Re: Working for SUP vs. Working for MSC

Have you considered other options?

I looked at working for MSC and opted not to sail with them, because:

1- Although you can accumulate more than 30 days of leave, you won't be able
to take it.  If you take more than 30 days you'll need a medical waiver, and
if you try to take more than 90 days, you'll be pulled out of the service
and have to go through the whole new-hiring process again.

2-There is an enormous shortage of AB's in MSC (that's why there's a $3K
signing bonus) and all the guys I talked to said they were usually releaved
30-60 days late.

3-Hawsepipe promotion?  Forget it.  I'm a retired navy deck officer,
thousands of bridge watch standing hours and got my 3rd unlimited...  after
a couple calls to the MSC recruiter she finally told me the bottom line:
all new deck officer hires are taken from the academies and nowhere else.

4-Training?  Maybe after your first year is completed.  But I'm guessing as
a QM2 you probably already have enough sea time to sit for the exams.  If
you're assigned to a ship, get a printout of the OICNW qualifications
signoff sheets and get your CO to sign you off on each and every one of
them.  Do it now, cause once you're off the ship, it's too late.  Go buy the
3rd/2nd mate study guides (cost me about $500 for all the materials) study
and pass the exams on your own.  That's what I did.  I spent about a month
studying and passed all the modules on my first try.

Where to sail as a newbie 3rd?  I sailed as a relief 3rd on research ships
for a couple of years.  The pay is decent (last ship I got about $5K to $7K
a month, depending on o/t), you'll get as much time off as you want and as
much work as you want.  Union?  After 20 years in the Navy I'm done paying
my dues...

Just my two cents...

Paul



"WShoots1" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Rick: << Grab every school you can and collect every endorsement
available. >>
>
> That's good advice for any line of work.
>
> Bill in Texas