What is the role of an Army combat engineer?

Imagine this: an enemy is shooting at you from across a shallow river. There’s a small footbridge you could use to reach them, but what if it’s rigged with explosives? Should you destroy the bridge to keep the enemy from crossing? Or should you create your own safe route across? And what’s the quickest way to do either?

Welcome to the domain of combat engineers. These soldiers are not only tasked with setting explosives to neutralize an enemy, but they also assess and build the safest pathways to reach their targets. From bridges to bombs, combat engineers handle a wide array of mechanical and engineering challenges.

In civilian life, the word 'engineer' often evokes the image of someone working with numbers, formulas, and diagrams in a quiet office. However, in the military, the role of an engineer is far more dynamic. Combat engineers, for example, don’t just crunch numbers—they’re on the front lines, constructing bridges or demolishing them when necessary. These professionals must combine spatial awareness with bold action, ready to handle any challenge that comes their way.

While this discussion mainly focuses on combat engineers in the United States Army, their duties are not too different in other countries' armed forces, including those in Canada and the United Kingdom. In fact, combat engineers from these nations are often involved in tasks such as water filtration and distribution [sources: Canadian Forces, British Army]. The U.S. Marine Corps also relies on combat engineers, who share similar responsibilities to their Army counterparts [source: Marines].

Although women were previously barred from serving in combat engineer roles in the U.S. military, they have been able to train for these positions for years, particularly at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Since 1999, the Sapper Leader Course, an advanced training program for front-line engineers, has accepted female soldiers. By 2013, 55 women had successfully completed this grueling course [source: Michaels].

Set 'em Up, Knock 'em Down

The Army allows you to select your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), which outlines potential career paths. For example, the 12 field covers all engineering positions, with MOS 12B being specific to combat engineers. However, securing this role is contingent on meeting both physical standards and achieving a high score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). Combat engineers require a score of 87 or higher on the combat section of the ASVAB [source: Army].

Once a soldier successfully navigates the MOS selection process and is designated as 12B, the next step is basic training. Those pursuing a career as a U.S. Army combat engineer must complete 14 weeks of One Station Unit Training (OSUT), which consists of Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). During AIT, soldiers can specialize in combat engineering, general engineering, or geospatial engineering.

Combat engineering is integral to supporting infantry operations, so AIT training focuses on a broad range of skills for engineers working in combat environments. In addition to traditional engineering tasks like building bridges to assist troop movement, combat engineers also handle explosives. This includes clearing routes or terrain, often using explosives. Demolitions training is as vital to combat engineers as construction training. As a result, many combat engineers are injured or killed during explosive-related operations, such as clearing improvised explosive devices.

In modern conflicts like those in Afghanistan and Iraq, bomb clearing is a critical responsibility for combat engineers. These soldiers use advanced mine-detecting equipment while infantrymen engage enemy forces. This combined-arms approach is essential for dealing with the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in combat scenarios [source: MacLeod].

Similar to other enlisted soldiers, a combat engineer begins with an approximate annual salary of $18,000 [source: Army]. Keep in mind that additional expenses, like housing, are covered. The Army suggests that individuals pursuing a combat engineer position should have an interest in mechanics and engineering. This role also provides solid preparation for a variety of civilian careers, such as construction and building inspection. Civil or mechanical engineering is another natural career path that aligns well with the skills gained from this position.