Combat Engineer (21B)
- Enlisted
- Active Duty
- Army Reserve
- Closed to Women
Having a combination of combat ability and building skills is necessary when it comes to tackling rough terrain in combat situations. Combat Engineers primarily supervise, serve or assist as a member of a team. They provide much-needed combat engineering, such as building roads, constructing bridges or helping our forces to move across foreign land.
Some of your duties as a Combat Engineer may include:
- Constructing trails, roads and field fortifications such as shelters, bunkers and gun emplacements
- Assembling floating or prefabricated bridges
- Operating various light or heavy engineer vehicles
- Placing and detonating explosives
- Loading, unloading and moving supplies and equipment using planes, helicopters, trucks and amphibious vehicles
- Operating or serving as a crewmember on a combat engineer vehicle, armored vehicle launch bridge or an armored combat earthmover
- Preparing and installing firing systems for demolition and explosives
- Locating mines by visual means or by using a mine detector
Requirements:
Combat Engineers must meet very demanding physical requirements. Agility, balance and the ability to perform strenuous physical activities over long periods of time are a necessity.
Training:
Job training for Combat Engineers consists of nine weeks of Basic Training, where you’ll learn basic Soldiering skills, and six weeks of Advanced Individual Training. Your on-the-job training primarily consists of manual work in a variety of construction projects that cover the following:
- Basic construction methods
- Basic engineering principles
- Bridge building
- Road maintenance and repair
- Rough carpentry and rigging
- Use of hand and power tools
Helpful Skills:
Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to use hand and power tools
- Interest in construction and working with your hands
- Ability to think and remain calm under stress
- Interest in engineering
- Preference for working outdoors
Advanced Responsibilities:
Advanced level Combat Engineers supervise and train other Soldiers. As an advanced Combat Engineer, you may be involved in:
- Directing and assisting in the operation of engineering wheeled or tracked vehicles
- Determining zero settings and firing the combat engineer vehicle weapon systems
- Directing the construction of fighting positions and wire entanglements
- Controlling fire team movements
- Placing explosives and clearing misfires
- Conducting reconnaissance operations
