Just wondering if anyone knew of an instruction out there with guidance on the Movie Petty Officer being on the ships morale payroll? Typically, 100 dollars a month.

I know that most ships give their PO who plays movies on their off-time $200 a patrol. But there is this one ship (I won't name names) that pretty much orders the ET's to play movies and cancelled the pay a few patrols ago do to lack of paperwork.

Not saying who's right here, just want to see if there's any documentation.

Thank you

there is no instruction that says the MPO gets paid.

quote:

Originally posted by FlynnPatrick:
there is no instruction that says the MPO gets paid.

Thank you Sir. I was thinking that. Of course there's nothing that says the soda guys get paid either, but they do on this certain ship.

I was under the impression the moral committee "hired" this person and paid them a stipend for their time. sort of like the ships store, etc..

Every boat I've been on they have been paid, the amount differed from boat to boat.

Since it's a morale activity you should be able to quit since morale is voluntary but I'm not sure how that will fly in your case. There's always request/complaint mast with the XO.

Not aware of any documentation that exists but you may find a ship generated SOP or something to that affect.

Good Luck

Getting to "screen" the movies before anyone else (along with 1st class berthing) was enough pay for me . I would have refused the pay if it had been offered anyway. It could have put me in the next tax bracket..

But isn't it under the table anyway?

Hey Chief

I tried to post up a reasonable answer earlier in the week, but the reply window was acting up. Anyway, some info from my experience:

Prime reference: COMDTINST M1710.13A (06SEP2000), The Morale, Well-Being, and Recreation Manual

Chapters 5, 6, and Encl. (8) have most of what you need.

As to paying the Movie Petty Officer, see Chapter 6. Specifically, Prohibited Use of Morale Funds apply, 6.C.11. a. and b. (my bolding):

quote:

Payment to enlisted personnel for work performed on MWR
matters unless the following conditions are met:
a. The work is voluntary and/or in addition to their
regular assignment and is performed during off-duty
hours.
b. Employment, by reason of hours or nature of the work,
does not interfere with the proper and efficient
performance of their military duties, which shall at
all times take precedence on their time, talents, and
attention.

Every ship I've been on since 1980 paid them, though I must admit to moving the duties to the duty ET on Polar Sea and putting the money back into Morale. I covered for them when watch duties interefered. It was experimental and probably changed back when I left, I guess.

But there does exist that documentation in Ch. 6 to allow them to be paid under the certain conditions.

Good luck with getting it the way you want, and let me know how it turns out.

Best regards,
Grumpy ol' former EMO sindbad sends