Why I Recommend College Degrees for Mariners: the COVID-19 Pivot

From March 2020, and continuing for the next two years, mariners around the world have found their time ashore to be severely curtailed due to COVID-19 prevention policies. That these restrictions on lower-risk shipboard arrivals continue (small crews, sufficient quarantine time between ports at sea), even as higher-risk air tourism has opened up (despite large aircraft and no quarantine time) is a topic for another post. I was working in the Military Sealift Command headquarters during this time, and have only made aware of the full extent of shipboard restrictions fairly recently. Cancellation of shore leave posed an acute problem on the East Coast, where mariners expected to be in their “home port” at least two days per week. Being a homeported mariner for the Military Sealift Command meant a civil servant’s work for a civil servant’s pay. What constituted restriction of movement varied by Navy command. In accordance with Health Protection Condition (HPCON) Level C, active-duty servicemembers were limited to on-base shopping and personal appointments, but could also provide care for their children and sleep at home. Which combatant ships maintained a “Gangway Up” order for mission-readiness likely remains classified. Military Sealift Command’s Admiral believed that civilian mariners should be ready to “deploy” to a ship for 120 days, without requiring time ashore. Indeed, the blanket order against shore leave was loosened after 120 days. But for the civilian mariners, 30 days at sea, or restricted to the ship, was a long stretch already. The Admiral came up through Naval Aviation, and would be familiar with expeditionary contractors who support high-tech equipment onboard aircraft carriers and at remote air bases. Some contractors even flew cargo helicopters from the decks of Military Sealift Command’s vessels. Those contractors were handsomely compensated for their work; and expected to deploy no more than half the year. Civil service mariners expect a steady pace of work, to sustain the long haul of their careers. Hiring freezes at most companies slowed the inevitable “suitcase parade” of departing crewmembers. Restrictions on commercial ship mariners were even more onerous than those at the Military Sealift Command. Nevertheless, those who could took their retirements; and those mariners with side-businesses took the opportunity to make that their full-time job. Real estate was booming; at least a dozen with those skills or social capital made the leap into work as real estate agents or home rehabbers. Because in-person work is required in maritime shore-based support roles, there were enough openings to accommodate college-educated mariners who wanted to work ashore.