November 1996
How would you like to have an operation performed by a doctor who had not kept up with his technology? During the Civil War the test of a good surgeon was - how fast could he saw. In that day of amputation without anesthetic the objective was speed.
Engineers need to keep up also. We can not get off the Tiger of Technology or we will be devoured. For our Naval Reserve Engineering Duty Officers (NRED) that means many things need to be done.
Our gaining command, the Naval Sea Systems Command, needs to be sure that we have the right mix of units, billets, and people to fill those billets. We also need to have the appropriate budget to meet peacetime support and mobilization requirements - in a complex world where over-simplification can be a tantalizing temptation.
Because we have so many kinds of units and each one responds to its environment we can have misunderstandings. For example, our Industrial Mobilization Units (IMU) perform a peacetime support function and a mobilization function. At peace IM Units provide a forum for explaining the complex interaction between the parts of a larger system and the efficient use of the completed system. Production workers often marvel at how important their job really is.
The IMU's have a critical mobilization task. While making presentations during peacetime the NRED's gather information and maintain a knowledge base on where, how, and when complex components can be acquired. In the event of mobilization the IMU's would expedite critical parts of complex systems. Very necessary - not a frill.
And at the person level we all know that the Engineering Duty Qualification Program (EDQP) is a five year post graduate level "course" in become a fully qualified Engineering Duty Officer.
After the successful three hour oral examination by the certifying board - much like a doctoral dissertation defense - there are other key points in staying on the Tiger of Technology.
When an ED is promoted to LCDR, CDR, and CAPT there is a workshop that is rank- appropriate to where you are in your Naval Reserve career.
Every year we have Multi-Readiness Command Technical Training (MRTT) Sessions on both the East and West Coasts. These training sessions are keyed not to your rank but to the swift developments in technology in the many disciplines we represent. Imagine how tough it is trying to put a saddle on the Tiger of Internet Technology. The same can be said for many of our technologies.
Our corral is very large - there is no one else in the Department of Defense with the same unlimited Merry-Go-Round that we ride.
Happy Trails, Tiger Riders!