Platoon leader Herbert Meixner works at the state printing office. In the spring, however, he swapped his civilian clothes for a uniform and, as a militia platoon leader in the Vienna 2 Jäger Battalion, taught his comrades how to determine the authenticity of identity documents.
Mr. Meixner, what do you do for a living?
I am a project manager at the Austrian Government Printing Office and responsible for official identity documents such as passports, ID cards and driving licenses. I am also active in the works council team and in several ISO groups. Together with the Federal Chancellery and the Ministry of the Interior, we are constantly working on producing identity documents with state-of-the-art security features and of the highest quality. Our technology has to be of such a high standard that counterfeiters can’t get their teeth into it.
Do you benefit from your experience in the armed forces in your civilian job?
As a project manager, you often have to keep calm and manage large projects with a cool head. I first learned this during my basic military service. “Don’t lose your nerve and keep going,” said one of my instructors. Even today, when I hold a meeting or a presentation in front of a hundred people, I remind myself of this. That saying also got me through two evening studies. As a militia soldier, you were on a Covid-19 mission – how did that go?
I held a course for around 100 soldiers from the Vienna 2 Jäger Battalion, who were stationed at the Klingenbach border crossing in May. The aim was to teach them as much as possible about identity documents, their security features and how to check them quickly and easily. After all, with the right training, the authenticity of an ID card can be quickly recognized.
What’s next for you in the army?
I was already in the militia after my basic military service, but a few days before I would have become a non-commissioned officer, I unfortunately had to disarm. Thanks to my current job and my expert knowledge, it was possible for me to rejoin. However, I would like to see a modular militia NCO training program again. In its current form, this is not compatible with my work situation, although I would even take leave for it. I’d rather go to Allentsteig than Gran Canaria!
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