Photo By Hendrick Dickson | (Left to right) Military Sealift Command (MSC) civil service mariners, Hazel Jackson,...... read more read more
When you walk into a room with Deborah Jackson, the first thing you notice is her upbeat spirit. Then the feeling of comfort that falls over the room as she smiles and gives you her brand of straight-talk. The next thing you know you’re having a good time, listening to stories and sharing laughs. Some people just have that vibe.
It is something that has been permeating aboard USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) since Deborah stepped foot aboard in October, a few weeks after her daughter Bethay. And in March, another daughter, Hazel, arrived aboard the fleet ordnance and dry cargo ship. Now, the Jackson family’s vibe which is founded on taking care of one another has swept over the crew as they prepare for deployment this summer.
Hazel Jackson, from Miami, joined Military Sealift Command (MSC) nearly nine years ago as a supply utility. She saw becoming a civil service mariner as a good opportunity to start a career, while establishing financial stability. Her family supported her as her career progressed to becoming an assistant storekeeper (ASK).
Her mother Deborah, from Jacksonville, retired a few years ago or so she had thought. She found sitting at home every day not to be satisfying. After trying a few jobs back home, a conversation with Hazel lead her on an unexpected path.
“I was just working but it wasn’t going anywhere,” said Deborah. “Then she told me about her roommate, who was 62 years old. I went to apply that same night. It took about a year to get in…”
“She put in her application before me, but she never checked her email. The second time she applied, I kept checking her email for her and helped her submit her paperwork,” chimed in Bethay Jackson, smiling.
Bethay, seeing how well her sister was doing and knowing her mother was now applying, had decided to follow them. “She (Hazel) also has a truck driving business and I was thinking about getting my CDL (commercial driver’s license) to work with her. Then I saw her W-2. I thought maybe going to MSC would be better,” she said.
They laugh when they talk about completing the application process together and ultimately being assigned to McLean last fall. Hazel, who had been assigned to a ship out West, decided to put in her request to transfer. She ended up with orders to McLean as well.
The Jackson family is accustomed to taking care of one another and supporting each other. Deborah has another daughter who is taking care of the family home in Jacksonville. And her husband helps with the grandkids.
“We always believe in helping each other,” she said. “That’s how our family has always been and we’ve always remained close. One of my grandsons, we’re working on him getting into MSC now.”
Now Hazel being a more experienced mariner, is sharing her lessons about mariner life with her mother and sister.
“I learned from my first ship when MSC told me to pack for six months that can be misleading,” she said. I had four suitcases coming aboard my first ship. I didn’t know we had free washers and dryers and that you’d be wearing and washing your working uniforms every day,” she said.
“Oh yes! Up and down those gangway with all of that luggage…lord have mercy,” added Deborah.
With the mother and her two daughters all in supply department, they are helping take care of their 125-plus fellow mariners. Hazel still works as an ASK and handles stores, while Deborah and Bethay work hotel services. Deborah is responsible for the sixth floor staterooms and the captain’s cabin. Bethay assists Deborah and she also works in laundry.
Bethay has also been assigned re-fitting the ship’s store. Which seems like the perfect job for the shopaholic of the trio.
“The ship’s store is perfect for this one right here because she loves shopping,” said Deborah pointing to Bethay. “I just go in her room and see what she has in there. Sometimes I just grab something and say, ‘I’m going to hold onto this for you’.”
“I’m very excited about taking over the ship’s store,” she said. “We’ve been working on it late hours stocking it with items we feel the crew will enjoy. We’re hoping to do our official opening during our first sail off.”
It is pretty evident when you walk around the ship with any Jackson family member, the crew loves having them onboard. In an otherwise challenging job being at sea, they help everything feel a little more enjoyable.
“They are my three favorite crewmembers,” said former Master aboard McLean Capt. David Murrin. “They are just pleasant to have onboard. When you have a situation where so many are separated from their families, having them around brings us a family, brings that atmosphere here so many are missing. You can feel the family influence very quickly being able to just sit down and talk with them.”
The Jacksons enjoy serving together as mariners.. They are also looking forward to upcoming operations and seeing the world together as a family.
“I want to go through the Suez Canal and to see Egypt and to just really experience what God has done out here,” said Deborah. “When I stand outside and see water and to look up at night and to see the stars. All what God has done is good.”
“I’m just excited to be able to go visit places I probably would have never been able to see if didn’t join MSC,” said Bethay. “I was looking forward to coming back home with every page of my passport stamped, then I found out we don’t get your passport stamped when the ship hit a new port, ,” she laughed.
It doesn’t look like either mother or daughters have plans to let MSC go anytime soon. Bethay says she hopes to pursue a position in radio, while Hazel wants to continue to climb the promotional ladder in supply department. And as for Deborah…
“I figured I’ve got eight to 10 really good years, as long as the Lord will allow me to wake up every day and be able to function. My thing is to have enough money so when I actually retire, I’m able to get the best room and accommodations they have at the Shady Pines retirement home,” she laughed.
If that is the case, Shady Pines would be so lucky to have her bring that Jackson family vibe to their residency.
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2022 10:45 |
| Story ID: | 421159 |
| Location: | NOROLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
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