COMPSRON One General Information

Welcome Aboard, Shipmate!

This is the Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron ONE's Welcome Aboard and is directed to military personnel with permanent change of station orders to report for duty to COMPSRON ONE. This will provide you with the information you need to make your PCS transfer a success.

Forward-Deployed in the Mediterranean

You are about to begin a new adventure without parallel in the naval service. COMPSRON ONE is embarked aboard civilian ships owned or leased by the Navy's Military Sealift Command. Living conditions are unlike anything you have experienced thus far in your career. You will have your own stateroom, and the food is superb. You will have many opportunities for sightseeing in Europe as the squadron moves from one port to another. For example, the command has visited Spain, Greece, Israel, Ireland, England, Portugal, Germany, Estonia and Italy. We operate extensively with NATO and EUCOM during many exercises throughout the year.

There are a few things to be aware of prior to reporting aboard. First, we are administratively homeported out of Norfolk, VA, and forward-deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean. The staff is embarked on the flagship, USNS 2nd LT JOHN P BOBO. Since we are continuously deployed, the Squadron has no central logistics hub. Ships normally spend 7-14 days in a port and then transit to another. The most expeditious way to reach us is via electronic mail.

Once we are in receipt of your PCS orders, you will be assigned a sponsor . Your sponsor will be your primary point of contact on the staff to answer specific questions. Due to the uniqueness of this duty, your sponsor will need to contact you within 30 days of receipt of your orders. If no one has contacted you within 30 days, contact the Admin Office using the following email: mps1_info@msc.navy.mil or phone: (619) 544-7190 ext. 103. In the unlikely event you are unable to get in contact with us through any other means, you may call the Director of Personnel Management and Administration at Sealift Logistics Command- Europe at 39-81-568-3804 (DSN 626-3804) for urgent assistance.

Life on the MPSRON ONE Flagship

While aboard the flagship, you will be assigned your own stateroom. The ship amenities include a full galley, a weight room complete with sauna, CCTV, satellite TV and, both crew and officer lounges. Since the flagship is rarely pier-side, launches are used to shuttle personnel ashore. All staff members serve one-year, unaccompanied tours with the squadron. Staff members are encouraged to take advantage of college courses and distance learning while assigned. Contact your Navy College Office prior to arrival for coordination.

Planning Your Move Aboard

Who handles my pay?

• Our pay matters are currently handled by PSD Rota, Spain. Personal checks can be cashed onboard the flagship from the Supply Officer (limited available funds). To obtain the best exchange rates, the best method for exchanging currencies is by ATM. It is recommended you come with an ATM card and/or credit card. ATM machines are available in the various ports to receive the local currency.

What about my dependents?

• Ensure your Page 2 and DEERS information is up-to-date prior to transferring from your present command. If you relocate your dependents, please bring a copy of your new lease or mortgage so you will receive the proper BAH rate. This tour of duty is made under the home-base/advanced assignment program under MILPERSMAN 1306-200: "Member will be offered the option of reassignment to their previous continental United States (CONUS) duty station area, or given an advanced assignment to the next duty station area in CONUS if they complete the tour to projected rotation date (PRD) as assigned." Contact your rating detailer.

What do I need to bring?

• Although you will have your own stateroom, it is small with very limited storage space (perhaps 3-5 dresser drawers and a small closet). Pack wisely. There is no storage space available outside your stateroom. You will need a full set of uniforms (winter and summer). There is a small ship's store aboard for toiletries, soda, and snacks. The ship provides towels, sheets, blankets, and pillows. Hanging pictures or anything else on the bulkhead or overhead is not permitted. Any food processing or cooking equipment in your room is not permitted. Your sponsor is the best person to ask about any additional items that you feel you may want to bring with you.

What to bring	What NOT to bring
Uniforms (winter/summer/dress) FULL SEABAG!	Bath towels and linen (beach towel is OK)
Civilian clothes (winter/summer/athletic)	Large entertainment system
Steel-toed work shoes/boots	Excessive civilian clothes
Not necessary, but if desired: - Golf clubs or Scuba gear (keep in mind you have to carry all this) - Portable CD/DVD player and CDs/DVDs - Portable computer	Exercise equipment (we have a gym aboard)
	Furniture of any kind
	Refrigerator or microwave
	Cleaning supplies

NOTE: the ship has the regular, U.S.-style electrical sockets - operating at 120-volts/60 Hz power. The onboard CCTV system operates on the U.S. NTCS-type of broadcast signal.

Am I authorized to ship my household goods?

• You are authorized to send an "Express" shipment from your detaching command to the ship. Understand that your personal effects will remain at the EUCOM logistics hub, NAS Sigonella, until the ship arrives at it's destination. Many staff members mail (at their own expense) a few medium-size boxes to their sponsor with off-season clothes in them. Please contact your servicing Personal Property Office when in receipt of PCS orders. Reminder: Excessive baggage reimbursement is authorized upon BUPERS approval but remember, that you will need to transport the baggage from the airplane to the ship via taxi or train.

Do I need a passport?

• With the squadron operating in the European/African theaters, you should obtain a passport for travel in foreign ports. Your orders authorize an official passport (brown). You should also bring a personal passport (blue) that is valid for the entire tour. Most European countries require a passport to stay in a hotel or rent a car. You must have a passport to commence travel.

What about medical facilities?

• The ship has a dispensary with a qualified civilian Medical Services Officer to handle any medical problems that may arise. The treatment facilities aboard are limited to first aid and routine sick call, much like sick bay on a small combatant staff by an independent duty corpsman. No pharmacy service is available.

What about taking leave while assigned to the staff?

• Leave will be authorized on a case by case basis and in consideration of operational commitment.

What about mail service?

• Sixth Fleet mail service is used, however, depending on the ship's schedule, mail service may be slow. Credit card/phone card bills often arrive too late to pay them on time, so you might want to consider prepaying these bills in advance. You might also investigate setting up an automatic payment system with your creditors, where payments are automatically transferred from your checking or savings account each month. There is limited U.S. Post Office facility aboard.

How do I get to the flagship?

• The Staff will make every effort to have someone at your arrival airport. Normally your sponsor will meet you but sometimes a designated agent will be waiting for you. Again, early and constant communication with your sponsor will keep both you and the Staff informed. Due to limited launch service, it is not unusual to have to spend the night in a hotel room before coming aboard, please plan ahead and have enough money to cover this (you will be reimbursed as part of your travel entitlements); your sponsor can assist in making these arrangements.

Do I have to worry about any screening procedures?

• A final impediment to your transfer could be late or non-receipt of your Overseas Duty Screening certification. MPSRON ONE will insist that we have naval message confirmation of successful completion of this process from your current command or servicing PSD. NAVPTO will not issue you airline tickets without a copy of the screening in your service record.

My orders require some sort of "Anti-Terrorism" training. What's that?

• All DoD personnel relocating overseas are required by the Chief of Naval Operations to receive general and area-of-operations specific individual Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection training from certified training officer within six months of travel. A service record entry on a page 13 (Administrative Remarks, NAVPERS 1070/613) is required. See your command's security manager, a PSD overseas travel specialist, or contact your local NCIS office to find out where this training is given. You will need what's called "Level I" AT/FP training. Even if your orders don't mention this requirement, the instructions you will receive in this training are for your own safety and must be completed before transferring overseas.

Are there other incentives to MPSRON duty?

• Duty with COMPSRON ONE is sea duty, so you will earn Career Sea Pay if you are eligible. As you are deployed, you will also earn Family Separation Pay if your dependents normally live with you. Upon completing a one-year tour, you will be eligible for the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. Enlisted personnel assigned to the staff may also receive various incentives from their detailers such as geographic preference.

Staff Point of Contacts:

CSO: 011-39-335-697-2560	AOPS: 011-39-335-711-4063
FPO: 011-39-335-697-2599	WPNSO: 011-39-335-686-3834
OPSO: 011-39-335-711-4137	ASUPPO: 011-39-335-711-4157
SUPPO: 011-39-335-711-4119	ADMIN: 011-39-335-697-2561
COMMAND CHIEF: 011-39-335-686-3834