Army Engineer

The Army engineer is a vital part of the U.S. Army. Army engineers take on some of the hardest and most dangerous jobs in the Army. When most people think of engineers, they think of soldiers who set up a tent or build a barracks. This is true. However, let’s give credit where credit is due. Their role is a very difficult and important one. These soldiers are put through and attend some of the most difficult schools in the Army; everything from learning how to build a bridge to installing plumbing to setting up an FOB and making it safe for everyone who is assigned there.

Army Engineers are Combat Ready

The Army engineers have performed at a high level in combat, taking on tasks such as route clearance, convoy ops, and checkpoint operations. They provide security on FOBs and handle most of the FOB operations. They must qualify on their individual weapons as well as on other Army weapons. They’re not just soldiers who set up sandbags. They are combat as well and throughout history have done an excellent job in combat. Several Army engineers have been Medal of Honor recipients.

OEF/OIF

Army engineers played (and still have) an important role in OEF/OIF. They spent countless hours setting up various FOBs from Kuwait all the way to each border in Iraq and Afghanistan. To this day, Army engineers are still building additional barracks, latrines, etc. in Afghanistan and Iraq. They not only make the camps ready; they constantly strive to make them better to give each soldier a safe and comfortable place to live while overseas. Their days and nights are long and their down time is short. In Iraq, they were tasked with some of the most dangerous jobs in the country. The pontoon bridge that was built to get supplies across a body of water was very dangerous, and if not for the soldiers at FOB, warhorse would have not been able to complete their mission. In the time I was in Iraq, I know they had to rebuild what was known as the Taji bridge 4 times after being blown up by enemy combatants. They were constantly under attack while performing this dangerous task, and each time they rebuilt it, they made it safe for convoys to bring supplies from Kuwait and elsewhere north. They built main service routes that allowed supplies to reach all the FOBs in Iraq. The engineers did a job that lead to the U.S. and allied forces defeating the enemy.

The Army Engineer Will Always Be There to the End!

It does not matter where we are in the world or what battle we must fight. The Army engineer will always play an important part in helping the U.S. forces defeat the enemy. The engineers will build to fight. They will always prove their worth and are deeply dedicated to their motto! To all the engineers that have risked their lives to save the lives of others, thank you for your dedication and commitment to every soldier that has served and the freedom you have protected.