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Mobile Support Equipment Operator (MSE Op) [Merged]

I am just waiting to hear back on my medical and hopefully soon I will be joining the MSE crew!  Can some folks who are MSE Op tell me a little bit more about the trade? What will I be doing mostly? What type of vehicles will I drive; specifically when first starting out?  Will/can I do some/a lot of feild work?
 
Didn't see any replies from current MSE Ops, so here goes...

This won't be of help regarding current vehicles. Our primary work-horse was the M135.

But, perhaps the attitude has at least remained somewhat consistent.

In the Service Corps I was a Transport Operator, later they called us MSE Ops.

So, we operated vehicles. But, I learned much more than that. Like customer service.

As I understood it, the unit we were servicing paid our unit for our time. So, we tried to give the best service possible, as you were representing your unit to the "contracting" unit.

At least, that's the way I understood it.

So, operators who did good work, tended to be offered more runs.

On Time Performance. Safety and courtesy. That the uniform we wore represented our command of a military vehicle.

Personal appearance was important. So was keeping your vehicle well maintained and clean.

I think those lessons learned helped me later in my full-time career.
 
Another version of the MSE Op customer service story.

I was a Platoon Commander and my platoon was off to do some training with a local fire department off Garrison. The Pl WO requested a bus complete with financial code (as our unit did not have any) and sure enough on the morning of the training said bus magically appeared from Base Transport complete with MSE Op. As I am getting on the bus (last with my WO) I notice the MSE Op is not wearing any combat pants. Strange I thought.

Before we set off, I opted to inquire to my WO as to why the professional driver was not wearing combat pants, but rather in his issued army boxers. The WO remarked that indeed he also was somewhat surprised by this diversion from the Dress Regulations and common decorum and that the problem was that the MSE Op had accidently pissed himself whilst conducting his morning driver inspection and did not want to be late to a paying customer and hence... disposed on his pants and executed his duties.

I of course inquired to the WO if the MSE Op was sober and he assured me he was an we went off about our daily training to the fire department. At the end of training a new MSE Op (complete with pants) picked us up and returned us to Garrison.

I figured I should call my mate from the Mess who was the Base Transport Officer, as I suspected my WO was doing the same on the NCM-net ans I wanted to give him a heads up. First question from the Base Transport Officer (who was not at all phased by this event), "Was he sober this time?".

Single incident. Otherwise I have enjoyed working with MSE Ops over the years.

MC
 
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