On 24 December 2014, the Commanding Officer HMAS Success, Captain Justin Jones, awarded four proud Sailors their Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) Endorsed Marine Systems Manager (MSM) qualification in front of Ship's Company.
Leading Seaman Marine Technician (LSMT) Matthew Timbs, LSMT Luke Pantic, LSMT Joshua Carter and LSMT Gregory Williams all received the qualification after many months of hard work, intense learning and rapid development in dealing with the myriad of engineering emergencies, faults and problem solving activities to meet the requirements of the MSM Task Book.
HMAS Success' Training Officer, Lieutenant (LEUT) Ben Churcher, said the sailors should be proud of their achievements as the MSM qualification is not easily gained and involves significant amounts of on-the-job training and watch-keeping rotations.
"The four Sailors began their progression through their MSM Task Books in early/mid 2014 leading into the high-tempo period that Success experienced over the last 12 months," LEUT Churcher said.
"This period included involvement in Exercise RIM OF THE PACIFIC and Operation SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN, before completing the Mission Readiness Evaluation for deployment to the Middle East Region as part of Operation MANITOU.
"With that tempo, these sailors have had significant opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and contribute markedly to Success' important achievements."
LS Luke Pantic said it was a stressful but rewarding experience conducting Engineering Casualty Control Drills daily during the transit to the Middle East.
"It was a great learning curve and now I have an increased knowledge of the practical component of the engineering plant on board Success," LS Pantic said.
"Some of the work and skills that we needed to demonstrate included managing machinery breakdowns, partial and total power losses, mechanical problem solving and crises management and maintaining propulsion and power distribution as required by Command.
"All of this is required to be achieved in spite of progressive degradation in engineering capability."
The sailors have now demonstrated that they are ready to rise to the challenge of being Marine Systems Managers onboard AOR 304, HMAS Success and LS Pantic said he is keen to keep learning.
"The study was tireless as there is a lot a MSM has to know but the learning doesn’t stop now I have my qualification," he said.
"Being in charge of the engineering plant is still a little daunting but very rewarding."
The Success command team has focussed on training and task book completion the last few months to ensure maximum capability while on deployment in the MER. Achievement of MSM is also a key step in the ongoing development of Engineering Sailors. To award four MSM qualifications in such a short time shows that these Sailors’ efforts have paid off.
