Ordinary Seaman Advancement Program

This program is designed to bring experienced personnel and previous apprentice participants into the program for up to 36 months of being mentored by the Civilian Mariner staff. The successful candidates would serve as Ordinary Seaman in the Deck Department aboard all classes of MSC civil service crewed ships, both at sea and in port.

Selected candidates will be placed in Ordinary Seaman Advancement Program (OSAP) for on-the-job training and work experience. Candidates will receive training including Rating Forming Part of Navigational Watch (RFPNW), Able Seaman in Lieu Course, and Lifeboat in Lieu Course and up to 120 Navigational Watches.

Candidate must sign a 36-month service agreement and required to obtain the Merchant Marine Credential (MMC) endorsed as Able Seaman Unlimited, Able Seafarer Deck, and RFPNW within three years from the date of the signed OSAP agreement. Upon completion of program requirements participant will become eligible for consideration for permanent promotion from Ordinary Seaman to Able Seaman (AB). Selection will be contingent on the successful completion of an administrative review (medical, security, discipline, etc.), and a review of supervisory evaluations and input regarding performance and readiness for permanent promotion to AB. An authorized AB position must be available in order for the promotion to be effected.

Failure to comply with the program requirements within the allotted time may result in termination from employment.

The Ordinary Seaman is a Civil Service Mariner (CIVMAR) employed by the Navy to serve the Military Sealift Command (MSC) onboard naval auxiliaries and hybrid-maned warships worldwide, in peace and war. MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations. MSC provides on time logistics, strategic sealift, as well as specialized missions anywhere in the world, in contested or uncontested environments.

The Ordinary Seaman will perform and/or aid other crewmembers in work pertaining to general maintenance, repair, sanitation, and upkeep of material, equipment, and areas that are the responsibility of the Deck Department. General maintenance consists of, but is not limited to: chipping, scaling, scraping, priming, painting, and or cleaning of the ship’s hull, decks, superstructure, cargo gear, smokestack, rescue boats, lifeboats and or life rafts, emergency and damage control gear, and working aloft. Further, the incumbent will become familiar with general nautical terminology, boxing the compass, navigational running lights, rules of the road, including day shapes, sound signals and all distress signals. The Ordinary Seaman will also be instructed and assigned to perform traditional shipboard marlinespike seamanship duties that include the splicing of wire rope, as well as synthetic and natural fiber lines, reaving and unreaving blocks and falls, overhauling and maintaining both standing and running rigging, cargo loading, discharging, sounding, shoring, lashing, and rigging cargo nets, slings, ladders, boat fenders, tricing pendants and gangways. The Ordinary Seaman will also be instructed and assigned to perform general deck sanitation duties. This includes sweeping, scrubbing, sougeeing and conducting wash downs in general, and the sorting and proper disposal of trash and garbage.

Must be eligible to have access to, handle and be qualified in small arms in accordance with OPNAVINST 3591.1.

Everything in this Position Description is considered to be an essential function of this position. Performs all other duties as assigned.