Military Sealift Command Adjusts Eligibility Requirements for Able Seaman Promotion, Will Implement One-Pay System in July
09 June 2025
NORFOLK, VA --
Military Sealift Command (MSC) adjusted eligibility requirements for Able Seaman (AB) promotion last month, opening doors to more career opportunities for Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARs) and improving recruitment and retention in its fleet.
MSC CIVMARs are now eligible for promotion to AB Maintenance (M) with an AB (Special) endorsement, 180 days of qualified sea time and passing U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) testing.
Prior to the change, all MSC ABs were required to meet the AB Watch (W) eligibility requirements for promotion, which include an International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Able Seafarer (Deck) endorsement and 540 days of qualified sea time along with a Rating Forming Part of a Navigation Watch (RFPNW) certification and passing USCG testing.
MSC CIVMAR Program Manager Casey Chmielewski said the changes more closely mirror the requirements used by most U.S. merchant marine employers by creating different standards to reflect the actual needs of each position.
“Traditionally, AB(W)s are bridge watch standers. That is why the AB(W) requires a STCW Able Seafarer (Deck) endorsement. This endorsement is necessary for a person to meet the Coast Guard requirements for an AB(W) on our ships,” said Chmielewski.
AB(M)s mainly perform maintenance on the exterior of the ship and work the on-deck operations of our ships, including multiple roles during underway replenishment (UNREP) operations. Because they are not bridge watch standers, the qualification standards aren’t as in-depth, and they are eligible for promotion with an AB (Special) endorsement,” he said.
Although these changes shorten the path of promotion to AB(M) by reducing the qualification standards and sea time, Chmielewski emphasized that MSC still requires that all Ordinary Seamen obtain a RFPNW certification before MSC sends them to AB school.
“That requirement is not changing because the skills learned obtaining the RFPNW help our personnel be successful when we send them to complete AB school,” he said. “But overall, this change will reduce the timeline significantly if they work hard to earn the training opportunities onboard their ship.”
On May 18, MSC promoted 20 CIVMARs to AB(M) with the adjusted requirements, and leaders anticipate they will promote about 80 more in the coming months.
MSC also announced the implementation of a One-Pay System for unlicensed ratings that will eliminate coastal designations for MSC ships and ensure CIVMARS are paid equitably effective in July. Immediately upon the implementation of the One-Pay System, all ABs with an Able Seafarer (Deck) endorsement and RFPNW certification will be eligible for promotion to permanent AB(W).
“With this change, AB(W)s will be in a higher pay category than AB(M)s, which makes sense because of the higher qualification standards,” said Chmielewski.
As the premier maritime logistics provider for the Department of Defense, MSC leaders say these changes will make the command more competitive with the private maritime industry when it comes to recruiting and retaining the nation’s most talented seafarers.
“We have had experienced ABs express interest in joining MSC but didn’t because we could not hire them as an AB if they did not have the STCW endorsements,” said Chmielewski. “Now, we can bring those folks in and possibly retain them based on other efforts we’ve made to improve our CIVMARs’ working conditions, such as installing Wi-Fi on our GOGO (government-owned, government-operated) ships, implementing four months on, two months off leave rotation, reducing overdue reliefs, and other retention incentives.”
MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.