U.S. MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND (MSC) RESPONSIBILITY IN SEA POWER

Civilian-operated MSC oiler refueling an LPH

Basic Military Requirements (BMR) - Requirement for military advancement
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REVIEW 4 QUESTIONS Q1. List the peacetime missions of the U.S. Coast Guard. a. b. c. d. e. Q2. List the wartime missions of the U.S. Coast Guard. a. b. c. U.S. MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND (MSC) RESPONSIBILITY IN SEA POWER Learning Objective: When you finish this chapter, you will be able to— Identify the missions and functions of the U.S Military Sealift Command (MSC) in wartime and peacetime. In 1949, the United States set up the Military Sealift Command (MSC) by combining the sealift missions of the Naval and Army Transport Services. (The MSC was originally called the Military Sea Transportation Service.) Today, the MSC is an operating agency within the Department of Defense. MSC ships fall into two general classes—the nucleus fleet and privately owned ships under charter by MSC (fig. 20-5). The nucleus fleet consists of government-owned ships and chartered tankers. All of these ships have the title United States Naval Ships (USNS). Most nucleus fleet ships have crews of civilian mariners who have civil service status. They enjoy the normal benefits of federal employees, but their pay and work rules stem from those of the commercial maritime industry. Private contractors with union crews operate some ships of the nucleus fleet (tankers). The bulk of the nucleus fleet consists of special project ships such as research vessels and those involved in direct support of the Navy fleet. MSC transports dry and liquid cargo primarily aboard chartered ships and tankers of the nucleus fleet. MSC contracts most of these ships as voyage charters but occasionally contracts them as time charters. Voyage charters contract ships to carry specific cargo to a certain destination. Time charters contract for the use of an entire ship for months or years. All chartered ships are operated by their owners and manned with union seamen. This segment of the MSC fleet varies in size depending on the command’s current requirements. The ships of the Military Sealift Command fleet go where and when needed to support our armed forces. On any given day some ships may be operating in both polar regions or sailing to and from Alaskan military bases. At the same time other ships may be delivering cargo for military units in Europe and the Far East. In peacetime and wartime, the MSC fleet is ready to respond immediately if needed to support national, military, economic, and diplomatic policies. PEACETIME MISSION In peacetime the Military Sealift Command relies heavily on the U.S. merchant marine. The MSC ships nearly 25 percent of all military cargo on privately owned U.S. flagships and other merchant marine vessels. The small size of the MSC-controlled fleet requires the MSC to add to its available sealift forces during United States involvement in armed conflict. WARTIME MISSION During peacetime, the MSC supports the fleet by supplying fuel and supplies. During wartime, MSC ships used in moving troops and supplies to the war zone bear arms for protection. Besides moving troops to 20-12 Student Notes:

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