USMC Combat Engineers build, repair, and maintain infrastructure and combat fortifications. They are responsible for employing explosives for construction and demolition projects, and route clearance. Being a Combat Engineer requires an amazing amount of testicular fortitude. With the scarcity of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal MOS, Combat Engineers are oftentimes called upon to do the exact same duties that EOD is.
Marine Combat Engineer ensures route safety for military vehicles in Afghanistan
Commencing combat operations during insurgency and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) warfare can be logistically challenging. During OIF(Operation Iraqi Freedom) there was a service wide shortage of trained EOD specialists. However, Combat Engineers filled that gap. With training in explosives and route clearance they were well suited for the task.
USMC Iraq and Afghanistan. Combat Engineers also worked toward erecting Forward Operating Bases (FOB) during OEF/OIF. Bulldozing berms, building Hesco barriers, and laying Concertina wire so the Marines could sleep soundly at night. Due to this, Combat Engineers command an amazing amount of respect from their fellow Marines.
Marines construct defensive positions around perimeter
After recruit training, Marines in the engineering occupational field will complete a specialty course dependent on their MOS. Such courses include the Basic Combat Engineer Course, the Engineer Equipment Operator Course and the Basic Metal Workers Course. A new engineering Marine may be assigned to a combat engineer battalion, an engineer support battalion or a Marine wing support squadron.
There are a number of billets available inside the Marine Engineer Specialty. After boot camp, a Marine interested in this field will attend Basic Combat Engineer School, located at Camp Lejune, NC. They work to perform a variety of different specialized demolitions in land mines and for urban land breaching is also taught.
1371 Combat Engineer MOS Coin
In counter insurgency operations USMC Combat Engineer specialists have been used extensively in civil affairs operations. There missions include rebuilding vital infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and shelter. Marine Corps Combat Engineers work to perform a wide variety of task that go beyond their MOS. The duties a Combat Engineer is called to perform can vary greatly. You can be assigned literally anywhere that the Marine Corps Services, and be detailed as support for a variety of different Marine Corps Command groups.
Devil Dog Shirts is proud to recognize the Marines that serve as Combat Engineers. Without them our casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan would have surely mounted. Thanks to their efforts we were able to rebuild infrastructure in the war torn regions of Afghanistan and Iraq.