A whole new and strange career has opened up for 1st Sgt. LeRoy C. Kienast of the Marine Air Reserve's medium Helicopter squadron, HMM -764. Sgt. Kienast is the son of Mr. & Mrs. John W. Kienast of Manning, and lives in Long Beach, California.

Until his current assignment, he was motor transport chief for Marine Air Support Squadron-4. As MT chief, his duties centered around supervision of personnel dealing with operation and maintenance of wheeled equipment. Now he finds himself fully occupied with administrative duties. In spite of the documents, he still finds time to counsel junior men on personal problems that are military related.

The first sergeant served 10 years with MASS-4 prior to his transfer to the helicopter squadron last November and this year's active duty stint at the Naval Air Station at Fallon, Nevada, will mark the first time he has trained with a squadron involved in flight operations.

Kienast's military career dates back to January 1952, when he entered the Marine Corps at Audubon, Iowa. He served two years on active duty, reenlisting in the Reserve program upon release. In his civilian pursuits, he is employed by Shell Oil, as a field maintenance man and shop machinist at their Carson, California, headquarters.

As the top enlisted man in the squadron composed of 110 enlisted men and 25 officers, the Reservist has found administration of the organization challenging as well as rewarding.

"Our greatest problem," he recalls, "during the period I've been with the squadron was at the time of the fuel shortage." That, plus a shortage of parts, grounded some of the medium transport helicopters for several drills.

"The fact that maintenance personnel tended to gripe about their forced idleness is only a healthy sign," the top sergeant contends. "In fact, it shows an ambition to get things done, as well as a healthy interest in their work. It speaks of an excellent esprit-de-corps."

The feeling, he adds, has disappeared from the ranks, since the helicopters again are flying scheduled training missions on drill weekends.

Picture in article:
NEW CAREER - Reserve 1st Sgt. LeRoy C. Kienast of HMM-764 has learned the differences between being a fulltime administrator and a motor transport chief since assuming his new duties. (USMCR photo by GySgt. H.C. Cash)