Tim Brown sees similarities between military, Mississippi Power
Tim Brown’s life of dedication and service epitomizes total commitment.
The utility arborist will mark 26 years at Mississippi Power early next year. In February 2018, he officially retired from the U.S. Army after 34 years of service.
Brown started out as a helper, truck driver and apprentice lineman before working his way into a lineman’s role and then an Engineering analyst. Now, he oversees the contract crews that trim trees along the company’s distribution lines.
“I was a supervisor in the military, and that experience is something I use all the time,” Brown said. “It was invaluable, especially working with younger people. You can’t take short cuts in the military or on the line crew.”
Brown served as a 1st Sergeant in the 143rd Echelon Command and was stationed at several bases across the U.S. and northern Europe.
“I worked a lot with fueling helicopters,” Brown said. “From carrying fuel in trucks to getting it into the helicopters and transporting it over the road in tankers, I did it all.”
That even included what Brown called “hot refuels.”
“That’s when the chopper lands, but they don’t stop the blades. It’s hot, windy and dusty.”
Depending on its size, a helicopter can require anywhere from 50 to 250 gallons of fuel.
Brown spent six months in Kuwait during Desert Storm “while the oil fields were burning and the SCUDs were flying overhead.” More than a decade later, he was mobilized at Camp Shelby and helped train soldiers for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
While stationed in Germany, Brown served as an HVAC repairman and electrician.
“That helped me get back into the electrical business. I did a lot of electrical work there,” Brown said.
Brown believes there are two obvious similarities between the military and his time at Mississippi Power – trusted relationships and a commitment to getting the job done right.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie at both places,” Brown said. “It’s just like that in the line crew. We are a team. If we work together, the work can be easy. If we don’t, it’s hard.
“And being in bad weather. We do a lot of military training in bad weather. That prepares you for trouble calls when it’s raining or icy, and storm work.”
Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy for more than 187,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. With nearly 160 megawatts of approved solar energy capacity, Mississippi Power is the largest partner in providing renewable energy in the state of Mississippi. Visit our website at mississippipower.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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