Almost 18 years ago, I was a second class petty officer serving with a port security unit detachment at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I was one of four active duty members serving alongside over 50 reserve members from West Coast-based PSUs. Day one of pre-deployment training, I was shocked by members describing the challenges they had to overcome to report on time as required. I was quickly enlightened on the reality of how resilient, flexible and determined our reservists need to be. By the last day of our deployment seven months later, I had not only made life-long friends, I had completely changed how I viewed, and would forever approach, the Coast Guard Reserve. The leadership had been outstanding and the mission executed with immense pride, proficiency and professionalism.

I’m finishing my fourth year as the MST rating force master chief where I’ve had the true privilege serving as the advocate and advisor for all matters impacting the health and professional development of the MST rating, including its 600 reservists. MSTs operate in a wide variety of roles including: prevention and response operations, ice reconnaissance, and weather forecasting, with the potential of earning dozens of qualifications throughout a career.

Our reservists have always trained, qualified and operated in the same jobs and with the same expectations as their active duty counterparts. On any given day, a reserve MST can be found responding to a pollution incident, conducting a waterfront facility inspection, inspecting intermodal containers, or filling a critical ICS position in support of a contingency response.

MSTs deploy almost immediately after a natural or environmental disaster. While it is often the active duty who are able to respond immediately, it’s our MST reservists who staff the long-term operations all the way through demobilization. When not deployed to a response, MST reservists are at their drilling unit augmenting their active duty counterparts who are deployed. Both scenarios demonstrate the flexibility of the Reserve Force, while highlighting the need to ensure the reservists are solely focused on getting the proper training and qualifications for the jobs they will be required to do for the Coast Guard during a deployment.

Three years ago, I worked closely with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Reserve and Reserve Component managers to implement a newly developed Reserve Force Advisor position, currently filled by Senior Chief Petty Officer Cobie Lee. The RFA works directly with the RFMC and serves as the advocate, advisor, and subject matter expert on all matters pertaining to the MST reserve workforce. The RFA position immediately proved its worth during the development of rating initiatives:

Updating Reserve Core Competencies – Critically important to ensuring all MST reservists have proper advancement requirements ensuring a balance of foundational knowledge, continued development and overall proficiency in rating.

Optimize Force Laydown – Applying CG-R workforce management initiatives, project acceptable training capacity and limitations impacting units and members; update the Shore Forces Reserve Management Plan and ensure all Reserve MSTs work toward same core competencies, regardless of drilling location.

Retention & Recruiting – Unlike the active side of the MST rating, which is at 100% capacity, the MST reservists maintain an average staffing in the mid-80% range. We are drilling down on the reasons why we lose reservists, as well as identifying recruiting methods.

We have one of the most mission-diverse ratings in the Coast Guard, and one of our best strengths is the long-established active/reserve relationship in the MST rating. It takes all 1,800 of the talented MSTs, both active duty and reserve, to ensure all prevention, response, emergency management and science-related missions are executed with that same pride, proficiency and professionalism I witnessed in my days with the PSU.

Our greatest asset is our people—an incredibly smart, talented and capable force who rely on the support of one another to maintain the highest of standards in our field. I’m confident that our rating will continue to provide the great service the public demands from its Coast Guard.

Semper Paratus!!

Master Chief Petty Officer Michael A. Brewer

Rating Force Chief

Marine Science Technician