The recent growth of Reserve Engineering Support Units could be more organized to offer a higher level of efficiency for Fleet support. A training and qualification program should be established to attain this increased level in efficiency. The large growth in Reserve Engineering Support Units are a result of displacement of the MK rating from Small Boat Stations by the ME rating. The shift in assignment for Reserve MKs has been a topic for the past few years and is recently coming to fruition. While the concept of replacing MEs with MKs is an arguably sound cost saving initiative (the cost to train an MK vs. ME), a proactive approach to the shift in job description by the senior enlisted level would improve efficiency for the Service.
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Creating a qualification program for the new Reserve MK Units would prevent three undesirable traits that can occur due to this personnel reallocation; lack of knowledge, lack of confidence, and lack of cohesiveness. Each of which will be carefully considered in this paper.
To reiterate, most Reserve MKs are limited in shipboard knowledge, but they are still highly trainable due to professional civilian exposure. Also note that while the requirements for promotion are the same for Active Duty and Reserves, Reserve “sea time” is waived. The result is that there are Reserve “Coasties” who are extremely proficient at small boat life, but lack shipboard knowledge and need training. Knowledge is the foundation and purpose of a formal qualification …show more content…
Solid training and qualification will go a long way for a Petty Officer who is assigned to perform a task alone that they have never performed in a place they have never performed it. Particularly stressful to the member is that a simple task could put any equipment into “Charlie” readiness status! For example, while performing maintenance to a Cutter’s small boat trailer, a member stripped a seized lug on the trailer wheel. Rather than put the trailer into Charlie status, the member aborted the mission and put the other lugs back on. The member could have cut the bad lug off, but spare lugs were to no avail. The task could not possibly have been completed on the time frame allotted with the parts supplied. The MK displayed confident decision making by aborting the mission. The required parts were then ordered, all other lugs were soaked in penetrating oil and the job was postponed for another weekend. The unconfident and inexperienced member would have removed all of the lugs and put the trailer into Charlie status until the new parts were
Creating a qualification program for the new Reserve MK Units would prevent three undesirable traits that can occur due to this personnel reallocation; lack of knowledge, lack of confidence, and lack of cohesiveness. Each of which will be carefully considered in this paper.
To reiterate, most Reserve MKs are limited in shipboard knowledge, but they are still highly trainable due to professional civilian exposure. Also note that while the requirements for promotion are the same for Active Duty and Reserves, Reserve “sea time” is waived. The result is that there are Reserve “Coasties” who are extremely proficient at small boat life, but lack shipboard knowledge and need training. Knowledge is the foundation and purpose of a formal qualification …show more content…
Solid training and qualification will go a long way for a Petty Officer who is assigned to perform a task alone that they have never performed in a place they have never performed it. Particularly stressful to the member is that a simple task could put any equipment into “Charlie” readiness status! For example, while performing maintenance to a Cutter’s small boat trailer, a member stripped a seized lug on the trailer wheel. Rather than put the trailer into Charlie status, the member aborted the mission and put the other lugs back on. The member could have cut the bad lug off, but spare lugs were to no avail. The task could not possibly have been completed on the time frame allotted with the parts supplied. The MK displayed confident decision making by aborting the mission. The required parts were then ordered, all other lugs were soaked in penetrating oil and the job was postponed for another weekend. The unconfident and inexperienced member would have removed all of the lugs and put the trailer into Charlie status until the new parts were