VETERAN SPOTLIGHT: How Scott Taylor’s Journey Led to MSC

(Norfolk, Va. (Nov. 5, 2026) – From serving during Vietnam to launching a post-retirement career as a Military Sealift Command (MSC) Data Scientist, Scott’s journey has truly come full circle. In our latest interview, he dives into why he joined MSC, what it means to support the fleet, and how he unplugs after hours.

Born in the community of Douglas, Michigan, his family soon relocated to Southern California where he was raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Scott joined the Navy near the end of the Vietnam War and served four years, rising to the rank of Fire Control Technician (Guns) Petty Officer 2nd Class. During his tenure, he was homeported in San Diego, where he served on two ships: the USS Barbour County (LST-1195) and the USS Sperry (AS-12).

After his military service, Scott spent two years working as a carpenter in the mountains of northern California. He then returned to Southern California to kickstart his education at a local community college, where he rediscovered his passion for math and science. This inspired him to earn a B.S. in Physics from Harvey Mudd College with the goal of pursuing a doctorate. Although marriage temporarily paused his academic plans, Scott eventually returned to graduate school at the University of Iowa earning an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering followed by a Ph.D. in Mathematics.

In his new role as an MSC Data Scientist in the Resource Management Division (RMD), Scott supports managers and analysts by building data models, software tools, and ad hoc analyses. Because the RM group handles multi-year ship budgeting critical to fleet financial health, Scott’s work directly streamlines reporting, which helps sharpen command-level decision-making.

When asked why he chose to bring his talent and expertise to MSC, Scott shared: "I had been retired for two years and found myself bored and needing an outlet for my creativity. I wanted to re-enter the workplace, and the idea of serving our country as a civil servant appealed to me on several levels, so I applied for a few positions through USAJOBS. Fortunately, I was selected for an interview and offered the position, and I'm genuinely grateful for this opportunity. I work with a great team—they are dedicated, collegial, professional, and respectful, and each member has made me feel very welcome. So, I've come full circle and returned to the Navy where I started my career. I'm very happy to be here."

When asked what supporting the fleet means to him, Scott shared: "Supporting the fleet is an honor, and the work we do to back them up matters deeply. Having served in the Navy as a young man, I still appreciate the environment here—the mutual respect between military and civilian colleagues, the professional pride people take in their appearance, and the dedication, despite a little grumbling. It’s hard to put into words, but working within the U.S. Navy just brings out the best in us."

When asked what excites him most about his job, Scott puts it simply: "I have a natural talent for fixing things and get a lot of satisfaction from improving processes."

As a mathematician and data scientist working in the War Data Platform and Maven environments, his work centers on two main goals. First, he is building a semi-automated production environment—replacing manual spreadsheets with clean, coded data pipelines and online reports for stakeholders. Second—and most enjoyable, he is developing machine learning and deep learning models to forecast key ship-related metrics.

When asked how he relaxes, Scott shared: "I read, play a bit of tennis, and hit the beach weekly when the weather cooperates, and—living out here now— I hope to tackle a section of the Appalachian Trail every year."

We are incredibly honored to have a veteran of Scott's caliber join our ranks. Welcome to the team, Scott! We look forward to achieving great things together.

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