Marine Engineer System Operator..

[CapnDrake]

Hello.. I went to my local recruiting office and inquired about Navy jobs/trades and they said they are only looking for MAR ENG SYS OP.. something liek Naval comminucator and COMM RSCH and NCI OP and NES OP.. i did my CFAT and interview just got to go to a medical and I selected navy reserves. So apparently the recruiter told me and i asked about the MAR ENG SYS OP trade that all you do is sit in a chair and press buttons and watch stuff. i don't know it just doesn't sound exciting and like me.. I noticed on my trades qualification sheet the "Applicable MOCs" my aptitude was shown to be around 70 trades mostly in the mechanical and technical..

and yea i did do a search on this forum about this for a few days and didn't see any info on it...  Can anyone tell me from personal experience or if you know anyone who is a MAR ENG SYS OP tell me how it is? and what kind of things you do? I'm looking to be more of a Marine Electrician or boatswain  something hands on in the technical and mechanical trades.. anyways..  i wanted the reserves so i can go to school and get a degree at my local UNI then train work someplace in the summer months withg the navy and the recruiter said i can do that i would just have to work a minimum or something like once or twice a month... anyways these jobs they are recruiting for sound really boring and dull... is that the reason why they are recruiting for them because no one else wants to do them??  should i just get out of the navy and try n get into air force or army??   

any help would be appreciated!!! i'm really confused about this i got my medical in 1 month so time is running out

 

[Otis]

I looked at your profile, but since it isn't filled out, I can't even guess if you're the young lady I spoke to today about this very topic ... if this IS you Tina, that's not what I said!  :threat:

Either way, here's you answer(s) ... in writing!

What trade(s) any given Reserve unit is looking for is based upon what THAT Reserve unit currently needs. Your message is a little disjointed, so I'm finding it hard to follow, but Comm Rsch is an ARMY trade, NES OP is not available in the Reserves, and NCI OP is nothing like MESO.

In the OLD days (way back when I was a Reservist) ... Marine Engineers in the Reserves fixed everything, just like their RegF counterparts. Now-a-days, MESO's are more Operators than Mechanics...they still do maintenance and mechanic-like stuff, but there is much more button-pushing and gauge-reading than true wrenching (this isn't MY opinion, this is directly from two of my best friends who are/were MESO's)

What trade you are eligible for is dependant not only on what scores you got on the CFAT, it also depends on Medical factors and the interview scores.

Marine Electrician is also not available in the Reserves ... Bosn MAY be, depending on which Reserve unit you're joining and if they have spots available (though I think Bosn is full Reserve-wide for this year).

Hope this answers your questions.

Otis

 

[CapnDrake]

ahh i see, that helped a little, thanks, lol. what is the main diff between reserves and regF? Is the reserves more of a local thing? whereas the regF you move around?

 

[kratz]

A search of the site for MESO found:

- MESO vs MEM,
- What you need to know to sail in the ORCAs, and
- Calling all MESOs .

Another useful place to look for answers about the Naval Reserve is your local Naval Reserve Division. They will have a full-time recruiter during the work day who will be more than happy to answer your questions and possibly arrange for a tour of the unit.

Yes, the MESOs do “push buttons” in the MCR and do not perform too much in the way of repairs, compared to the Regular Force Marine Engineers. MESOs do get their hands dirty though with minor repairs and small boats engines and must do regular rounds through all spaces in the ship. Any trade can be considered boring or exciting depending who you are talking to. Ultimately your military experience is what you make of it.

 

[Otis]

ahh i see, that helped a little, thanks, lol. what is the main diff between reserves and regF? Is the reserves more of a local thing? whereas the regF you move around?

I Found another one Roy! :brickwall:

CapnD:
GENERALLY, Reserves is part-time, Regular Force is full-time.

Having said that, there ARE Full-time reservists, and there are RegF that appear to work only part-time.

Overall there are differences in benefits, jobs available, release procedures etc.

Do not ask me to go into specifics ... if you really need more info on the differences, go to the Forces.ca website or go to your local CFRC to ask them.

Otis

 

[Pat in Halifax]

CapnDrake:
You sound like you want 'it all' with the least amount of effort. If you want to gain practical experience for a career, working in the 'summer months' only likely will not provide the degree of experience required to become proficient in a hands-on trade (Like MarEl, MarEng, Bos'n...). Might I suggest, if you are adamant about Schooling, look into the METTP plan (I think it is still called that - It was when I joined in 1982). It provides a Technologist’s Diploma and 3 years hands on experience. I joined under this program and started counting the days until my initial release the day I finished at (then) St Lawrence College in Cornwall ON in 1984!! Here I am, 27 years later with but one wish: That I could do it all over again!!

 

[Stoker]

Anything you want to know about the MESO trade pm me and i'll be more than happy to answer any questions. The trade is much more than 'button pushing".

 

[Sailorwest]

Anything you want to know about the MESO trade pm me and i'll be more than happy to answer any questions. The trade is much more than 'button pushing".

Oh, I don't know. I've met lots of MESO's who have made a habit of 'pushing buttons', particularly mine.  ;D

 

[FDO]

As a Bos'n who is married to a MESO (RMS NOW), not only was she a MESO but the Main Propulsion Chief on several MCDVs on both coasts, I dare anyone to call her a button pusher. (after 3 operational theaters I'm not brave enough to do that). I have witnessed her and her team do a lot more than "push buttons"  From an outsider point of view that's what it looks like. Even on the big ships when I walk into the MCR all they are doing is "pushing buttons".  Good thing I know better. My own little slice of heaven has told me some horror stories about having to repair engines and generators. So no, MSEO is a lot more than just pushing buttons. And as far as maintaining small boat engines, on the RIBPC (CPF boats) yes stokers maintain those. Outboard engines like the 90's on the MCDV's Hurricanes and the 25's on the zodiacs its all Bos'ns. Or should be no matter what MOG5 thinks!

 

[CapnDrake]

okay so i read that trying to attend university (via online courses for a degree) and training or being a MESO doesn't work very well. Reason being is i read i wouldn't get assigned to a reserve i would get assigned to a ship and if i chose to work during the summer months it would be for 120-150 days at a time, like a tour while needing to generate standing sea hours like doing drills. and MESO's get little free time on a ship at most you would be able to do 1 course which is still difficult. Is this true?

 

[Stoker]

You won't be able to do a on line university course while on board a MCDV under OJT especially during the summer. The reason is limited connectivity ashore and a busy sailing schedule. When you finish your basic, if you do it in the summer, you will generally go straight to a reserve unit part time until next summer when you start your OJT. This is of course dependent on what availability on going away you give the reserves.

 

[kratz]

As stoker mentioned, you will not have time on the MCDVs during MESO training to work on university studies.

Reason being is i read i wouldn't get assigned to a reserve i would get assigned to a ship and if i chose to work during the summer months it would be for 120-150 days at a time, like a tour while needing to generate standing sea hours like doing drills.

You apply through your CFRC to your local Naval Reserve Division (NRD) anytime thoughtout the year. So yes, you do belong to a unit. Based on your profile, the closest NRD is HMCS PREVOST. Most NRDs have a full-time requiter who is there to help with answering these questions and introduce you to the unit.

The Naval Reserve training schedule is designed mostly around the high school and university school year. So it is not necessary to do your university studies online.
Much of the Naval Reserve trades training is broken up into modules (blocks of training) allowing you to complete portions of training in between periods of study. You will need to have an up to date AVREP (Availability Report) so your Divisional System and Career Manager will know when you are able to sail and train. Until then you would train at the NRD once per week on average, while studying at university.