Military Sealift Command

Current Mariners

Getting Started: What’s Your Next Step with MSC

As a holder of a US Merchant Mariner Credential or License, you’re already a valued member of the US Merchant Marines! You already know first hand the excitement and fulfillment that come from a career at sea.

What you may be wondering is just what does today’s Military Sealift Command offer to the experienced professional mariner? We’re sure you have a number of questions and we will do our best to answer them for you here, but remember, if you have any further questions or would like more detailed answers, please feel free to visit with one of our recruiters in person at a career fair near you, or call our CIVMAR Support Center at 1-866-562-7672.

1. What are the opportunities for advancement with MSC?
2. What will the benefits packages include?
3. What are the tour lengths?
4. What is Military Sealift Command’s mission?
5. What really sets MSC apart?

What are opportunities for advancement with MSC?

MSC excels at offering a clear, attainable career path, paid upgrade training programs and unsurpassed promotion opportunities for motivated commercial mariners. The only thing that will hold you back from unqualified success in your career with MSC is your own personal motivation and drive. With several different training programs available and our tradition of promoting from within, you really can Take Command of Your Career®.

What will the benefits package include?

MSC offers our CIVMARs a variety of benefits in addition to the Annual Salary. As you weigh your options, consider the benefits package of all perspective employers. The benefits offered by an employer add up to an additional compensation for the employee. The robust benefits package MSC offers is substantial as compared to private industry.

• 10 Paid Holidays Annually
• Base pay is earned commensurate with the size, level of automation and type of ship you are assigned to. Additional compensation is earned over and above base pay to include overtime, hazardous pay and bonus provision(s).
• Time-off is accrued according to the total years of federal service and is considered Annual Leave. In addition to annual leave, CIVMARs earn Shore Leave accrued based on the number of days “at sea” and Sick Leave on a per pay period basis.
• As a Federal Employee, all CIVMARs qualify for a variety of Insurance plans covering Health, Vision, Dental, Life, Disability, Loss of Wages and Injury. There are also Spending Account Options, Leave Buy Back and a comprehensive Retirement plan. MSC provides up to 75% of the total health insurance premiums and the CIVMAR’s share of the premium is deducted pre-tax, putting more money in your pocket and reducing your taxable income.

Remember, in addition to all the other outstanding benefits available to our CIVMARs, you can also make great use of any former military or government service time you’ve already done! Ask our CIVMAR support staff how to turn your prior service into creditable retirement time with MSC.

What are the tour lengths?

Minimum tour lengths with MSC are four months and there is no maximum tour length. If you’re working on a ship you love you don’t have to leave it right away; however, you may be reassigned to other ships based on the needs of the Command.

What is Military Sealift Command’s mission?

MSC’s primary mission is to supply the US Navy Fleet with everything it needs to continue to perform their critical operations. We have other assignments as well, such as humanitarian work aboard our two hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort and we have a few fleet ocean tugs and other assorted special mission ships.

What really sets MSC apart?

We stand out as the premier organization for mariner employment for a number of reasons. One of our biggest points of pride is that we are known for having some of the most highly trained, professional mariners around. The nature of our main mission, supplying the US Navy Fleet at sea, makes it imperative that our crew is trained to the highest standards of professionalism and safety. Performing replenishment operations at sea, day after day, mission after mission, requires a top-notch crew with exceptional training and capabilities. There are very few operations at sea that will stretch your skills and abilities in the way our day-to-day activities do.

Becoming a CIVMAR may be one of the best decisions you make. We understand it is important to weigh your choices, but we believe you could Take Command of Your Career® with MSC.