/15 "2010-12-05T22:29:48Z")
I might be wrong on this, but if you do 20 years and get 30 days annual leave a year, it would be like 18 years on with 2 years off. ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 5:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/16 "2010-12-06T05:41:44Z")
I guess if you just run the numbers on a calculator you may come up with that. Leave at MSC is not that black and white though. Ships go into yards, people take ships leave, people go on leave without pay, plus training and other classes. And if you live in the 757 then you go home all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Seaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Seaman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Seaman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 10:01am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/17 "2010-12-06T10:01:38Z")
[QUOTE=UnRepKing;44534]I guess if you just run the numbers on a calculator you may come up with that. Leave at MSC is not that black and white though. Ships go into yards, people take ships leave, people go on leave without pay, plus training and other classes. And if you live in the 757 then you go home all the time.[/QUOTE] Glad I asked. How much LWOP can you get during a vacation? Can you take an extra month beyond the two weeks? I’m just used to sailing 3/3 or 4/2. Four months with two weeks seems short. Thanks for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![Q695](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@Q695](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Q695)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/18 "2010-12-06T19:27:05Z")
How does OT fit into years working at MSC, because I read somewhere that a day is equal to 8 hours, but if you’re an “ET” you get plenty of OT, and with a good reputation you can spend as much time at sea as you want? ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/19 "2010-12-07T07:28:21Z")
$ 90.00 / hr We were just loading ammo before 0800, ABs were make $90.00/hr. Anyone top that?? And we do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![UnRepKing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@UnRepKing](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/UnRepKing)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946/20 "2010-12-07T07:29:09Z")
[QUOTE=UnRepKing;44563]$ 90.00 / hr We were just loading ammo before 0800, ABs were make $90.00/hr. Anyone top that?? And we do it all the time.[/QUOTE] And that was just the OT rate…so they were still getting paid their base pay…so lets just call it an even $110/hr [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/the-ups-and-downs-with-msc/4946.md?page=2)