In today’s post, we are going to research and educate you on a rather new position in the United States Army. We will look at the Army 882A Warrant Officer: Mobility Officer. If you are a Soldier that is interested in logistics, this just very well may be the position you are looking for in the U.S. Army.
We will take a look at the background of this position, the duties, responsibilities, job description, prerequisites, and career opportunities of the Mobility Officer.
Background
In my research on the position of 882A Mobility Officer, I came across an excellent writeup by Lt. Col. Peter B. Everitt who is retired from the United States Army. In this paper, Lt. Col. Everitt explained how yesterday’s Army had a major flaw, and that flaw was quick deployment. The Army was using Officers and NCOs with other specialties in the logistics of deployment. Essentially, it was a chaotic mess, and deployments were haphazard to say the least.
In 1997, a new position was developed after studying the serious problems with deployment and troop movements. The Army 882A Mobility Officer was hatched. This person would specialize in only deployment and troop movements. From studies, this was an excellent plan. The United States Army can be prepared to deploy in much quicker times than ever before.
Duties, Responsibilities and Job Description
Advises commanders on the deployment processes
Plans and coordinates troop and equipment deployments
Identifies and solves deployment problems and issues
Creates and provides training related with unit movement operations
Controls the rapid movement requirements in the DTS (Defense Transportation System)
Coordinates with multinational, joint, and commercial agencies, along with the Army so all involved use a systematic order in deployments and distributions
Prerequisites
For those who hold an 88N MOS, these are the prerequisites:
Must be a E6 or higher
Completed Advance Leadership Course
Have a current secret security clearance
3+ years of experience in deployment or distribution
A physical profile of at least 22221
A recommendation from a senior 882A
Submission of all NCOER with a determination of among the best
For those who hold an 88H or 88M MOS, all the above must be met plus:
Graduate from Unit Movement Officer Deployment Planning Course (UMODPC)
Graduate from TC-AIMS II
It is beneficial if the applicant:
Is HAZMAT certified
Graduated the Battle Staff Course
Has an Associates Degree or more from a University or College
Has JOPES (Joint Operational Planning and Execution System)
Career Opportunities
The after-Army opportunities associated with holding the 882A Mobility Officer are numerous. First, there are major, and minor corporations that have logistic nightmares. They have equipment and staff that has to move from country to country, and they desperately need people with this kind of experience to handle those operations. Many of these (equipment and staff) are going into countries that are in political and civil upheaval, and having this kind of military logistical experience will guarantee a job with a superior pay rate. There are also many opportunities in consulting work in this area. As I stated, a high paying career will be no problem.
Final Thoughts
The 882A Mobility Officer is a job that most Soldiers would love to attain. The Army has an extensive training program for the Mobility Officers. The first stop will be Fort Rucker, Alabama for the Warrant Officer Candidate Course, and then off to Fort Eustis, Virginia for a 19 week course that will cover every step you need to properly handle the deployment needs of the United States Army.
We would love to hear from you if you have been, or still are an 882A Warrant Officer. We do understand that with the security clearance, you just cannot tell us a whole lot, but anything you can share would be greatly appreciated. If you are seeking this position, and have any questions that we possibly can answer for you, just ask…the comment section is below.
Chuck Holmes
Former Army Major (resigned)
Publisher, Part-Time-Commander.com
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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I was told that mobility warrant officers do not actually deploy, I was wondering if this is true or if they deploy as usual.