Marine corps engineers

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Combat engineers build, repair, and maintain buildings, roads, and power supplies within the Marine Corps, frequently while under fire or in dangerous combat environments. Their jobs are among the most important in the Marines, and they're often on the front line of any offensive action against enemy troops. 

Their jobs involve using explosives for both construction and demolition projects. They also use heavy machinery like the Assault Breacher Vehicle to clear minefields. This is considered a primary military occupational specialty (PMOS) and is open to Marines between the ranks of private and master gunnery. It's categorized as MOS 1371. 

Duties of Marine Combat Engineers

After successful completion of basic recruit training, Marines slated to become combat engineers will complete a specialty course dependent upon their career field specialty. 

The combat engineer may be assigned to an engineer battalion, an engineer support battalion, or a Marine wing support squadron. 

Within the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), the combat engineer supports ground forces by removing obstacles, building causeways, constructing bunkers, and other civil engineering roles. Learning to use explosives for the demolition of structures and to clear mines and minefields are also a major role of the combat engineer.

They also construct, alter, repair and maintain buildings and structures; lift and move heavy objects and equipment by setting up, bracing, and utilizing rigging devices and equipment.

Personnel assigned this military occupational specialty (MOS) are taught carpentry and other construction skills as well as demolitions, specialized demolitions for urban breaching, and landmine warfare. These Marines are specially trained to do all of this work while potentially under enemy fire.

Qualifying as a Marine Combat Engineer

To be eligible for this job, candidates need a score of 95 or higher on the mechanical maintenance (MM) portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests. This comprises the general science (GS), auto and shop information (AS), mathematics knowledge (MK) and mechanical comprehension (MC). 

There's no Department of Defense security clearance required for this job.

The first step after basic training (otherwise known as boot camp) is to complete the Basic Combat Engineer course, Marine Corps Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. If you hold the rank of gunnery sergeant, you may also need to complete the Engineer Operations Chief course.

Once the Marine is a fully qualified, they will be assigned to a combat engineer battalion, an engineer support battalion, or a Marine wing support squadron.

Expanding the Combat Engineer Platoon

When the Marine Corps announced its plans to phase out the infantry assault MOS (0351) in 2018, it increased the number of Marines in a combat engineer squad, from nine to 13. Since many of their duties are similar, and there is a great deal of overlap in the two MOS, the decision was in keeping with the Marines' force reorganization plans. 

Both MOS 0351 and 1371 use the same shoulder-launched assault weapons, and combat engineers are as skilled in combat as their fellow infantry Marines. 

Battalion of the United States Marine Corps

Military unit

2nd Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps . They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Mission[edit]

Enhance the mobility, counter mobility, and survivability of the Marine Division through combat and limited general engineering support. The Combat Engineer Battalion performs the following tasks:

• Plan, organize and conduct mounted/dismounted deliberate breaching operations at the Company level.
• Plan, organize and conduct mounted/dismounted deliberate breaching operations at the company, battalion and regimental level.
• Plan, organize and employ expedient and deliberate demolitions.
• Plan, organize and conduct route/area sweeping operations.
• Plan, organize and construct explosive and non-explosive obstacle systems.
• Plan, organize and construct hasty and deliberate protective and tactical minefields.
• Plan, organize and construct a point minefield.
• Plan, organize and construct fighting and protective positions.
• Plan, organize and employ force protection measures.
• Plan, organize and provide missions essential water and electrical support.
• Construct and maintain limited combat roads and trails in support of Division operations.

Current units[edit]

History[edit]

The 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion was activated on 1 November 1940 in order to support the 2nd Marine Brigade. With existing Company A and the activation of the Headquarters and Service Company, Companies B and C were organized 6 December 1940 in San Diego, California. On 1 April 1941, the battalion was assigned to Division Special Troops of the 2nd Marine Division. On 4 November 1941, 2nd Engineer Battalion was relocated to Marine Barracks, Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Upon Arrival, Headquarters and Service Company and Company A were assigned to Construct Camp Caitlin, Oahu.

The 2nd Engineer Battalion was relocated on 13 May 1942 to Camp Elliot, San Diego. From here, engineers from Company A embarked for Guadalcanal, and participated in the landing on that island. On 8 September 1942 2nd Engineer Battalion was redesignated as "1st Battalion, 18th Marines". During World War II, the engineers of 18th Marines participated in Campaigns on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. 18th Marines was redesignated 16 August 1944 as the 2nd Engineer Battalion. On 23 September 1945, 2nd Engineer Battalion was redeployed to Nagasaki, Japan to begin its duty with the Occupational Force.

The 2d Engineer Battalion relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, during July 1946. A major redesignation took place on 17 May 1958 with 2nd Engineer Battalion becoming the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. Engineers with Battalion Landing Team's 1/8, 3/6, and 2/2 landed in Lebanon during the summer of 1958. The 2nd Pioneer Battalion maintained a combat-ready posture during the October/November Cuban Missile Crisis while on maneuvers in the Caribbean. Another change of designation took place on 1 April 1976 when the 2nd Pioneer Battalion returned to its former designation as the 2nd Engineer Battalion. During the spring of 1965, Marines from 2nd Engineer Battalion landed in the Dominican Republic on a peace keeping mission. Also, training exercises in numerous European and South American countries were supported by Marines from 2nd Engineer Battalion, who participated in civic action projects. On 15 April 1976 the 2nd Engineer Battalion was designated as 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion.

In the 1970s and early 1980s the battalion furnished Combat Engineer Support to the Battalion Landing Teams (BLT) in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, 29 Palms, Norway, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. From August 1982 to February 1984 Marines from 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion were part of the multinational peacekeeping force in Beirut, Lebanon. Late in October 1983, Combat Engineers landed and occupied the island of Grenada with the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit. The battalion continued to provide Combat Engineer Platoons to the BLT's of the 22nd and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units and support elements of the division throughout the world. During April 1990, elements of the Battalion supported division units attached to Marine Forces Panama and participated in Operation Just Cause. In August 1990, Company D, while deployed aboard the USS Barnstable County (LST-1197) off the coast of West Africa participated in Operation Sharp Edge assisting in the evacuation of civilians from Liberia. During Operation Desert Storm the Battalion deployed in support of the 4th MEB and the 2nd Marine Division leading the division through the myriad of obstacle belts into Kuwait. Recently engineers have participated in military operations in Bosnia, Haiti, and Cuba, and most recently, participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Bibliography

Web